International cooperation and capacity development in Geostat

Abstract

Our paper will consider the processes taking place at the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) since the beginning of 2010. The focus will be made on the influence of statistical cooperation with the EU statistical offices and international statistical organizations (including Eurostat, in particular) and ENPI members. Starting from January 2010, a new Law on Statistics elaborated with the support of the Eurostat became effective. The Law guaranteed independence of Geostat as a legal entity of public law (previously being a Department within the Ministry of Economic Development), providing for more flexibility in planning and operating activities. The change in legal status led to Geostat's more intensive activity in its relations with foreign statistical offices and international organizations with the interest in statistics. The activities involving international cooperation can be grouped into 3 main directions: 1) evaluation and strategic planning (World Bank support with NSDS, Eurostat and IMF mission assessments), 2) technical assistance aimed at supporting practically all areas of Geostat's activities in the medium term (USDA, Sweden statistics/SIDA, Dutch CBS, EU/TAIEX and other institutions); and 3) support at the operational level (UN institutions, Millennium Challenge Georgia Fund, USAID, World Bank and others). The immediate and indirect outcomes of the international cooperation have a crucial influence on the main priorities of Geostat: increasing credibility of statistical information among its users, developing professional competence of Geostat's personnel, and strengthening relations with other producers of statistical information in the country. A short discussion of the most recent example of cooperation with Armenia in the field of International Comparison Program will be given, with specific positive outcomes from such cooperation.