Tashkent, Uzbekistan, — On 1 June, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting on measures to improve the national statistical system.
Objectivity and transparency of statistics are the key to error-free and effective reforms. Over the past three years, a number of work has been carried out in this direction. In particular, the methodology for calculating inflation has been brought into line with international standards, and the list of statistically observed goods has been expanded. Publicly published financial and economic indicators for the state budget, external debt, gold reserves and natural resources.
The meeting discussed the formation of interlinked statistics by region and industry, its synchronization with a single international statistical system.
It was noted that it is necessary to bring the definition of unemployment in full compliance with the standards of the International Labor Organization, to improve the procedure and expand the scope of surveys.
The implementation in the field of healthcare of an international system for calculating the costs of treating diseases is determined. Without this, health insurance cannot be introduced.
The Cabinet of Ministers, the State Committee on Statistics have been tasked with developing a “road map” for harmonization with international statistical standards in education, agriculture, foreign trade, transport, construction, the environment, tourism and other areas.
It is also indicated to conduct an audit of government departments on the subject of their activity in compiling statistics.
It was noted that in the global databases, the data do not fully reflect the industry indicators of Uzbekistan.
Responsible persons were given instructions to ensure the full reproduction of indicators in our country in international data bases in the field of labor, energy, agriculture, education and other areas.
Another problem is that half of the statistical observation data is collected in paper form. Information analysis is carried out on software twenty years ago. The cost of calculating inflation can be significantly reduced by organizing an automated exchange of data between tax authorities and statistical agencies.
The task was set to strengthen the material and technical base of the system and update the software, introduce an integrated mechanism for collecting and processing statistical data on tax, labor, and financial spheres.
Today, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance and law enforcement agencies do not coordinate their activities in the field of statistics. At the same time, 40 percent of statistical indicators are generated precisely by these departments.
In this regard, the need to improve legislation in this area and the activities of the Statistical Council, created 17 years ago, and the formation of an independent statistical system based on international requirements, was noted.
It is known that over the years of independence, a census has never been conducted in our country. By decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated February 5, 2019, a census was determined in 2022. On March 16 this year, the Law on the Census of the Population was adopted.
The head of state stressed that the census is the main source of statistics, it is necessary to carefully prepare for it now.
Goskomstat was instructed to create a special unit and attract foreign experts, improve the activities of the Institute for Advanced Studies of the staff of the committee, and train all specialists who will participate in the census.
The meeting will separately address the issue of personnel. Over the past 5 years, 318 bachelors and 33 masters have been trained, and only 10 percent of them work in statistics departments. Only two percent of system employees have specialized higher education. In addition, over the past 30 years, only 1 doctoral and 11 master’s theses have been defended on statistics.
In this regard, the need for a radical improvement of the training system and the development of statistical science, the revision of the wage system in the sphere is noted.
At the meeting, a presentation of the National Statistics Development Strategy, developed in collaboration with World Bank experts, was held. The head of state gave instructions for its improvement.
