COMPILATION OF INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE STATISTICS (IMTS) IN BOTSWANA

1. COMPILATION OF INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE STATISTICS (IMTS) IN BOTSWANA Prepared for; Experts Group Meeting On the Compendium of Intra African & Related Trade Statistics; 5-7 October 2011; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia By; Onneetse Gaosekelwe Principal Statistician External Trade Statistics Central Statistics Office; BOTSWANA

2. Outline Introduction Institutional arrangement Experience and Practice Challenges Conclusion

3. Introduction Purpose of the presentation • To share Botswana’s experience in compilation of international Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS) • Specifically looking at; • Current Institutional Arrangement • Experience and Practice • Challenges • Conclusion

4. Institutional Arrangement Customs & Excise Mandate Collect duties related to trade, including customs and excise duties Collect and capture all raw data on external trade transactions Has to ensure that all transactions are lodged correctly so as to collect correct revenue Passes electronic data on monthly basis for compilation of international merchandise trade statistics

5. Central Statistics Office • Only government department mandated to compile official statistics including IMTS • Ensures the necessary confidentiality in compilation of all statistical information • Adheres to UNSD guidelines on compilation of IMTS

6. Central Statistics Office Continued; • Aware Customs data may not cover complete IMTS but currently no other sources used • Currently no Memorandum of Agreement with Customs & Excise but supply of raw data running smoothly

7. Experience & Practice • Uses raw data provided by Customs • Receives data from computerized borders not later than 15th of the month following the reference period • Data captured using HS 2007 at eight digits • Data processed using Eurotrace for Windows

8. Experience & Practice Continued • UNSD guidelines in IMTS compilation followed and inclusions & exclusions observed • Errors corrected working hand in hand with customs officials • Data disseminated by HS 2007, SITC & BEC Rev 4 classificasions

9. Experience & Practice Continued • Dissemination through three reports; • External Trade monthly Digest; released within eight weeks after reference period • External Trade Quarterly Digest; released 90 days after reference period • External Trade Annual Report; released six months after reference period

10. Experience & Practice Cont’d • The three reports posted on the CSO website (www.cso.gov.bw) • Data also availed to users in various formats according to their specific requests • Main users include Ministry of Trade & Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Division of Customs & Excise, Bank of Botswana and international organizations and the public at large

11. Challenges • Staff exodus leading to few experienced staff being moved around quite often • Officers not able to stay enough time with the Unit to fully understand concepts & definitions of IMTS • Inadequate knowledge of Eurotrace by IT staff • Poor quality of quantity data

12. Challenges Continued • Misclassification of commodities • Under reporting of values so as to pay low duties • Smuggling of goods to evade paying taxes

13. Conclusion • Botswana now able to compile timely & comparable IMTS as a result of integrating with the world through attending regional & international workshops • Transformation of CSO to semi autonomous organization (Statistics Botswana )will assist in attracting & retaining skilled personnel • Thank you for your attention