## 1. What is TAIMS?

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### Introduction and scope
- Purpose: Present a framework for analyzing the effectiveness of technical assistance provided by the West Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC West or AFW) in the area of national accounts using the Technical Assistance Information Management System (TAIMS).
- AFW beneficiary countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
- National accounts technical assistance projects are in place for all AFW countries, except Mauritania.
- Analysis period and data sources: TAIMS documentation for FY06-09; Data ROSCs prepared for 13 African countries (including 3 AFW countries); IMF country teams’ replies to a national accounts questionnaire.

### What is TAIMS? (Box 1)
- TAIMS definition: The Technical Assistance Information Management System (TAIMS) is the IMF archive of core technical assistance information and documentation organized within a technical assistance project concept.
- Standard documents stored in TAIMS:
  - (i) Project Framework Summary (PFS): rolling work plan detailing project’s objectives and expected outcomes.
  - (ii) Technical assistance missions’ briefing papers (BRP): missions’ purpose and main tasks consistent with project objective.
  - (iii) Back-to-Office (BTO) reports: information on the extent to which the mission was successful in completing BRP tasks.
  - (iv) Project Assessment Report (PAR): completed by country authorities a year after project completion; allows reporting on achievement of objectives/outcomes, sustainability, and comments/suggestions.
- Current use limitations: For projects undertaken by the IMF Statistics department (STA) TAIMS is used mainly to record mission-related documents (BFRs and BTOs), including mission final reports; use to record/update PFSs is not systematic.

### Defining the national accounts project’s “ultimate outcome” (Section II)
- Consensus on ultimate outcome: Production of national accounts data with a minimum standard of accuracy and reliability, and timely data dissemination, is the ultimate objective of technical assistance.
- Two main sources consulted:
  - (i) Data ROSCs prepared for African countries.
  - (ii) IMF mission teams’ replies to a questionnaire on national accounts’ issues.
- Importance of canvassing users/stakeholders: Determines scope, timeline, and intensity of technical assistance; many AFW countries (except Mauritania) have active PRGF programs reliant on national accounts data.

### Data ROSCs and the DQAF framework (Box 2)
- Data ROSCs: IMF instrument assessing macroeconomic statistics against six Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) dimensions (codes 0 to 5).
- Rating scale in Data ROSCs: “O” = best practices observed; “LO” = largely observed; “LNO” = largely not observed; “NO” = not observed.
- DQAF dimensions and elements under review:
  - 0 Prerequisites of data quality: Legal and institutional environment; resources; relevance; other quality management.
  - 1 Assurances of integrity: Professionalism; transparency; ethical standards.
  - 2 Methodological soundness: Concepts and definitions; scope; classification/sectorization; basis for recording.
  - 3 Accuracy and reliability: Source data; assessment of source data; statistical techniques; assessment/validation of intermediate data and outputs; revision studies.
  - 4 Serviceability: Periodicity and timeliness; consistency; revision policy and practice.
  - 5 Accessibility: Data accessibility; metadata accessibility.

### Key findings from Data ROSCs and TAIMS analysis
- Data ROSC coverage: 13 African countries, including 3 AFW member countries, have undertaken Data ROSCs to date.
- Principal weaknesses (as reported in Data ROSCs):
  - Accuracy and reliability (DQAF 3) shows the highest need for improvement.
  - Methodological soundness (DQAF 2) is the next most pressing shortcoming.
  - Data serviceability (DQAF 4), including timeliness and periodicity, is also a significant shortcoming.
- TAIMS documentation analysis conclusions:
  - The “ultimate outcome” of producing and disseminating robust national accounts is a work in progress.
  - AFW technical assistance has mainly focused on source data assessments and methodological issues underpinning compilation.
  - Pending challenge: broaden missions’ reach/scope and further support timely production and dissemination of national accounts data.
- Implementation variability:
  - Strong implementation observed in countries with relatively developed statistical systems (Senegal), countries recovering from political crises (Côte d’Ivoire), or countries completing updates with new data sources (Niger).
  - Weak implementation in other AFW countries, with major project targets possibly remaining technical challenges for years.
  - Progress towards ultimate outcomes is not closely linked to intensity of AFW mission allocation; some countries advanced with relatively little AFW support.
- TAIMS reporting recommendation:
  - Enhance TAIMS reporting on circumstances surrounding AFW technical assistance, including the role of other technical assistance providers and donors (e.g., AFRISTAT, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and other development partners).

### Implications for management by results and next steps
- Contribution: Provides a framework using the Fund’s DQAF to assess AFW technical assistance effectiveness in national accounts, facilitating measurement of “ultimate outcomes” rather than inputs.
- Limitations and broader applicability:
  - The approach is directly applicable to national accounts due to the DQAF; for other IMF technical assistance areas, standardized outcome definitions are still missing.
  - A definitive assessment approach will require input and feedback from main stakeholders.
- Suggested focus going forward:
  - Strike a balance between data production (source development, methodology) and data dissemination (timeliness, transparency).
  - Use TAIMS systematically to track implementation deadlines, measurable targets in PFSs, and to document coordination with other providers.

### Selected numeric and factual highlights (preserved exactly)
- Analysis period and data sources: "TAIMS documentation for FY06-09".
- Data ROSC coverage: "13 African countries".
- AFW beneficiary list preserved verbatim above.

### _Source: _wp09269 - 1. What is TAIMS?_

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### 5.3 Assistance to users — main findings on quality and user concerns
- Main weaknesses identified:
  - National accounts’ data accuracy and reliability (DQAF 3) impaired by poor quality of source data, including limited information about the informal sector and use of often-obsolete household budget and consumption surveys.
  - Problems in statistical techniques and ad-hoc data revision practices undermine main aggregates (examples: use of outdated input-output tables for value added estimates; lack of adequate price indices to deflate different macroeconomic aggregates; ad-hoc timing and analysis of factors explaining revised data).
  - Methodological soundness (DQAF 2) weakened by limited application across countries of concepts and definitions recommended by 1993 SNA, in part because of source data limitations.
  - Data serviceability (DQAF 4) — particularly timeliness and periodicity — hampered by long lags between provisional, revised, and final national accounts estimates. AFW member countries have poor periodicity and timeliness relative to other African countries.
- Data users’ surveys:
  - Users’ surveys included in 6 of the 17 Data ROSCs reports for African countries.
  - Users (except South Africa) mainly concerned about data serviceability and, to a lesser extent, source data and methodology; timeliness considered too long for GDP, fiscal and balance of payments data; lack of official publication calendars widely criticized.
  - Users argue that improved data timeliness and periodicity according to a preannounced dissemination calendar is critical to stimulate richer exchange between users and producers.

### Selected numeric and country-specific observations
- "Users’ surveys are included in 6 of the 17 Data ROSCs reports written on 13 African countries to date."
- AFW missions’ tasks: "on average about 70 percent of the missions’ tasks dealt with source data and methodological issues."
- TAIMS-based distribution of cumulative mission tasks (FY06-FY09) shows large shares for “Accuracy & reliability” and “Methodological soundness” across AFW countries. Total mission tasks sum to "100.0 percent" by country in reporting tables.
- By end-2009, except for Senegal, all other 9 AFW countries would need to publish two or three years of final or semi-final national accounts data (2006 to 2007) and one year of preliminary national accounts (2008) to catch up.

### IMF country teams’ survey: practical balance and recommended minimums
- Country teams recommended balancing production and dissemination along best international practices; noted best practices frequently unattainable due to resource constraints.
- Key recommendations:
  - AFW should develop local capacity so the country can produce and disseminate national accounts that meet minimum goals of accuracy within a reasonable resource envelope.
  - Set minimum standards for data production and dissemination; examples include methodological benchmarks and consistency checks on levels and/or growth rates of critical national accounts variables (examples cited: economy’s savings rate, household final consumption, investment to GDP ratios).
  - Set objectives for data release lags: suggested aim — produce within year t+1 preliminary estimates for year t, revised estimates for year t-1, and final estimates for year t-2.

### Monitoring framework using TAIMS and assessment stages
- Monitoring framework reorganizes TAIMS documentation according to the six DQAF dimensions.
- Analysis proceeds in three stages:
  - Check AFW missions’ scope (tasks and reported outcomes) against data quality shortfalls identified by Data ROSCs and users.
  - Review available Project Framework Summaries (PFSs) to assess feasibility of meeting implementation deadlines for each data quality dimension.
  - Report on intensity of AFW’s technical assistance effort (measured by number of missions and nights spent) and countries’ success in meeting project “ultimate outcomes.”

### Findings from TAIMS and PFSs on mission focus and implementation deadlines
- Missions focused mainly on source data assessments (accuracy and reliability) and data concepts/definitions (methodological soundness); timeliness (serviceability) and dissemination (accessibility) generally lagged.
- Examples of PFS-reported implementation deadlines (preserved verbatim):
  - Benin: Prerequisite of Quality Mid-09; Methodological soundness Dec.09; Accuracy & Reliability Q4-09; Serviceability Q4-09.
  - Côte d’Ivoire: Methodological soundness Mid-09; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q4-09; Serviceability Q3-09; Accessibility June 09.
  - Guinea: Prerequisite Mid-2010; Accuracy & Reliability June 2010.
  - Guinea-Bissau: Prerequisite April 2010; Methodological soundness Dec. 2010; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q4-09; Serviceability Q3/Q4-09.
  - Niger: Methodological soundness Dec. 2010; Accuracy & Reliability II half 09; end-2010; Serviceability Q4-09; Accessibility Oct.09.
  - Mali: Methodological soundness Dec.08; Accuracy & Reliability Dec.08; Serviceability June 09.
  - Senegal: Prerequisite Dec.09; Methodological soundness May 09; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q3-09; Serviceability Dec. 09.
  - (No PFSs available in TAIMS for Burkina Faso and Togo.)
- According to PFSs, deadlines for data serviceability and accessibility are mostly due in the second half 2009, a time bound viewed as tight for all AFW member countries except Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
- Preliminary assessment: very few measurable targets within the national accounts technical assistance project have been completed to date; successful cases generally in countries with relatively advanced statistical systems (Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire) or close to revising base year (Niger).

### Remaining challenges and pending measurable targets (selected)
- Allocation of sufficient human and financial resources to produce national accounts data (identified for Benin, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau).
- Staff training on a software accounting platform developed by the European Commission and the government of France (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali).
- Strengthening compilation and data validation techniques, including adjustments for missing observations and undercoverage of production activities, for international trade data and government sector statistics (Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Mali).
- Development of data surveys on mineral and energy sectors remains pending in Niger, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
- Noted accomplishments:
  - Staff training in quarterly national accounts (Senegal).
  - Completion of data survey questionnaires (Niger).
  - Availability of robust annual (Niger) and higher frequency (Senegal) source data for national accounts compilation.
  - Completion of household expenditure surveys to support a direct estimate of household final consumption in national accounts (Côte d’Ivoire).

### _Source: _wp09269 - 5.3 Assistance to users (excerpts from IMF Data ROSC, TAIMS, PFSs, and IMF country teams’ survey)._

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### Box 3 — EIU country reports: timeliness and information source (selected findings)
- Review covered latest available EIU country reports for a group of African countries, including all AFW member countries and those that undertook Data ROSC examinations in recent years.
- Key findings (as of May/June 2009):
  - As of May/June 2009, except for Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, “actual” annual national accounts data for AFW member countries were significantly outdated, dating from 2005 (2 countries) or 2006 (6 countries).
  - Data timeliness for the rest of African countries reviewed was much better, with “actual” GDP data dating from 2007 (7 countries) or 2008 (3 countries).
  - GDP “estimates” prepared by the EIU covered any data gaps (examples reported in table entries: "(2006-08, EIU)", "(2008-10, EIU)", "(2009-10, EIU)"); no information on the EIU’s estimation methodology included.
  - For most AFW member countries, the IMF (i.e., IFS or the Fund’s Direction of Trade Statistics) was the only additional data source referred in the EIU country reports.
- AFW technical assistance intensity and outcomes:
  - "During the last four fiscal years, there were 49 national accounts missions to the region, with a total of staff nights in the field reaching about 410."
  - Mission distribution uneven; Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, and Togo received relatively less missions than the rest of AFW countries.
  - Table 7 aggregated strings as presented: "Total49409100.0100.0" and "Average 5.445.4".
  - Senegal example: "10 missions and 60 nights in the field."
- Effectiveness assessment:
  - The “ultimate outcome” of producing and disseminating robust national accounts is "work in progress."
  - AFW’s TA efforts mainly focus on source data assessments and methodological issues; pending challenge: further support needed for more timely production and dissemination.
  - Current practice: "All IMF country teams to AFW countries rely on the country authorities to collect latest national accounts data for purposes of surveillance and IMF lending operations. However, a timely availability of the same data to other data users is not guaranteed, with external analysts (e.g., The EIU country reports) resorting to their own national accounts calculations in the absence of official data."

### Implications for TA management, monitoring, and reporting (selected)
- Improve mission documentation input into TAIMS; currently information "is rather limited or absent for a number of countries."
- AFW mission teams should better define tasks in mission briefing papers; propose developing a number of "menu tasks" to standardize mission tasks according to the DQAF.
- PFSs need to be developed and updated regularly for all AFW countries; include regular updates on other TA providers and donors.
- Consolidating TAIMS data may require cooperation with IT experts to automatically extract mission tasks information listed according to the DQAF.
- Increase the number of Data ROSC for Africa; "To date, only a limited number of African countries have undergone these comprehensive data assessments."

### Selected numeric and factual highlights (preserved exactly)
- Temporal reference: "As of May/June 2009".
- Data vintage counts: "2005 (2 countries) or 2006 (6 countries)." and "2007 (7 countries) or 2008 (3 countries)."
- TA activity totals: "49 national accounts missions" and "about 410" staff nights.
- Table strings: "Total49409100.0100.0" and "Average 5.445.4".
- Senegal: "10 missions and 60 nights in the field."

### _Source: EIU Country reports, various; TAIMS and STA Regional Allocation Plans (FY06-FY09) as presented in the source content._

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### 5. Base year questions — reported base years by country
- Benin: 1985
- Burkina Faso: 1999
- Côte d’Ivoire: 1996
- Guinea: 2003
- Guinea-Bissau: 1986
- Mali: 1987
- Niger: 1987
- Senegal: 1999

### Additional country-level notes and issues
- Reported country statements preserved verbatim where quoted (examples):
  - "The base year is 1985. It is indeed old and a more recent base year (such as 2000) would be preferable."
  - "1999. So far it has not been an issue."
  - "The current base year in N.A is 1996. This is obviously too old. A new base year (2007 or 2008) should be adopted soon."
  - "The base year was recently changed to 2003, and revised (final) national accounts were produced for 2003-2005. Given the large fluctuations in certain prices since then, one should consider preparing a new base (2008) and chain the different price bases to maintain long time series (retropolation before 2003 is not available)."
  - "The base year in the authorities' series is 1986. We, instead, use 2000 and therefore simply rebase the series."
  - "1987. Among the many other problems, this one doesn't stand out. Moreover, the authorities are working on an update to 2000."
  - "The base year in the national accounts of Niger is 1987 which is pretty old. We have rebased to 2000 the computation of some national accounts categories (GDP deflator, Real GDP...)."
  - "The base year is 1999 (changed from 1987 following the 2002 ROSC). This has not been an issue for our country work so far."

### Identified problems from old base years
- Valuation and price reference problems when "large fluctuations in certain prices" have occurred since the base year.
- Lack of retropolation: "retropolation before 2003 is not available."
- Informal economy often not taken into account: "So far, the informal economy is not taken into account at all."
- Institutional turnover erases continuity: "Turnover on the team has erased our institutional memory on this question."

### How countries address old base years and related outcomes
- Rebasing selected series to a more recent year (example: some series rebased to 2000).
- Producing revised (final) national accounts after changing base year (example: Guinea produced revised (final) national accounts for 2003-2005).
- Use of alternative series by IMF staff (e.g., staff rebasing to 2000 when authorities use 1986).
- Planned or recommended adoption of newer base years (suggestions include 2000, 2007, 2008).
- Impact of AFW TA on base-year issues reported as mixed; selected verbatim assessments:
  - "The production of national account data has improved in recent times. However, no revisions to GDP and its element have been made as a result of recommendations of AFW TA."
  - "TA provided by AFW during the last 2-3 years has helped support the ongoing catching-up in NA production. However, there have been significant delays in implementing specific TA recommendations."
  - "TA has aimed at producing data using appropriate methodology and new base year. However, the outcome has been disappointing. Capacity building is doubtful given the high turnover and lack of qualified personnel and there is no evidence that Guinea is becoming self-reliant."
  - "Technical assistance has yet not led to revisions of growth rate or major aggregates in the national accounts. However, implementation of ERETES with the new base year will lead to data and growth rate revisions for some years (2005, 2006, 2007...). Exports and imports will also be revised in the national accounts data to make them consistent with those of the BOP data."
  - "Over the past two years, TA provided by AFW has followed a solid timetable for developing institutional sector accounts and QNA. This ongoing work is promising."

### Dissemination and timeliness issues related to base-year changes
- Timeliness problems reported (verbatim examples):
  - "National accounts are not disseminated in a timely manner. They are made available to staff and the public during missions."
  - "Provisional data are now disseminated on a reasonable timeline (1-2 years after the end-of-year)."
  - "By the time final accounts are disseminated, they are so old we are not clear as to who is using them."
  - "Regular breaches of deadlines for the production of national accounts in fragile low-income countries."
  - Specific lags: "The presentation of the 2007 BOP data by the BCEAO was done last week (nearly a one year and a half lag)."
  - IFS publication delays: "They are published in IFS with a significant delay of more than year." and "GDP data have been published in IFS up to 2001. ... The latest (2007) data are published in IFS and on the national statistical office's website."
- Data access practices:
  - Staff commonly get national accounts data directly from the authorities rather than relying on IFS or national websites.
  - Some improvement via creation of National Office of Statistics website, but much data remain low frequency.

### Main shortfalls of national accounts as disseminated
- Not disseminated along best international practices.
- Lack of timeliness; long delays between reference year and dissemination (examples include 9 months to 1–2 years).
- Data reliability and accuracy concerns due to use of estimates and inconsistent series.
- Low frequency of published data; limited high-frequency indicators.
- Informal economy and certain sectors not properly accounted for.
- Statistical office often functions primarily as a collector/compiling institution with limited independence or quality control over sectoral inputs.
- High staff turnover undermines institutional memory and capacity.

### Suggested actions and recommendations for AFW (selected)
- Provide more technical assistance in production of national account data, emphasizing development of data collection/analysis systems and capabilities.
- Help authorities implement TA recommendations and accelerate adoption of new base years (examples suggested: adopt 2000, 2007, 2008 as appropriate).
- Assist producers to produce an annual report analyzing each vintage year, explaining revisions and limitations.
- Support consolidation and coordination between INS and DP.
- Help develop higher-frequency data production (quarterly GDP) and leading indicators (employment, unemployment).
- Coordinate TA with other donors (EU, bilaterals...) or take the lead in TA coordination.
- Consider longer mission durations to facilitate deeper work (example suggestion: "AFW missions in CIV should be longer (a couple of weeks instead of a few days)").
- Establish performance indicators and incentives linked to improvements in statistical outputs.
- Support authorities in building satellite accounts for important sectors (example: cotton and gold mining).
- Continue support for QNA implementation and consultation about next steps beyond initial dissemination targets.

### _Source: IMF staff responses compiled in _wp09269 (section on national accounts base year; related Q6–Q11 comments)._

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### Annex III: Individual Country Analysis — summary of TAIMS-recorded mission activity (FY06–Apr-09)
- TAIMS recorded national accounts TA missions across AFRITAC West countries between 2006 and April 2009, focusing on methodological soundness; accuracy & reliability; prerequisites of quality; serviceability; accessibility.
- Country summaries (selected quantitative and qualitative highlights preserved exactly):

Benin
- Mission dates: Jul-08, Feb-09, Apr-09.
- Number of national accounts mission tasks: 37.
- Percentage distribution of mission tasks (Jul-08 / Feb-09 / Apr-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0.0 / 100.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0 / 0.0 / 14.3
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 100.0 / 0.0 / 85.7
- Finding: Number of mission tasks on data accuracy and reliability doubled between July 2008 and April 2009.

Burkina Faso
- Mission dates: Sep-06.
- Number of mission tasks: 8.
- Percentage distribution:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 37.5
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 12.5
  - 4. Serviceability: 12.5
  - 5. Accessibility: 37.5

Côte d’Ivoire
- Mission dates: Aug-07, Apr-09.
- Number of national accounts mission tasks: 35.
- Percentage distribution (Aug-07 / Apr-09):
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 33.3 / 80.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 33.3 / 20.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 33.3 / 0.0
- Findings: Emphasized methodological soundness; pending work to change national accounts benchmark year.

Guinea
- Mission dates: May-06, Sep-06, Jun-07, Jul-07, Jul-08.
- DQAF focus mainly on methodological soundness and accuracy & reliability.

Guinea-Bissau
- Mission dates: Aug-06, May-09.
- Number of mission tasks: 11.
- Percentage distribution (Aug-06 / May-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 33.3 / 9.1
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 44.4 / 54.5
  - 5. Accessibility: 22.2 / 27.3

Niger
- Mission dates: Jun-06, May-08, Jan-09, Apr-09.
- Total mission tasks by date: 6 / 3 / 7 / 5.
- Percentage distribution examples:
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 50.0 / 0.0 / 14.3 / 40.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 0.0 / 100.0 / 71.4 / 60.0

Mali
- Mission dates: Jun-08, Sep-08.
- Number of mission tasks: 42.
- Percentage distribution (Jun-08 / Sep-08):
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 25.0 / 0.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 75.0 / 100.0
- Findings: Upgrading to 1993 SNA and implementing ERETES.

Senegal
- Mission dates: Mar-07, May-08, Oct-08, Apr-09.
- Total mission tasks by date: 5 / 4 / 4 / 4.
- Percentage distribution examples:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 60.0 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0 / 50.0 / 50.0 / 50.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 40.0 / 25.0 / 25.0 / 25.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0.0 / 25.0 / 25.0 / 25.0
- Findings: Advanced compilation issues recommended by the 1993 SNA; development of quarterly national accounts.

Togo
- Mission dates: Mar-09.
- Number of mission tasks: 3.
- Percentage distribution:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 33.3
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 66.7
- Findings: Focus on data accuracy and reliability; outstanding ERETES implementation issues.

### AFW: National Accounts Missions — Program Framework Summary (selected tasks, outcomes, deadlines preserved verbatim)
- Framework covers I. Institution and Internal Policy; II. Surveys; III. Integration Frameworks; IV. Dissemination of Outputs.
- Selected entries (task status and expected implementation date preserved):
  - 0.4.3 Assist authorities to prepare & implement a technical assistance action plan ... Benin: (+ -; 2; June 09); Côte d’Ivoire: (+ -; 1; April 2010)
  - 0.4.3 Train staff on QNA compilation: (+; 1; Dec.09)
  - II. Surveys — 3.1.1 Develop sound survey questionnaires ... Benin: (+, 1, Jan.09)
  - III. Integration Frameworks — 2.1.1 Ensure sound adjustments and classification (e.g., ERETES): Benin: (+ -; 2; Dec. 09); Côte d’Ivoire: (+; 1; mid- 09); Niger: (+ -; 1; Dec. 2010); Mali: (+, 2, Dec. 2010); Senegal: (+; 1; May 09)
  - IV. Dissemination — 4.3.1; 4.3.2; 4.3.3 Ensure data revisions follow a regular and publicized procedure: Guinea: (+; 1; II half 09); Niger: (+ -; NA; Dec. 09); Mali: (+ -; 1; Dec. 09)
  - IV. Dissemination — 5.1.2 Assist authorities in preparing documentation of the GDP methodology: Guinea-Bissau: (+ -; NA; Oct. 09)

### _Source: TAIMS databank and staff estimates._

### 1. What is TAIMS? ..........................................................................................5

### 1. What is TAIMS?

### Introduction and scope
- Purpose: Present a framework for analyzing the effectiveness of technical assistance provided by the West Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC West or AFW) in the area of national accounts using the Technical Assistance Information Management System (TAIMS).
- AFW beneficiary countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
- National accounts technical assistance projects are in place for all AFW countries, except Mauritania.
- Analysis period and data sources: TAIMS documentation for FY06-09; Data ROSCs prepared for 13 African countries (including 3 AFW countries); IMF country teams’ replies to a national accounts questionnaire.

### What is TAIMS? (Box 1)
- TAIMS definition: The Technical Assistance Information Management System (TAIMS) is the IMF archive of core technical assistance information and documentation organized within a technical assistance project concept.
- Standard documents stored in TAIMS:
  - (i) Project Framework Summary (PFS): rolling work plan detailing project’s objectives and expected outcomes.
  - (ii) Technical assistance missions’ briefing papers (BRP): missions’ purpose and main tasks consistent with project objective.
  - (iii) Back-to-Office (BTO) reports: information on the extent to which the mission was successful in completing BRP tasks.
  - (iv) Project Assessment Report (PAR): completed by country authorities a year after project completion; allows reporting on achievement of objectives/outcomes, sustainability, and comments/suggestions.
- Current use limitations: For projects undertaken by the IMF Statistics department (STA) TAIMS is used mainly to record mission-related documents (BFRs and BTOs), including mission final reports; use to record/update PFSs is not systematic.

### Defining the national accounts project’s “ultimate outcome” (Section II)
- Consensus on ultimate outcome: Data users, IMF compilation experts, and IMF mission teams view the production of national accounts data with a minimum standard of accuracy and reliability, and timely data dissemination, as the ultimate objective of technical assistance.
- Two main sources consulted:
  - (i) Data ROSCs prepared for African countries.
  - (ii) IMF mission teams’ replies to a questionnaire on national accounts’ issues.
- Importance of canvassing users/stakeholders: Determines scope, timeline, and intensity of technical assistance; many AFW countries (except Mauritania) have active PRGF programs reliant on national accounts data.

### Data ROSCs and the DQAF framework (Box 2)
- Data ROSCs: IMF instrument assessing macroeconomic statistics against six Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) dimensions (codes 0 to 5).
- Rating scale in Data ROSCs: “O” = best practices observed; “LO” = largely observed; “LNO” = largely not observed; “NO” = not observed.
- DQAF dimensions and specific elements under review:
  - 0 Prerequisites of data quality: Legal and institutional environment; resources; relevance; other quality management.
  - 1 Assurances of integrity: Professionalism; transparency; ethical standards.
  - 2 Methodological soundness: Concepts and definitions; scope; classification/sectorization; basis for recording.
  - 3 Accuracy and reliability: Source data; assessment of source data; statistical techniques; assessment/validation of intermediate data and outputs; revision studies.
  - 4 Serviceability: Periodicity and timeliness; consistency; revision policy and practice.
  - 5 Accessibility: Data accessibility; metadata accessibility.

### Key findings from Data ROSCs and TAIMS analysis
- Data ROSC coverage: 13 African countries, including 3 AFW member countries, have undertaken Data ROSCs to date.
- Principal weaknesses (as reported in Data ROSCs):
  - Accuracy and reliability (DQAF 3) shows the highest need for improvement.
  - Methodological soundness (DQAF 2) is the next most pressing shortcoming.
  - Data serviceability (DQAF 4), including timeliness and periodicity, is also a significant shortcoming.
- TAIMS documentation analysis conclusions:
  - The “ultimate outcome” of producing and disseminating robust national accounts is a work in progress.
  - AFW technical assistance has mainly focused on source data assessments and methodological issues underpinning compilation.
  - Pending challenge: broaden missions’ reach/scope and further support timely production and dissemination of national accounts data.
- Implementation variability:
  - Strong implementation observed in countries with relatively developed statistical systems (Senegal), countries recovering from political crises (Côte d’Ivoire), or countries completing updates with new data sources (Niger).
  - Weak implementation in other AFW countries, with major project targets possibly remaining technical challenges for years.
  - Progress towards ultimate outcomes is not closely linked to intensity of AFW mission allocation; some countries advanced with relatively little AFW support.
- TAIMS reporting recommendation:
  - Enhance TAIMS reporting on circumstances surrounding AFW technical assistance, including the role of other technical assistance providers and donors (e.g., AFRISTAT, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and other development partners).

### Implications for management by results and next steps
- Contribution: Provides a framework using the Fund’s DQAF to assess AFW technical assistance effectiveness in national accounts, facilitating measurement of “ultimate outcomes” rather than inputs.
- Limitations and broader applicability:
  - The approach is directly applicable to national accounts due to the DQAF; for other IMF technical assistance areas, standardized outcome definitions are still missing.
  - A definitive assessment approach will require input and feedback from main stakeholders.
- Suggested focus going forward:
  - Strike a balance between data production (source development, methodology) and data dissemination (timeliness, transparency).
  - Use TAIMS systematically to track implementation deadlines, measurable targets in PFSs, and to document coordination with other providers.

*Source: _wp09269 - 1. What is TAIMS?*

### 5.3 Assistance to users

### 5.3 Assistance to users

### Main findings on national accounts quality and user concerns
- National accounts’ data accuracy and reliability (DQAF 3) is impaired by poor quality of source data, including limited information about the informal sector and use of often-obsolete household budget and consumption surveys.
- Problems in statistical techniques and ad-hoc data revision practices undermine main aggregates (examples: use of outdated input-output tables for value added estimates; lack of adequate price indices to deflate different macroeconomic aggregates; ad-hoc timing and analysis of factors explaining revised data).
- Methodological soundness (DQAF 2) is weakened by limited application across countries of concepts and definitions recommended by 1993 SNA, in part because of source data limitations.
- Data serviceability (DQAF 4) — particularly timeliness and periodicity — is hampered by long lags between provisional, revised, and final national accounts estimates. AFW member countries have poor periodicity and timeliness relative to other African countries.
- Data users’ surveys (included in 6 of the 17 Data ROSCs reports for African countries) indicate users (except South Africa) are mainly concerned about data serviceability and, to a lesser extent, source data and methodology. Timeliness was considered too long for GDP, fiscal and balance of payments data; lack of official publication calendars was widely criticized.
- Users argue that improved data timeliness and periodicity according to a preannounced dissemination calendar is critical to stimulate a richer exchange between users and producers and create a virtuous cycle: timely supply of data would create demand and pressure for better data production.

*Selected numeric and country-specific observations*
- Users’ surveys are included in 6 of the 17 Data ROSCs reports written on 13 African countries to date.
- AFW missions’ tasks: on average about 70 percent of the missions’ tasks dealt with source data and methodological issues.
- The TAIMS-based distribution of cumulative mission tasks (FY06-FY09) shows large shares for “Accuracy & reliability” and “Methodological soundness” across AFW countries (see Table 3 in source). Total mission tasks sum to 100.0 percent by country in the reporting table.
- By end-2009, except for Senegal, all other 9 AFW countries would need to publish two or three years of final or semi-final national accounts data (2006 to 2007) and one year of preliminary national accounts (2008) to catch up.

### IMF country teams’ survey: practical balance and recommended minimums
- Country teams recommended striking a practical balance between production and dissemination of national accounts along best international practices; best practices frequently unattainable due to resource constraints.
- Key recommendations from country teams:
  - AFW should develop local capacity so the country can produce and disseminate national accounts that meet minimum goals of accuracy within a reasonable resource envelope.
  - Set minimum standards for data production and dissemination. For data production, standards may include national accounts methodological benchmarks and development of consistency checks on levels and/or growth rates of critical national accounts variables (examples cited: economy’s savings rate, household final consumption, investment to GDP ratios). Lack of consistency checks increases verification workload and can result in significant data revisions.
  - Set objectives for data release lags. A suggested aim: produce within year t+1 reasonably sound preliminary estimates for year t, sound revised estimates for year t-1, and final estimates for year t-2.

### Monitoring framework using TAIMS and assessment stages
- The monitoring framework uses TAIMS project documentation reorganized according to the six data quality dimensions assessed in Data ROSCs.
- Analysis proceeds in three stages:
  - Check AFW missions’ scope (tasks and reported outcomes) against data quality shortfalls identified by Data ROSCs and users; stronger consistency implies greater likelihood of achieving ultimate objective (production and dissemination of national accounts along best international practices).
  - Review available Project Framework Summaries (PFSs) to assess feasibility of meeting implementation deadlines for each data quality dimension.
  - Report on intensity of AFW’s technical assistance effort (measured by number of missions and nights spent) and countries’ success in meeting project “ultimate outcomes.”

### Findings from TAIMS and PFSs on mission focus and implementation deadlines
- Missions focused mainly on source data assessments (data accuracy and reliability) and data concepts/definitions (methodological soundness), while data timeliness (serviceability) and dissemination (accessibility) generally lagged in mission agendas.
- Table 3 (TAIMS) indicates large percentages of mission tasks devoted to “Accuracy & reliability” and “Methodological soundness”; some countries (e.g., Mali) had missions focused exclusively on those two aspects.
- Reasons for emphasis on source data and methodology:
  - Without appropriate data sources, methodology and dissemination assistance cannot succeed.
  - Source data and methodology work often follows completion of household and business surveys, requiring several consecutive missions.
  - GDDS country pages emphasize improvement plans for data collection and compilation rather than firm dissemination calendars.
- PFS-reported implementation deadlines (examples preserved verbatim):
  - Benin: Prerequisite of Quality Mid-09; Methodological soundness Dec.09; Accuracy & Reliability Q4-09; Serviceability Q4-09.
  - Côte d’Ivoire: Methodological soundness Mid-09; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q4-09; Serviceability Q3-09; Accessibility June 09.
  - Guinea: Prerequisite Mid-2010; Accuracy & Reliability June 2010.
  - Guinea-Bissau: Prerequisite April 2010; Methodological soundness Dec. 2010; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q4-09; Serviceability Q3/Q4-09.
  - Niger: Methodological soundness Dec. 2010; Accuracy & Reliability II half 09; end-2010; Serviceability Q4-09; Accessibility Oct.09.
  - Mali: Methodological soundness Dec.08; Accuracy & Reliability Dec.08; Serviceability June 09.
  - Senegal: Prerequisite Dec.09; Methodological soundness May 09; Accuracy & Reliability Q2 & Q3-09; Serviceability Dec. 09.
  - (No PFSs available in TAIMS for Burkina Faso and Togo.)
- According to PFSs, deadlines for data serviceability and accessibility are mostly due in the second half 2009, a time bound viewed as tight for all AFW member countries except Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
- Preliminary assessment: very few measurable targets within the national accounts technical assistance project have been completed to date; successful cases generally in countries with relatively advanced statistical systems (Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire) or close to revising base year (Niger).

### Remaining challenges and pending measurable targets
- Common pending issues across countries:
  - Allocation of sufficient human and financial resources to produce national accounts data (identified for Benin, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau).
  - Staff training on a software accounting platform developed by the European Commission and the government of France (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali).
  - Strengthening compilation and data validation techniques, including adjustments for missing observations and undercoverage of production activities, for international trade data and government sector statistics (Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Mali).
  - Development of data surveys on mineral and energy sectors remains pending in Niger, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
- Noted accomplishments:
  - Staff training in quarterly national accounts (Senegal).
  - Completion of data survey questionnaires (Niger).
  - Availability of robust annual (Niger) and higher frequency (Senegal) source data for national accounts compilation.
  - Completion of household expenditure surveys to support a direct estimate of household final consumption in national accounts (Côte d’Ivoire).

*Source: _wp09269 - 5.3 Assistance to users (excerpts from IMF Data ROSC, TAIMS, PFSs, and IMF country teams’ survey).*

### Box 3: Tracking the National Accounts’ Data Timeliness & Information Source

### Box 3: Tracking the National Accounts’ Data Timeliness & Information Source in EIU Country Reports

### EIU country reports review — timeliness and sources
- Review covered latest available EIU country reports for a group of African countries, including all AFW member countries and those that undertook Data ROSC examinations in recent years.  
- EIU publication cycle is almost identical for all country reports, providing a benchmark for cross-country comparisons for data availability at a point in time.  
- Key findings from the review (as of May/June 2009):  
  - As of May/June 2009, except for Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, “actual” annual national accounts data for AFW member countries were significantly outdated, dating from 2005 (2 countries) or 2006 (6 countries).  
  - Data timeliness for the rest of African countries reviewed was much better, with “actual” GDP data dating from 2007 (7 countries) or 2008 (3 countries).  
  - GDP “estimates” prepared by the EIU covered any data gaps (for the recent past or short-term future). No information on the EIU’s national accounts estimation methodology was included in the country reports.  
  - For most AFW member countries, the IMF (i.e., IFS or the Fund’s Direction of Trade Statistics) was the only additional data source referred in the EIU country reports. This contrasts with the multiple domestic data sources referred in other African cases.  
- Table 6 (EIU—Country Reports: National Accounts’ Data’s Timeliness & Information Source) presents country-by-country entries showing:  
  - Date of EIU report, latest “actual” GDP data (year), “Estimated GDP data” (years, source), and other referred sources on national accounts data.  
  - Example country entries (exact years and sources reported in the table):  
    - Benin — April 2009 — (2005) — (2006-08, EIU) — Association interprofessionelle du coton; IMF  
    - Burkina Faso — May 2009 — (2006) — (2007-08, EIU) — IMF  
    - Côte d’Ivoire — May 2009 — (2007) — (2008-10, EIU) — WAEMU; Direction Générale des Douanes; Direction de la Conjoncture et de la Prévision économique; IMF  
    - Senegal — May 2009 — (2008) — (2009-10, EIU) — Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie, Ministry of Economy and Finance; IMF  
    - Botswana — May 2009 — (2008) — (2008-10, EIU) — Central Statistics Office; Bank of Botswana, Botswana Financial Statistics, Annual Report; IMF  
    - South Africa — May 2009 — (2007) — (2008-10, EIU) — Statistics South Africa, South African Reserve Bank; IMF  
  - Source line in table: "Source: EIU Country reports, various."

### AFW technical assistance (TA) intensity and outcomes
- TA mission activity (FY06-FY09):  
  - "During the last four fiscal years, there were 49 national accounts missions to the region, with a total of staff nights in the field reaching about 410."  
  - Mission distribution was uneven across countries, with Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, and Togo receiving relatively less missions than the rest of AFW countries.  
  - Table 7 (AFW: Number of National Accounts' Missions & Mission Nights, FY06-FY09) reports mission counts and nights by country and includes the aggregated lines shown in the source:  
    - "Total49409100.0100.0"  
    - "Average 5.445.4"  
    - Footnotes in table: "1/ Includes missions undertaken by long-term and short-term experts." and "2/ Currently not eligible for IMF technical assistance."  
  - Specific country example cited: Senegal had "10 missions and 60 nights in the field" and delivered important results in the production of quarterly national accounts and the development of institutional sectors accounts.  
- No clear consistency between intensity of project (number of missions and mission nights) and reported effectiveness of TA delivery:  
  - Côte d’Ivoire and Niger received limited TA support but were reportedly prompt to attain timely production and dissemination of national accounts (Côte d’Ivoire) or update the national accounts’ base year (Niger).  
  - Intense TA efforts yielded limited outcomes in countries like Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali despite AFW’s intense technical assistance effort. Mali benefited from being AFW’s host country but outcomes remained limited.

### Factors associated with diverse TA implementation results
- Potential explanatory factors identified in mission documentation and TAIMS:  
  - Fragility and instability: "Countries like Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo are currently considered fragile states in which civil war, political instability, and weak government institutions may have hampered technical assistance implementation. Côte d’ Ivoire is also a fragile state, although it has apparently managed to address data weakness following progress in resolving its civil conflict."  
  - Donor support and funding timing: "Donor support may have played a key role in funding activities that complemented the technical advice provided by AFW. A timely funding of surveys, censuses and other data sources may have eased technical assistance implementation."  
  - Recommendation for further analysis: "Further country analysis in this regard seems warranted to highlight the multilateral/bilateral support from AFRISTAT, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and other friendly development partners."

### Effectiveness assessment, outcomes, and challenges
- Overall assessment from TAIMS-based analysis:  
  - The “ultimate outcome” of producing and disseminating robust national accounts is "work in progress." AFW’s TA efforts mainly focus on source data assessments and methodological issues underpinning compilation of national accounts.  
  - Pending challenge: further support is needed for more timely production and dissemination of national accounts data — identified as main data weaknesses in Data ROSCs and IMF mission inputs.  
  - Current practice: "All IMF country teams to AFW countries rely on the country authorities to collect latest national accounts data for purposes of surveillance and IMF lending operations. However, a timely availability of the same data to other data users is not guaranteed, with external analysts (e.g., The EIU country reports) resorting to their own national accounts calculations in the absence of official data."  
- Benefits of striking a balance between production and timely dissemination:  
  - Published data with clear methodology raises credibility of data producing agencies, reduces faulty data interpretations, and increases usefulness for economic analysis.  
  - A timely data release usually triggers data users’ demands that put pressure for more and better data — "the virtuous cycle of data production and dissemination observed in countries around the world."

### Implications for TA management, monitoring, and reporting
- Observations and suggested improvements drawn from the analysis:  
  - Conducting thorough analysis of TA in all AFRITACs requires improved mission documentation input into TAIMS: "Currently, the information in TAIMS is rather limited or absent for a number of countries."  
  - AFW mission teams should better define tasks in mission briefing papers; tasks are recorded in general terms, hampering classification according to the DQAF. Proposed approach: develop/define a number of "menu tasks" based on country/regional experience to standardize mission tasks.  
  - PFSs need to be developed and updated regularly for all AFW countries to monitor evolution and assess effectiveness of national accounts projects; PFSs should include regular updates on other TA providers and donors operating in the same topical area.  
  - Consolidating TAIMS data into the proposed analytical format may require cooperation with information technology experts to automatically extract mission tasks information listed according to the DQAF to reduce time spent on manual manipulations.  
  - Increase the number of Data ROSC for Africa: "To date, only a limited number of African countries have undergone these comprehensive data assessments. Increasing the number of Data ROSC for Africa would provide observes with valuable information to assess the effectiveness of technical assistance provided by the AFRITACs."  
- Framework and next steps:  
  - The proposed framework structures assessment using the Fund’s DQAF applied to six specific data quality dimensions, covering institutional factors and compilation/processing/dissemination processes.  
  - Zeroing on a definitive approach to assess effectiveness of AFRITACs’ TA delivery in areas other than macroeconomic statistics would require the development of standardized definitions of objectives-outcomes-indicators and stakeholder input.

### Selected numeric and factual highlights (preserved exactly)
- "As of May/June 2009" — temporal reference for EIU findings.  
- "2005 (2 countries) or 2006 (6 countries)."  
- "2007 (7 countries) or 2008 (3 countries)."  
- "GDP 'estimates' prepared by the EIU covered any data gaps" (years reported in table entries, e.g., "(2006-08, EIU)", "(2008-10, EIU)", "(2009-10, EIU)").  
- "During the last four fiscal years, there were 49 national accounts missions to the region, with a total of staff nights in the field reaching about 410."  
- Table 7 aggregated strings as presented in source: "Total49409100.0100.0" and "Average 5.445.4".  
- Senegal example: "10 missions and 60 nights in the field."  

_Italic: Source: EIU Country reports, various; TAIMS and STA Regional Allocation Plans (FY06-FY09) as presented in the source content._

### 5. Which is the national accounts’ base year in your country? If the base year is rather old, is that an issue for you? 

### 5. Which is the national accounts’ base year in your country? If the base year is rather old, is that an issue for you? Why? How do you address this problem?

### Reported base years by country
- Benin: 1985  
- Burkina Faso: 1999  
- Côte d’Ivoire: 1996  
- Guinea: 2003  
- Guinea-Bissau: 1986  
- Mali: 1987  
- Niger: 1987  
- Senegal: 1999

### Additional country-level notes on base years and rebasing preferences/actions
- "The base year is 1985. It is indeed old and a more recent base year (such as 2000) would be preferable."  
- "1999. So far it has not been an issue."  
- "The current base year in N.A is 1996. This is obviously too old. A new base year (2007 or 2008) should be adopted soon."  
- "The base year was recently changed to 2003, and revised (final) national accounts were produced for 2003-2005. Given the large fluctuations in certain prices since then, one should consider preparing a new base (2008) and chain the different price bases to maintain long time series (retropolation before 2003 is not available)."  
- "The base year in the authorities' series is 1986. We, instead, use 2000 and therefore simply rebase the series."  
- "1987. Among the many other problems, this one doesn't stand out. Moreover, the authorities are working on an update to 2000."  
- "The base year in the national accounts of Niger is 1987 which is pretty old. We have rebased to 2000 the computation of some national accounts categories (GDP deflator, Real GDP...)."
- "The base year is 1999 (changed from 1987 following the 2002 ROSC). This has not been an issue for our country work so far."

### Identified problems arising from old base years
- Old base years create valuation and price reference problems especially when there have been "large fluctuations in certain prices" since the base year.  
- Retropolation or lack of historical series: "retropolation before 2003 is not available."  
- Informal economy not taken into account in some datasets ("So far, the informal economy is not taken into account at all.").  
- Data reliability and accuracy concerns when estimates are used in place of updated base-year adjustments.  
- Institutional turnover erases continuity ("Turnover on the team has erased our institutional memory on this question.").

### How countries address old base years
- Rebasing selected series to a more recent year (example: some series rebased to 2000).  
- Producing revised (final) national accounts for selected years after changing base year (example: revised national accounts produced for 2003-2005 after changing to base year 2003).  
- Use of alternative series by IMF staff (e.g., staff rebasing to 2000 when authorities use 1986).  
- Planned or recommended adoption of newer base years (suggestions include 2000, 2007, 2008).

### Link to methodological updates
- Movement to implement the 1993 SNA is referenced as part of modernization efforts and TA work.

---

### Impact of AFW technical assistance (TA) on base year issues and national accounts production
- Mixed effects reported:
  - "Efforts to address these shortcomings are ongoing. Benin participates in WAEMU’s harmonization of statistical methodologies and in the GDDS project for AFRITAC West countries to implement the 1993 SNA."  
  - "The production of national account data has improved in recent times. However, no revisions to GDP and its element have been made as a result of recommendations of AFW TA."  
  - "TA provided by AFW during the last 2-3 years has helped support the ongoing catching-up in NA production. However, there have been significant delays in implementing specific TA recommendations."  
  - "TA has aimed at producing data using appropriate methodology and new base year. However, the outcome has been disappointing. Capacity building is doubtful given the high turnover and lack of qualified personnel and there is no evidence that Guinea is becoming self-reliant."  
  - "Technical assistance has yet not led to revisions of growth rate or major aggregates in the national accounts. However, implementation of ERETES with the new base year will lead to data and growth rate revisions for some years (2005, 2006, 2007...). Exports and imports will also be revised in the national accounts data to make them consistent with those of the BOP data."  
  - "Over the past two years, TA provided by AFW has followed a solid timetable for developing institutional sector accounts and QNA. This ongoing work is promising."

### Outcomes explicitly noted
- Some countries produced revised national accounts after changing base year (example: Guinea produced revised (final) national accounts for 2003-2005).  
- Implementation of new software/systems (ERETES) linked to new base year expected to trigger revisions for specific years (2005, 2006, 2007).  
- No widespread evidence that AFW TA alone has produced revisions to GDP levels or growth rates in many cases to date.

---

### Dissemination and timeliness issues related to base-year changes
- Timeliness problems:
  - "National accounts are not disseminated in a timely manner. They are made available to staff and the public during missions."  
  - "Provisional data are now disseminated on a reasonable timeline (1-2 years after the end-of-year)."  
  - "By the time final accounts are disseminated, they are so old we are not clear as to who is using them."  
  - "Regular breaches of deadlines for the production of national accounts in fragile low-income countries."  
  - Specific lags: "The presentation of the 2007 BOP data by the BCEAO was done last week (nearly a one year and a half lag)."  
  - IFS publication delays: "They are published in IFS with a significant delay of more than year." and "GDP data have been published in IFS up to 2001. ... The latest (2007) data are published in IFS and on the national statistical office's website."

- Data access practices:
  - Staff commonly get national accounts data directly from the authorities rather than relying on IFS or national websites.
  - Some improvement in dissemination via creation of a National Office of Statistics website, but much of the data remain low frequency.

---

### Main shortfalls of national accounts as disseminated
- Not disseminated along best international practices.  
- Lack of timeliness; long delays between reference year and dissemination (examples include 9 months to 1–2 years).  
- Data reliability and accuracy concerns due to use of estimates and inconsistent series.  
- Low frequency of published data; limited high-frequency indicators.  
- Informal economy and certain sectors not properly accounted for.  
- Statistical office often functions primarily as a collector/compiling institution with limited independence or quality control over sectoral inputs.  
- High staff turnover undermines institutional memory and capacity.

---

### Suggested actions and recommendations for AFW to ease country work and improve national accounts
- Provide more technical assistance in the production of national account data, with emphasis on development of data collection/analysis systems and capabilities.  
- Help authorities implement TA recommendations and accelerate adoption of new base years (examples suggested: adopt 2000, 2007, 2008 as appropriate).  
- Assist national account producers to produce an annual report analyzing each vintage year, explaining revisions and limitations.  
- Support consolidation and coordination between INS (Institut National de la Statistique) and DP (Direction de la Prévision).  
- Help develop higher-frequency data production (quarterly GDP) and leading indicators (employment, unemployment).  
- Coordinate TA with other donors (EU, bilaterals...) or take the lead in TA coordination.  
- Consider longer mission durations to facilitate deeper work and identification of bottlenecks (suggestion: "AFW missions in CIV should be longer (a couple of weeks instead of a few days)").  
- Establish performance indicators and incentives linked to improvements in statistical outputs (for example, participation in seminars and training).  
- Support authorities in building satellite accounts for important sectors (example: cotton and gold mining) to better understand macroeconomic impacts on BOP, real, and budget aspects.  
- Continue support for QNA implementation and consultation with authorities about next steps beyond initial dissemination targets (e.g., beyond SDDS/2010 QNA efforts).

*Source: IMF staff responses compiled in _wp09269 (section on national accounts base year; related Q6–Q11 comments).*

### Annex III: Individual Country Analysis

### Annex III: Individual Country Analysis

### Overview
- TAIMS recorded national accounts TA missions across AFRITAC West countries between 2006 and April 2009.
- Missions focused on: methodological soundness; accuracy & reliability; prerequisites of quality; serviceability; accessibility.
- Source: TAIMS databank and staff estimates.

### Benin
- Mission dates: Jul-08, Feb-09, Apr-09.
- Number of national accounts mission tasks: 37.
- DQAF mission-task counts by category (Jul-08 / Feb-09 / Apr-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0 / 7 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0 / 0 / 1
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 3 / 0 / 6
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 0 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0 / 0 / 0
  - Total mission tasks: 3 / 7 / 7
- Percentage distribution of mission tasks (Jul-08 / Feb-09 / Apr-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0.0 / 100.0 / 0.0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0 / 0.0 / 14.3
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 100.0 / 0.0 / 85.7
  - 4. Serviceability: 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
- Findings:
  - Number of national accounts mission tasks on data accuracy and reliability doubled between July 2008 and April 2009.
  - Most tasks referred to checking quality and consistency of source data collected by authorities.
  - Methodological soundness issues may affect national accounts concepts and definitions.
  - Institutional prerequisites (coordination and cooperation among source data compilers) being addressed following Feb 2009 mission.

### Burkina Faso
- Mission dates: Sep-06.
- Number of mission tasks: 8.
- DQAF mission-task counts:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 3
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 1
  - 4. Serviceability: 1
  - 5. Accessibility: 3
- Percentage distribution:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 37.5
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 12.5
  - 4. Serviceability: 12.5
  - 5. Accessibility: 37.5
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0
- Findings:
  - Mission tasks focused on data accessibility (dissemination) and institutional prerequisites of data quality (coordination among source data compilers; coordination between local authorities and donors on funding of the statistical development plan).

### Côte d’Ivoire
- Mission dates: Aug-07, Apr-09.
- Number of mission tasks: 35.
- DQAF mission-task counts:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 1 / 4
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 1 / 1
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 1 / 0
- Percentage distribution (Aug-07 / Apr-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 33.3 / 80.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 33.3 / 20.0
  - 4. Serviceability: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 33.3 / 0.0
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0 / 100.0
- Findings:
  - Missions emphasized methodological soundness.
  - Issues with implementation of data consolidation software (ERETES) and compilation methodologies for households’ and government consumption source data.
  - Pending work to change national accounts benchmark year to align with best international practices.
  - Data accuracy and reliability addressed, including estimation techniques for GDP deflator and consumer price index (CPI).

### Guinea
- Mission dates: May-06, Sep-06, Jun-07, Jul-07, Jul-08.
- Total mission tasks reported by date: 4 / 4 / 3 / 4 / 4 (Total per date as listed).
- DQAF mission-task counts by date:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 3
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 2 / 3 / 2 / 4 / 1
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
- Percentage distribution by date:
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 25.0 / 25.0 / 33.3 / 0.0 / 75.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 50.0 / 75.0 / 66.7 / 100.0 / 25.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 25.0 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - Total mission tasks each date: 100.0
- Findings:
  - Since mid-2006, 5 national accounts missions focused on methodological soundness and data accuracy and reliability.
  - Challenge: consolidate ongoing work on estimation of GDP at current prices and in volume terms, using supply and use tables and the sequence of accounts.

### Guinea-Bissau
- Mission dates: Aug-06, May-09.
- Number of mission tasks: 11.
- DQAF mission-task counts:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 3 / 1
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0 / 0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 4 / 6
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 1
  - 5. Accessibility: 2 / 3
- Percentage distribution (Aug-06 / May-09):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 33.3 / 9.1
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 44.4 / 54.5
  - 4. Serviceability: 0.0 / 9.1
  - 5. Accessibility: 22.2 / 27.3
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0
- Findings:
  - Mission tasks emphasized data accuracy and reliability (processing household survey and enterprise census data; output data on mining sector) and data accessibility (documentation of sources and compilation methods).
  - Missions also addressed data serviceability problems related to timely dissemination.

### Niger
- Mission dates: Jun-06, May-08, Jan-09, Apr-09.
- Total mission tasks (by date): 6 / 3 / 7 / 5 (Total as reported = 6,3,7,5).
- DQAF mission-task counts by date:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 3 / 0 / 1 / 2
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 0 / 3 / 5 / 3
  - 4. Serviceability: 1 / 0 / 1 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
- Percentage distribution by date:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 16.7 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 50.0 / 0.0 / 14.3 / 40.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 0.0 / 100.0 / 71.4 / 60.0
  - 4. Serviceability: 16.7 / 0.0 / 14.3 / 0.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 16.7 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0 for each date
- Findings:
  - Since 2006, missions extensively advised on source data issues (data collection and processing for different economic sectors) to improve accuracy and reliability.
  - Methodological tasks addressed computation of relevant price and volume indices.

### Mali
- Mission dates: Jun-08, Sep-08.
- Number of mission tasks: 42.
- DQAF mission-task counts:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 1 / 0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 3 / 2
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0 / 0
- Percentage distribution (Jun-08 / Sep-08):
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 25.0 / 0.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 75.0 / 100.0
  - 4. Serviceability: 0.0 / 0.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0.0 / 0.0
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0 / 100.0
- Findings:
  - Mali engaged in upgrading national accounts to the 1993 SNA and implementing ERETES.
  - Missions focused on data accuracy and reliability and methodological soundness, reviewing source data and statistical techniques for consolidation.

### Senegal
- Mission dates: Mar-07, May-08, Oct-08, Apr-09.
- Total mission tasks by date: 5 / 4 / 4 / 4.
- DQAF mission-task counts by date:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 3 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0 / 2 / 2 / 2
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1
  - 4. Serviceability: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0 / 1 / 1 / 1
- Percentage distribution by date:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 60.0 / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0 / 50.0 / 50.0 / 50.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 40.0 / 25.0 / 25.0 / 25.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0.0 / 25.0 / 25.0 / 25.0
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0 / 100.0 / 100.0 / 100.0
- Findings:
  - Missions targeted advanced compilation issues recommended by the 1993 SNA (e.g., financial accounts; development of quarterly national accounts).
  - Tasks focused on methodological soundness, accuracy and reliability, and data accessibility.

### Togo
- Mission dates: Mar-09.
- Number of mission tasks: 3.
- DQAF mission-task counts:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 1
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 2
  - 4. Serviceability: 0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0
- Percentage distribution:
  - 0. Prerequisite of quality: 33.3
  - 1. Assurance of integrity: 0.0
  - 2. Methodological soundness: 0.0
  - 3. Accuracy & reliability: 66.7
  - 4. Serviceability: 0.0
  - 5. Accessibility: 0.0
  - Total mission tasks: 100.0
- Findings:
  - Mission tasks focused on data accuracy and reliability.
  - Outstanding issues: implementation of ERETES national accounts consolidation framework and establishment of validation techniques for source data.
  - Advice on prerequisites for data quality included devising strategy to implement 1993 SNA methodological recommendations.

### AFW: National Accounts Missions — Program Framework Summary (tasks, outcomes, deadlines)
- Framework covers I. Institution and Internal Policy; II. Surveys; III. Integration Frameworks; IV. Dissemination of Outputs.
- Selected tasks and assigned country actions (task status notation: task completed = +, ongoing = + -, number of missions; expected implementation date):
  - 0.4.3 Assist authorities to prepare & implement a technical assistance action plan for medium-term production of national accounts (human & financial resource availability; review trade-offs of timeliness, accuracy/reliability).
    - Benin: (+ -; 2; June 09)
    - Côte d’Ivoire: (+ -; 1; April 2010)
  - 0.4.3 Train staff on QNA compilation: (+; 1; Dec.09)
  - II. Surveys — 3.1.1 Develop sound survey questionnaires; set stage for regular surveys:
    - Benin: (+, 1, Jan.09)
  - II. Surveys — 3.2.1 Ensure accuracy of government finance statistics, merchandise trade statistics, volume and price statistics:
    - Benin: (+ -; NA; NA)
  - II. Surveys — 3.3.2 Ensure procedures for incorporating unobserved activities (informal, hidden, illegal) follow detailed, case-by-case approach:
    - Benin: (+ -; 1; Dec.09)
  - III. Integration Frameworks — 2.1.1 Ensure sound adjustments and classification (e.g., ERETES) to make source data consistent with national accounts:
    - Benin: (+ -; 2; Dec. 09)
    - Côte d’Ivoire: (+; 1; mid- 09)
    - Niger: (+ -; 1; Dec. 2010)
    - Mali: (+, 2, Dec. 2010)
    - Senegal: (+; 1; May 09)
  - III. Integration Frameworks — 3.1.1 Assess adequacy of monthly/quarterly source data and subannual surveys for compiling expenditure components of GDP:
    - Benin: (+ -; 2; Dec.09)
    - Niger: (+ -; 1; June 2009)
  - III. Integration Frameworks — 3.1.1; 3.3.1 Ensure compilation of consumption of fixed capital is sound; use perpetual inventory method as conceptual basis:
    - Mali: (+ -; 1; July 09)
  - IV. Dissemination — 4.3.1; 4.3.2; 4.3.3 Ensure data revisions follow a regular and publicized procedure; preliminary and revised data clearly identified; studies of revisions publicized:
    - Guinea: (+; 1; II half 09)
    - Niger: (+ -; NA; Dec. 09)
    - Mali: (+ -; 1; Dec. 09)
  - IV. Dissemination — 5.1.2 Assist authorities in preparing documentation of the GDP methodology:
    - Guinea-Bissau: (+ -; NA; Oct. 09)
  - IV. Dissemination — 5.2 Review GDDS metadata, if available:
    - Guinea: (+ -; 1; NA)

*Source: TAIMS databank and staff estimates.*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2009/_wp09269.pdf_