Training Program

Officials whose main responsibility is compiling balance of payments, international merchandise trade statistics, and/or international trade in services statistics. Participants should be familiar with the methodology of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual, sixth edition (BPM6).

Participants are expected to have a degree in economics or statistics or equivalent experience; have basic knowledge of balance of payments concepts; and have at least one year of experience in compiling balance of payments or in collecting and processing source data on goods and/or services for compiling balance of payments statistics.

This course, presented by the Statistics Department, is intended to provide a thorough understanding of international trade in goods and services statistics. It offers practical advice on data sources and techniques for compiling these statistics. The course is mainly based on the BPM6 Compilation Guide and the Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services 2010 Compilers Guide (MSITS 2010 CG). The course consists of a series of lectures, workshops, and plenary discussions on country practices that cover concepts, sources, and methods for compiling statistics associated with international trade in goods and services. It also includes plenary discussions on country practices. Recognizing the challenges in compiling statistics for certain services categories, such as manufacturing and merchanting, insurance, financial services, and construction, the course emphasizes specific aspects of their treatment and how they are recorded in the balance of payments. Participants have the opportunity to discuss compilation problems they have encountered and gain insights into the analytical uses of statistics on the international trade in goods and services.