SEMINAR ON INTEGRATED MACROECONOMIC STATISTICS AND THE BALANCE SHEET APPROACH FOR BETTER ECONOMIC DECISION-MAKING

Siem Reap, Cambodia

January 21-22, 2016


The IMF’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (OAP) and the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) will hold a Capacity Building Seminar: Integrated Macroeconomic Statistics and the Balance Sheet Approach for Better Economic Decision-Making in Siem Reap,Cambodia on January 21-22, 2016. The seminar is organized jointly with the IMF’s Statistics Department (STA) and funded by the Government of Japan.

This seminar will demonstrate the linkages between various domains of macroeconomic and financial statistics and illustrate the policy implications of inter-sectoral linkages. In the context of current status of development of these statistics in the participating countries, the seminar will explore opportunities for improving the consistency and quality of statistics as well as for better inter-agency collaboration. A specific topic of the seminar will be the policy relevance of balance sheet analysis and how balance sheets can be developed using available data.

Program

January 21, 2016
9:00 am - 9:15 am

Registration (Naga & the Rainbow Room)

9:15 am - 9:30 am

Opening Remarks
H.E. Chea Chanto, Governor of National Bank of Cambodia
Mr. Odd Per Brekk, Director of Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, IMF

9:30 am - 9:45 am

Photo Session

9:45 am - 11:00 am

Structure of the Macroeconomic Accounts and Policy Relevance (by IMF staff)
This presentation will review: (i) the structure of the current, capital and financial accounts; (ii) how non-financial accounts are linked to the financial account; (iii) how the capital and financial accounts are linked to the balance sheets; and (iv) how the changes in balance sheet positions can be explained. It will also illustrate the relevance of the structure of the accounts for policy analysis.

11:00 am - 11:15 am

Coffee Break

11:15 am - 12:30 pm

Linkages Between Macroeconomic Statistics Sectors and Their Policy Implications (by IMF staff)
This presentation will provide an overview of the key linkages between macroeconomic statistics (national accounts, fiscal data, financial sector, and external sector statistics). It will also illustrate the policy implications of inter-sectoral linkages.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Lunch (Citadel Restaurant)

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Participant Presentations: Status of Available Macroeconomic Statistics
Participants from five countries will be asked to present an overview of their current macroeconomic statistics

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm

Coffee Break

3:45 pm - 5:15 pm

Identifying and Improving Linkages (by IMF staff)
This session will identify the links among existing macroeconomic statistics of participating countries and will present options for improving the consistency and quality of macroeconomic and financial statistics.

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Dinner hosted by H.E. Chea Chanto, Governor of National Bank of Cambodia (Poolside Terrace at Sofitel Hotel)

January 22, 2016

9:00 am - 10:45 am

Roundtable Discussion on Improving the Quality and Consistency of Macroeconomic Statistics
Following from the previous session, participants will discuss options for improving the quality and consistency of macroeconomic statistics through inter-agency coordination and collaboration.

10:45 am - 11:15 am

Coffee Break

11:15 am - 12:30 pm

Analytical and Policy Uses of Balance Sheet Data (by IMF staff)
This presentation will (i) review the data necessary to construct a balance sheet for an economy; (ii) provide an overview on usage of balance sheets for the analysis of risks and vulnerabilities; (iii) provide country examples of the recent use of the BSA in bilateral surveillance; and (iv) demonstrate how BSA can be used for policymaking and policy analysis.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Lunch (Citadel Restaurant)

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Country Presentations: Thailand and Indonesia
Presentations will focus on how the sectoral accounts and balance sheets have been developed in these two countries

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm

Coffee Break

3:45 pm - 4:45 pm

Roundtable Discussion: Developing Data for Balance Sheet Analysis
Participants will be guided on how data for the BSA can be developed using available data.

4:45 pm - 5:00 pm

Closing Remarks:
Mr. Odd Per Brekk, Director of Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, IMF
Presentation of certificates and closing remarks

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Farewell Dinner hosted by Mr. Odd Per Brekk, Director, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, IMF (Royal Court Terrace at Sofitel Hotel)