Kabul, 24th March 2014. - Work officially started today to expand the Data Processing Center of the Central Statistics Organization (CSO) in Kabul. Shir Mohammad Jamizada, President General of CSO, Takaaki Usui, First Secretary, Economic Cooperation Section of the Embassy of the Government of Japan, and Dr. Annette Sachs Robertson, Representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), chaired the ceremony.
"Central Statistics Organization as the official entity responsible for collecting and analyzing statistical data in the country requires office facilities and equipment to process data, perform statistical analysis and extract results that meet international standards. One of such requirements will be met with the construction of the Data Processing Center", said Engineer Shir Mohammad Jamizada.
The new building will accommodate the data processing work related to the Provincial Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey being conducted by the Central Statistics Organization in the country. The Government of Japan will be funding the construction of the new 285-square-meter floor with 5 million Afghanis.
Data processing is one of the most relevant stages of the Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey. It involves the receipt of the completed questionnaires from the district and provincial offices; the extraction and validation of the data; and the creation of socio, economic and demographic databases. This activity, when successfully completed, will provide accurate information that is crucial to government policy-making, planning, and administration. UNFPA has been technically assisting the Central Statistics Organization undertaking the Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey since 2010. Besides the technical support, UNFPA is also assisting CSO in terms of capacity building and institutional infrastructure, which includes the expansion of the Data Processing Center.
"This new, modern and more spacious facility should allow the Central Statistics Organization Data Processing Unit to perform its tasks in a more effective, efficient and timely manner", said Dr Robertson. "With the roll out of the Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey in the different provinces and the increase of staff needed to process the information collected from the field, we welcome CSO's initiative to expand the processing area so all the information will be properly managed".
Currently, the Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey has been conducted in the provinces of Bamiyan, Ghor, Daikundi and Kabul. The exercise was partially funded by the Government of Japan with a cost of USD 13 million. It is expected that the Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey will be rolled out in other provinces with the support of other donors interested in funding this initiative.
