On the sidelines of a session of the Turkmen-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Moscow, a number of meetings were held between the heads of line departments. One of these meetings took place at the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) of the Russian Federation.
Pavel Malkov, Head of Rosstat, and Silap Velbegov, Chairman of the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan, have discussed specific issues of cooperation promotion and data exchange.
The importance of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan and the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation after the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation session was noted.
The document provides for strengthening joint work in the field of statistical information on mutual trade, improving methodological approaches to assessing export-import operations, which should contribute to the development of bilateral trade and economic relations.
Turkmenstat and Rosstat have a positive experience of partnership. The Russian statistical service launched a number of events within the framework of the exchange of best practices with Turkmen colleagues; there were also mutual visits of experts to study the best practices for calculating and accounting of housing rent and other issues.
As an option to continue the dialogue, a proposal was voiced on the preparation of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan and the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation.
It was also noted that in August 2018, between the Caspian states (the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran) a five-sided Agreement on trade and economic cooperation was signed, which also envisage the exchange of statistical information in this area.
In 2019, the I Caspian Economic Forum was held in the city of Turkmenbashi, during which a meeting of the ministers of economy and trade of the Caspian states took place. The Communiqué following the forum also read the importance of developing partnerships in the field of statistics.
The next Caspian Economic Forum will be held on August 12, 2021 in Moscow, during which a Memorandum of Cooperation between Turkmenstat and Rosstat it is proposed to sign.
According to the parties, the new framework document should include such relevant areas as the introduction of new information technologies in the collection of statistical data, digitization of the statistical network, introduction of SDG indicators, methodology for conducting the census (population, agricultural), etc.