Accord on statistic information signed

JAKARTA (JP): The Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday agreed to help modernize and expand the data system of Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) and to exchange data which will be provided for governments and companies.

BPS's chairman, Sugito Suwito, and his Australian counterpart William McLennan, signed the cooperation agreement, which will be valid for five years.

"The statistical system in Australia is quite similar to our system in Indonesia, broadly centralized, so that it is easier for us to learn and exchange experience," Sugito said.

Under the agreement, the cooperation will cover the development of BPS's network, the production of a common Indonesian-Australian statistical glossary as well as the improvement of international trade and investment statistics, labor market data and information on social accounting matrix.

The two bureaus also agreed to provide regional data on Indonesia's eastern provinces and the Australian Northern Territory.

Sugito said BPS annually processes data on around 660,000 export documents and 540,000 import documents.

Demand for timely international trade statistics is increasing and BPS hopes to meet it, he said. (kod)