Jeddah. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) is expanding cooperation with statistical agencies across the Islamic world as it prepares to modernize the 2030 Population Census and adopt new international standards for measuring economic activity.

A BPS delegation led by Deputy Head Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi attended the 15th Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom) in Jeddah in late September, joining representatives from national statistical offices across the OIC's 57 member states.

The forum focused on exchanging expertise and best practices in official statistics, including the modernization of population and housing censuses, preparations for implementing the 2025 System of National Accounts (SNA 2025), and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the meeting, Sonny outlined Indonesia's ongoing transformation toward a more integrated statistical system combining administrative records, technology, surveys and field verification.

The transition will play an important role in preparations for Indonesia's 2030 Population Census.

BPS plans to make greater use of population registration and other administrative data to develop a more integrated demographic statistical system capable of being updated more rapidly and continuously, while maintaining surveys and field verification to safeguard data accuracy and quality.

Measuring a Changing Economy
BPS also presented Indonesia's preparations for implementing SNA 2025, the latest international framework for compiling national accounts.

The updated framework is intended to help economic statistics better capture changes in production structures, consumption patterns and employment, including economic activity that conventional measurements may not fully reflect.

One area being explored by BPS is the economic value of unpaid household services.

Using results from its 2023 Experimental Time Use Study, BPS estimated the value added generated by unpaid household services at the equivalent of approximately 13.63% of Indonesia's 2023 gross domestic product.

BPS also shared Indonesia's experience in monitoring SDG 6, which covers clean water and sanitation.

The agency uses its National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas) as an important data source for measuring household access to drinking water and sanitation services and tracking progress in access to basic services.

Hajj, Halal and Islamic Economy Statistics
Beyond the formal sessions, BPS held bilateral meetings with statistical agencies and international organizations, including Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).

Discussions with GASTAT focused on areas particularly relevant to Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, including the development of statistics on Hajj and Umrah, the halal industry, the Islamic economy and bilateral trade.

Saudi Arabia also offered to accelerate knowledge transfers to support Indonesia's statistical digitalization and transformation.

BPS and TURKSTAT, meanwhile, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen statistical cooperation between Indonesia and Turkey.

The agreement covers exchanges of expertise in modern census methodologies, the use and integration of administrative data, and digital transformation in official statistics.

BPS also reached an understanding with Egypt's CAPMAS on plans for an Indonesia-Egypt memorandum of understanding, which is expected to be included in the agenda of an upcoming visit by the Egyptian president to Indonesia.

The planned cooperation will focus on statistical modernization and the implementation of new international statistical standards.

Indonesia Proposed as OIC-StatCom Host
In talks with the Islamic Development Bank, BPS discussed developing multidimensional poverty statistics, with Indonesia expected to serve as a pilot for an initiative that could subsequently involve other OIC countries, including Jordan and Malaysia.

BPS also offered to host the 16th OIC-StatCom session in 2027 during a separate meeting with SESRIC.

According to BPS, the proposal received support from delegations attending the meeting.

The agency said deeper international cooperation has become increasingly important as governments seek faster, more accurate and internationally comparable data to guide policymaking and development programs.
 

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