Suriname to Strengthen the National Statistical System with IDB Support

The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a US$20 million loan to Suriname to strengthen the capacity of the National Statistical System (NSS) of Suriname to collect, analyze, manage, and share reliable and accurate statistics for effective policy making and broader use.

The Program of Support for the Population Census and the National Statistical System of Suriname will support the generation of quality statistics on the economy, society, and environment and improve the flow of quality statistics to end users in government and the wider society.

Suriname’s population and housing census is scheduled for August 2024— -- 12 years after the last was conducted. In addition to a necessary update of old data, the Program is an opportunity to increase usage of quality statistics for informed decisions that benefit national development.

The Program will have two components. The first is focused on improving the quality and reliability of socio-demographic statistics. The second seeks to strengthen the performance of the NSS by creating a self-reinforcing cycle of demand for and production of key statistical processes.

Activities of the Program include supporting technically and financially all phases of the population and housing census and strengthening the institutional capacity of the General Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to sustain its operational capacity and ensure the availability of high-quality data sources for the next decade. The Program will also finance improvements to the regulatory framework and digital architecture of the civil registry as well as the creation of a digital format for the national population register. The idea is to facilitate development of a unique digital identifier for all persons residing in the country, among others.

This initiative will benefit Suriname’s society, including government agencies, civil society, and academia, which will be able to use statistical information for learning, decision-making, and evaluation. Also, technical personnel from ABS will be trained in statistical skills development, and more than 180 government personnel will be trained in evidence-based decision-making using statistical analysis. At least 5,000 individuals will have improved statistical literacy through the multi-year statistical literacy campaign.

The $20 million IDB loan to Suriname has a 25-year repayment term, a 5.5-year grace period, and an interest rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR).

About the IDB

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