Training on the use of Trade Data Tools (TDT)

International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS) are crucial for economic analysis, policymaking, business, and market insights. It also feeds into National Accounts, Balance of Payments, and various trade indicators such as the trade balance. The Trade Data Tools (TDT), intended for IMTS compilers to compile the data, are currently being tested. The training sessions will provide an opportunity for IMTS compilers from the Bureau of Statistics, Guyana, and the CARICOM Secretariat to test and learn the TDT, ensuring that the tool is fit for purpose. This way, it is expected that the timeliness and quality of IMTS will improve, enabling more timely and accurate decision-making, as the validation checks are built into the tool.

TDT is intended to compile IMTS that are generated from administrative sources such as customs declarations, aircraft/ship registers, and ministry records. The existing data tools, like Eurotrace and PC Trade, process and verify raw data. However, as technology evolves, Eurostat and UNSD are working on developing a new generation tool, named Trade Data Tools (TDT), that will be ready for testing at the end of 2025. This mission aims to deploy and configure the current version of TDT for training purposes, utilizing as many of the country's datasets as possible. By doing so, the TDT could be benchmarked with existing processes, providing a seamless transition. This mission's deliverables include the acquired hands-on knowledge of using TDT to process data and generate IMTS. When TDT is implemented, it can provide high-quality, accurate, and timely trade statistics, which will be vital for policymakers, researchers, and businesses to make informed decisions.

Objectives

- To learn how to use TDT to compile IMTS from customs data

- To configure and install TDT on the cloud or on-premises

Audiences

- Statisticians in the Bureau of Statistics Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat

- IT experts for installation and configuration