Background

UNCTAD’s Trade-in-Services Statistics Information System (TiSSTAT) is an integrated platform designed to streamline and standardize the collection, validation, and analysis of trade in services data. Developed to address the challenges countries face in producing accurate and harmonized trade in services statistics, TiSSTAT facilitates improved survey design, data collection, data cleaning, and reporting. By enabling a more systematic approach to data management, TiSSTAT supports policymakers in making informed decisions that enhance the competitiveness of their economies.

As part of the United Nations Development Account project “Strengthening capacity for evidence-based policymaking and the economic resilience of CARICOM” and in response to requests from countries, a TiSSTAT Playground has been developed, allowing countries to explore its environment and functionalities before making a commitment to full installation. This strategic initiative aims to ensure that countries can assess the system’s relevance, benefits, and feasibility for national implementation without requiring immediate deployment.

Objective

The main objective of the training is to guide participating countries through the TiSSTAT Playground, enabling them to explore its functionalities and understand how it can enhance trade in services data collection. By providing hands-on experience with the system, the training aims to help countries evaluate its relevance and potential benefits for their national statistical processes, ensuring a smooth transition to full-scale implementation.

As part of its phased implementation strategy, UNCTAD has developed the TiSSTAT Playground and structured online training sessions to strengthen the capacity of countries before full-scale implementation and software deployment. This approach allows countries to familiarize themselves with the system in a controlled environment, building confidence and ensuring they are well-prepared for the transition to the full version of TiSSTAT. The explorer and online training sessions are designed to gather user feedback, refine the system based on real-world experiences, and ensure a more effective and tailored rollout.

By allowing countries to explore TiSSTAT in advance, UNCTAD ensures a more effective and customized implementation strategy, maximizing the impact of the full-scale deployment. This proactive approach reflects UNCTAD’s commitment to capacity building, ensuring that national statistical systems are well-prepared for the digital transformation of trade in services statistics.