OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2016. International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) and the Statistics Department held a workshop on “Price Index Compilation Issues” in Beirut, Lebanon from February 1-5, 2016. The workshop addressed specific price statistics compilation issues of participating countries. International standards and best practices were discussed with regard to the compilation and dissemination of price indexes.

The interactive workshop facilitated extensive discussions and included practical exercises. In a final wrap-up session, participants were given the opportunity to identify potential areas for future METAC technical assistance support.

Officials from national statistical offices who are involved in the compilation of price statistics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region attended the workshop. In total, 24 participants from eight countries attended. The countries represented included: Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, and West Bank and Gaza.