Belarus official criticizes data quality from custodial agencies

There are serious issues with the quality of work carried out by international custodial agencies, according to Yelena Kondratenko, a department head at the Belarus National Statistical Committee.

Speaking on the third day of the 3rd International Statistical Forum in Baku, themed "Prospects for Statistical Development: The Role of International Projects", Kondratenko highlighted problems in data validation processes.

"Interaction with custodial agencies reveals that discrepancies in data often stem from the application of adjustment coefficients and expert estimates by these agencies, altering national data. Other factors include use of unreliable sources, different calculation methodologies, and inconsistent data update timelines on various platforms," she noted.

She added that in many cases, expert assessments are made without direct knowledge of the country's context. "Often, analyses are based on methodologies that require further validation, or data from questionable sources. This results in inaccurate data being published and biased international rankings being formed."

Kondratenko emphasized that Belarus builds its national statistics on strict adherence to international principles. "We apply scientific methods, professional ethics, and standard procedures for data collection, processing, storage, and dissemination - ensuring high quality and reliability."

She referenced a recent large-scale comparison with the UN global database, which revealed inconsistencies in around 20% of indicators related to Belarus. "Our careful analysis showed these differences were mostly due to expert assumptions and unreliable sources used by custodial agencies."

Discussing Belarus' progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Kondratenko said the national list includes 246 indicators, with 174 aligned with global indicators and 72 representing country-specific proxy indicators - meaning over 70% harmonization.

"Currently, data availability stands at 95%, and for Goals 10 and 17, it is 100%. According to the latest national assessment, 80% of indicators show significant progress and strong results in achieving the SDGs," she concluded.