Press Release No. 09/460

Press Release: Iraq Begins Participation in the IMF’s General Data Dissemination System

December 15, 2009

The Republic of Iraq began participating today in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) General Data Dissemination System (GDDS), marking a major step forward in the development of its statistical system. Comprehensive information on Iraq’s statistical production and dissemination practices now appears on the IMF’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (http://dsbb.imf.org/Applications/web/gdds/gddscountrylist/).

“Iraq is committed to use the IMF’s General Data Dissemination System as a general framework to continue developing the national statistical system consistent with best international practices,” Dr. Sinan Al-Shabibi, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, said. “The participation of Iraq in the GDDS will also lead to the production and dissemination of more reliable and timely statistics.”

Ms. Adelheid Burgi-Schmelz, Director of the IMF’s Statistics Department, welcomed Iraq’s participation in the GDDS. “Iraq’s participation in the GDDS is a major milestone in the country’s statistical development,” she said. “I am confident that Iraq will benefit from using the GDDS as a framework for further development of its statistical system.”

The GDDS was established by the IMF in 1997. It provides a framework to help countries to develop their statistical systems to produce comprehensive and accurate statistics for policymaking and analysis. With the addition of Iraq, 97 countries currently participate in the GDDS.