Malawi’s data system goes live

Malawi’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (E-GDDS), a one-stop publication for essential macroeconomic data available on the International Monetary Funds’ (IMF) dissemination standards bulletin board (DSBB) is now operational, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has said.

The system is a web-based application, which comes with a National Summary Data Page (NSDP) onto which macroeconomic data is uploaded and accessed.

A statement issued by the RBM last week said publication of this data provides national policymakers as well as a broad range of domestic and international stakeholders, including investors, rating agencies and researchers with an easy access to information that has been identified by the IMF as critical for monitoring economic conditions and policies.

Said the statement: “E-GDDS which was established to enhance data transparency, encourage statistical capacity development, and help create synergies between data dissemination and surveillance replaces General Data Dissemination System (GDDS) which has been operational since 2007.”

Speaking in an earlier interview, a government official with knowledge on the matter said government agencies such as the Ministry of Finance, RBM and National Statistical Office (NSO) will work in a coordinated approach to provide updated and relevant financial data and statistics.

He said the agencies will take advantage of the platform to provide data which would benefit both the nation and users more importantly. n