In Cairo, ESCWA convened a sub-regional meeting from 16 to 18 December, bringing together price experts from selected national statistical offices to assess the compilation, integration, and methodological consistency of price statistics. The meeting focused on addressing operational and methodological disruptions faced by countries in producing the consumer price index (CPI).
The event also introduced the ESCWA regional initiative on the Harmonized Consumer Price Index, providing countries with practical tools, templates, and methodological guidance to support its implementation. Participants were briefed on recent developments in subnational purchasing power parities, enhancing their understanding of how those measures were constructed and how they contributed to regional comparability and analytical insights into price levels.
The meeting included technical presentations, guided discussions, and hands-on exercises to strengthen national capacities in compiling price indices.
