UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
-
NATIONS UNIESCOMMISSION ECONOMIQUE POUR L'AFRIQUE
No. 4726
15 November 1994
APRlCAlf Svm;STICS DAY, 18 HOVEMBEB,i
AItb
AFRICAB DJYBLOPKBNT DfFORMATIOB PAY. 19 IfOYBMBER,
r "' .
The United Nations Economic Commission \ for Africa (UNECA) invites all its meDtlJer states to celebrate: African Statistics Day, 18 Novembert and African Develop.ent Information Day, 19 November.
These celebrations help to remind us all about the vital role played by statistics and development information system~ in all aspects of , life and particularly in planning, monitoring and evaluation of national development activities.
Tbis year's,cerebration of African Statistics Day is the fifth since the adoption in may 1990 of the Addis Ababa Plan of',Action for Statistical Development in Africa in the 1990s by the sixteenth meeting of African ministers responsible for economic planning 'and development. The theme for this year's celebration is ItBu:ILDING STATISTICAL CAPACITY 1M SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPNBlIT AND REGIONAL IHTBGRATION-, It should be recalled that African Statistics Day is intended to increase publLc awareness of the important role which statistics play in all aspects of social and economic life.
Before the adoption of the above Plan of Action, during 1988 and 1989, an assessment of national statistical capacities was undertaken by the United Nations Economic Commission for Afric~
(UNECA) in 32 African countries. This assessment ident~fied the following serious deficiencies in the statistical capacities of African countries: poor management ' of statistical offices, inadequate funding, lack of timeliness in outputs delivery, poor quality of data produced and inability to respond quickly to new data needs, These weaknesses were adequately addressed in the Plan of'Action.
At the reqional and global level significant achievements have been made wi th respect to coordination efforts to strengthen statistical capacities in African countries, In particular the formation of the Coordinating committee on African ·Statistical
- more -
P.O.Box 3001 • Addis Ababa • Ethiopia
-
2
Development (CASD) in March 1992, with active involvement of various bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, has resulted in the creation of its secretariat at. UNECA. Within CABD four subcommittees have been formed to focus on deficiencies in national statistical capacity ion the following areas: Orqanization and Management of National Statistical systems: Training; Research, Methods and Standards; and Data Processing.
The monitoring and evaluation of statistical capacity has been achieved at the regional and global levels through visits of experts to African countries to provide advisory services or other types of assistance, convening of meeting such as those of CASD, the biennial meetings of the Joint ConferenCe of African Planners, statisticians, and population and Information Specialists, conduct of periodic survey of statistical organisations: inter-alia inclUding the biennial survey of statistical data processing capacity in Africa. strengthening of these mechanisms will enable the identification of areas ~o be emphasised in the deyelopment of statistics in many Africa~ countries. .
" At national level, the establishment or existence of
user/producer committees, forecasting and early warning committee~
etc. have been very useful in monitoring and evaluation of statistical capacity. In most African countries such committees tended not to meet regularly except in emergency situations where a disaster had occurred, loans were needed etc. S~ch practices have lead to weaknesses in the monitoring and evaluation of statistical
capacity in African countries. .
In order to support sustainable_development efforts in Africa "
there is need to strengthen capacity building for policy analysis
aoo
management in liqht of the united Nations Conference onEnvironment and Develppment (Agenda 21) and the Addis Ababa Plan of Action for Statistical Development in Africa in the 1990s. Policy analysis requires an effective supporting statistical infrastructure. Indeed statistical information as a resource for
d~velopment requires timely collection of data as well as proper management throughout the planning, policy formulation and management of the economy.
The coming into force of the Ahuja Treaty / aimed at establishing the African Economic Community presents greater Qhallenge to African countries in their pursuit ·f or cooperation and integration. This Treaty puts meaningful initiatives hitherto gone into achi~vinq Africa's-economic recovery, growth and sustainable
d~velopment. The promotion of intra-African trade has long been perceived as a useful catalyst in regional cooperation and integration efforts'- It is therefore vital that the supporting data such as intra-African trade statist~cs, wbich are required for.
planning, monitoring and evaluation of the performance of regio~al
- more -
3
cooperation and integration ~fforts, be s~Fengthened, within the framework of economic and social information system for the African'
region. '
The commemoration of this year's African statistics Day offers opportunity to urge individuals, Qrqanisations as well as African governments, international organizations, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and the mass media to assist in buildinq statistical capacity in Africa in support of sustainable development and regional integration efforts.
19 Move~was adopted as African Development Information Day by the eighteenth meeting of African Ministers responsible for economic planning and development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia iri 1992.
One of the objectives of the African Development Information Day is to make decision-makers aware of the role of information in support of economic management and planning for national development as well as .i t s role in fostering African economic integration by
e~hancing exchange of experiences and ideas and by channelling global and sectoral development programmes and activitie~ fqr use by decision-makers, planners and economic operators throughout the continent.
The- theme for this year's celebration is "STRElfGTBBMING DD'ORllATIOlI SYS'l'BIIS FOR IRPORIIATIOIf DCBAlfGE IN AFRICA". It calls upon UHECA and· member States as well as African regional and subregional institutions and donor agencies to support development information act~vities and adopt a more dynamic approach to information sharing in order to contribute to a re-awakening of African development. In doing so it is important that member States support the development of national information policies which should be widely publicized for maximum impact in the region.
strengthening qf intorma~ion resources is possible only through their planned, coordinated and harmonized development and its acceptance by policy makers. National information policies are required to ensure harmonious developmez:tt of information resources in member states and in African regional institutions.
In preparing national information policies, African member states may cover the following issues: (1) promotion of the development of national information resources and services as an integral part of the national development plans; (2) strengthening the generation of information at the national level: (3) advocating the moderni3ation of information handling technologies; (4) establishment in each country of a national coordinating mechanism which will ensure effective coordination, implementation and operation of the policy; (5) establishment of appropriate legislations and their enforcement to facilitate access to information; ( 6 ) training and retraining of personnel for the efficient management of information resources; (7) promotion of
' e f f e c t i ve use of information resources and services by the general public, policy makers, · technology users and information professionals: and (8) participation in relevant regional and international information systems.
,. Member states should note however, that development of r information policies is a continuous process. National information policies are studied, discussed and adopted through working groups in national seminars. Because of rapid changes in science and technology, national information policies should be reviewed, evaluated and readjusted from time to time to ascertain their ,relevancy to the evolving information environment. If needed be,
changes may be introduced through appropriate amendments, additions or deletions.
In connection with the African Development Information Day,
-;specific information technology related to infrastructure and human
.resource development needs to be examined. Particular tasks at the
~ nati ona l level may include the setting up or strengthening of an -appropriate coordinating body on the development of priorities and indicators to monitor progress, the assignment of accountability to monitor progress and the establishment or adoption of technology standards suited to local needs. Furthermore, national i.nformation
;::po l i c i e s can operate successfUlly only if policy makers at both the
_national and organiza'tional level are aware of the need for technological Lnnovatd.cna , .' Policy makers need sound technical knowledge, an understanding of information technology and an awareness of the broader issues of the impact of new technologies 'on. s oc i e t y . Updating, broadening and deepening the knOWledge of
·-,pol i c y makers in this area can be undertaken through workshops on
case studies and role playing or through on-the-job training and training seminars.
E-mail, on-line information exchange and data base searching are known to be very attractive to decision makers, planners, researchers and the general .pub l i c . In this context, workshops on governments information systems can be organized for benefit of senior government officials in order to show them the technological aspects of policy reforms through the strengthening of development information systems. Furthermore, PADISnetI the on-l ine information ·ne t wor k initiated by UNECA which in its pilot phase linked several national and regional institutions in different African regions, is being extended to all member states in order to facilitate communications between Government offices within, a country and between UNECA and its member states. The network will also stimulate efficiency and increase prod~ctivity.
Infrastructure development is an important factor for successful information exchange. The current methods of information exchange within Africa and outside- the continent need
- more -
•
'~
5
to be enhanced by use of up-to-date technology and widely accepted standards. In this regard, the UNECA Standing Committee on the Harmonization and Standardization of Documentation and Information Systems in Africa plays a ma jor role in promoting the establishment, strengthening and development of information and documentation units within appropriate Government offices in member States.
The two complem~ntarythemes "BUILDING STATISTICAL CAPACITY IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLB DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION" and
"STRENGTHENING INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR INFORMATION EXCHANGE IN AFRICAn for the celebration of the above two days provide a two- .fold emphasis regarding the strengthening of statistical and information systems geared towards specific country needs. It is hoped that the two days will be celebrated with full dedication and commitment.
