Old Libyan flag causes drama at statistics conference in South Africa

Drama unfolded at the opening ceremony of the 7th Africa Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD) and third Statistical Commission for Africa (StatCom Africa III), when during the flag raising ceremony of the member countries the old flag of the Republic of Libya was placed in the conference room at the Lagoon Beach Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa.

The organisers did not have the new flag, the programme’s director, Mr. Risenga Maluleke, who is the Deputy Statistician-General of South Africa said.

During the ceremony the flags of all member-countries and organisers were brought and placed in the conference room. It was however detected that the flag for Libya was the old one under the killed former leader Moammar Gaddafi and the programme was halted briefly to allow for the removal of the flag.

Since the National Transitional Council overthrew the Gaddafi regime in a violent uprising that cost Libya many lives and the destruction of property, a new flag has been introduced. The flag was used by the rebels throughout the conflict.

When it was detected after all the flags have been placed in the room that, the Libyan flag was the old one, then he asked that it should be removed. There was applause when it was being removed.

The ongoing conference in Cape Town, South Africa is shifting focus from Population and Housing Censuses to Civil Registeration and Vital Statistics systems (CRVS) for the next five years beginning from 2012.

According to organisers, civil registeration is the convention data source for the generation of continuous and complete vital statistics that provide key health and demographic statistics, including many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) indicators. Furthermore, it says, civil registeration produces various legal and administrative information documents that are the basis for safeguarding basic human rights, including children’s and women’s rights. It adds, civil registeration can also provide critical information required for the implementation of decentralisation and democratisation processes currently progressing in most African countries.

According to organisers, despite the importance accorded to the system, almost all African countries lack adequate CVRS.

The meeting is scheduled for January 18 to 23, 2012.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi in Cape Town, South Africa