Experts discuss innovations to transform African countries’ statistical systems

A group of expert statisticians from across Africa meeting in Addis Ababa has emphasised the need to use innovations including technology to transform the statistical systems of African countries.

The experts including statisticians, data management professionals and geospatial professionals agree that it is also important to harmonise data collection methods, analysis tools, storage and retrival systems and to make good quality data available to the public for decision making.
Some of the experts shared country experience and these were discussed.

The four day meeting under the topic ‘Conceptual framework for data flows in national statistical systems’ convened by the Africa Centre for Statistics (ACS) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and sponsored by the African Development Bank (AfDB) will prepare a handbook on data management and usage in Africa.

The experts meeting for the first time includes two journalists, from Ethiopia and Ghana. The organisers say they are including journalists because they have taken note of the role of journalists in particular and that of the media in general to understand and communicate complex statistical information to the public.

Started Monday June 26, 2012, the meeting will end Friday June 29, 2012.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia