The 16th Session of the Committee of Directors-General of the National Statistics Offices (CoDGs), opens on December,6, 2022, at Sipopo International Conference Centre, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, under the AU 2022 theme; “Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on African Continent: Strengthening Agri-Food Systems, Health and Social Protection Systems for Acceleration of Human, Social and Economic Capital Development”.

Opening the meeting, on behalf of H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, AUC Chairperson (AUC), Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, Head of Statistics Division at the African Union Commission (STATAFRIC), highlighted the commitment demonstrated by the AUC to provide the necessary support to AU Member States to strengthen their capacities for the production and dissemination of harmonized, quality and updated statistics.

She mentioned the major steps taken for statistical development in Africa including:  the adoption of the African Charter on Statistics in 2009, the Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA) in 2010, as well as the second Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA 2) and the African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC) in 2018.

“Since its entry into force in 2015, the African Charter on Statistics, has been signed by only 35 AU Member States and has been ratified and deposited to the AU by 25 Member States” she said, calling for the ratification of the Charter by the 55 AU Member States, which will allow the various stakeholders of the African statistical system to have an adequate legal instrument for the production and dissemination of quality statistics for Africa.

Speaking earlier, on behalf of H.E. Mr. Oliver Chinganya, Director of the African Centre for Statistics, Mr. Ilboudo Joseph from the African Centre for Statistics, commended that the choice of the theme for this year CoDGs meeting is closely linked to the global situation with its impact on the continent and, more particularly, on food security. However, he noted that only a few African countries have conducted an agricultural census, while the census of agriculture continues to play a key role in the collection of structural data on the agriculture sector.

“This situation calls us to rethink our approach to statistics and data generation and use. It invites all of us to transform and modernize our operations with the ultimate goal of adequately responding to current and future needs” he said. He showed the UNECA activities for development of statistics, including the creation of Takwimu Young African Statisticians Program to support transformation, modernization, and harmonization in the continent.

To strengthen and modernize the African Statistical System, the Minister of Finance, Economy and Planning of Equatorial Guinea, H. E. Valentín ELA MAYE emphasized in his opening remarks that AU Member States must reform their national statistical system, modernizing civil registration systems, national statistical offices, incorporating emerging issues such as the data revolution, geospatial data, implementing the Strategy for Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA 2) and, above all, guarantee the financing of statistics.

The Minister added that his country is convinced that a strong and modernized African statistical system is what is needed to report on progress in socio-economic development, the integration process of the Continent, the free movement of goods and personnel and to report on the bottlenecks that hinder the development of our continent.

Organized by the AUC (STATAFRIC) as statutory meeting of African Union, the CoDGs 16^th Session will deliberate, over three days, statistical development in Africa.  In particular, the Session will discuss the progress made on the implementation of the Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa, exchange of experiences and best practices on the efforts by regional, and international organizations as well as on countries’ efforts in their quest to support their national, regional, and international development initiatives with quality statistics based on the Peer review developed by AUC, and defining the modalities for the coordination of on-going statistical activities on the continent.

In relation to the AU 2022 theme of Nutrition and Food Security, the Session will evaluate and take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the AU commitments on nutrition at continental, regional and national level and the bottlenecks that are impeding reaching nutrition goals. It will also facilitate mutual learning on the population census and agriculture surveys and experience sharing among AU Member States, RECs and through the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Framework on data production, compilation and dissemination on the 2022 AU Theme.

The Session was attended by directors general of the national statistical offices from AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, statistics training centers, regional and African organizations, UN agencies, sub-regional, regional and international, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, civil society organizations, and others.

For further information:

Mrs. Leila Ben Ali | Head of Statistics-African Union Commission (STATAFRIC) Tel: +21698200767 | E-mail: Leilab@africa-union.org| Tunis, Tunisia

For media inquiries;

Mrs. Afrah Thabit | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission Cell: +251912615121 | E-mail: Thabitma@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission, E-mail: DIC@african-union.org  I Website: www.au.africa  I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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