African Union to establish statistics institute

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the initiative is a result of the continent’s and the international community’s need for "warrantable, updated and quality statistics.”

Respective AU member countries are to sign a draft resolution on the statistics institute’s formation at the 40th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, underway in Addis Ababa from 2 - 3 April 2007.

Problems relating to statistics in Africa have been discussed various times by African officials and the last meeting on the issue took place in the Angolan capital, Luanda, in December 2006.

Addressing a symposium of African statisticians in Cape Town last year, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, said African countries must "beef up" their statistics.

This, said Minister Manuel at the time, would enable them to produce the reliable data necessary for policy makers and development planners to help Africa meet the Millennium Development Goals aimed at reducing poverty on the continent.

Saying, "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it", Mr Manuel said political and economic leaders in Africa needed accurate statistics about the populations they lead to effectively address the crisis of "wanton underdevelopment" in the continent.

According to Statistics South Africa, 89% of the world's population resides in a country that has conducted a census since 1995.

In Africa, only 52% of the population lives in a country that has been through a census. This compares with 99% for Europe and 95% for Asia.

Even for the remaining 48%, the data on their characteristics and their needs is not precise, says Stats SA.

Published courtesy of BuaNews