REPORT OF THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE STATISTICAL COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Oliver Chinganya, Director, African Centre for Statistics 20 – 26 March 2019 Marrakech, Morocco 2019 Conference of Ministers

2. Introduction 2 The 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa - October 2018 Attendance: 48 Member States and 2 non-African States; 15 international, regional, sub regional, national organizations & institutions 4 training Institutions Theme: “Enhancing the capacity of national statistical systems to support policies for Africa’s economic diversification and industrialization’’ The theme was chosen to highlight the role of statistics in responding to the need for diversification & industrialization in the context of the SDGs, Agenda 2063 & more specifically, the African Continental Free Trade Area Report of the 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa UNECA.ORG

3 3. Pre-Statcom Meetings & Statutory Reports 5 Statutory document on the 2008 System of National Accounts Report on the progress related to the implementation of the 2008System of National Accounts in Africa. 13th Africa Symposium on Statistical Development 4 Report on civil registration & vital statistics Report on the progress in the implementation of the Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems and the challenges. Statutory Reports Key Pre-StatCom meetings 3 Report on population & housing censuses Report included highlights of the activities carried out to prepare for the 2020 census-taking in Africa. 8th Forum on African Statistical Development 2 Report on indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals Report on the integrated regional indicator framework and the handbook on that framework. 4th UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa 1 Report on statistical capacity development in Africa Report on the ongoing capacity development in the area of statistics at the national, sub regional and continental levels. Report of the 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa UNECA.ORG

4. Key Messages 4 1 2 3 4 5 Review national legislation on statistics in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the African Charter on Statistics and to ensure the effective coordination of all actors involved in national statistical systems. Allocate 0.15% of national budget as per the decision of the AU Heads of State and Government to support the production, dissemination & use of statistics for the implementation of national development plans, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063; Conduct their PHCs during the Round 2015-2024 in order to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 Strengthen civil registration and vital statistics systems to support inter-censual population estimates and projections & inform the SDGs & A2063 Mainstream geospatial information technologies as a basic framework for supporting statistical production and the dissemination of statistical data Report of the 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa UNECA.ORG

RECOMMENDATIONS 5. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Member states to update their economic statistics system & comply with the international recommendation to rebase GDP every five years Countries to mobilize resources for census-taking activities and development partners to support their efforts. Countries to increase the availability of data relevant to the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals and integrated regional indicators. National statistics offices to prioritize the use and improve the quality of administrative data. RECOMMENDATIONS Report of the 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa UNECA.ORG

Encourages member States to: 6. CONCLUSIONS 6 Encourages member States to: Consider emerging issues relating to census-taking activities in Africa Conduct a census of agriculture at least once during the 2016–2025 round and a programme of regular integrated surveys in the intercensal period. Member States, supported by pan-African institutions, to establish an African group to reflect on how to include big data in official statistics. Establishment of Regional Committee of the UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa as an overarching governance mechanism ASK……………Enhance investment to national statistical systems in support of economic diversification & industrialization policies & the implementation of the A 2030 & A2063 Report of the 6th meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa UNECA.ORG

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