In one of its Africa Human Development reports1 , UNDP reviewed the major challenges facing African countries at the dawn of the 21st Century:

• economic challenges (economic growth and poverty reduction, development financing, globalization and development);
• political and institutional challenges (governance and democracy, peace and political stability, human development vision and planning);
• social challenges (food security, health, education, employment);
• environmental challenges;
• gender challenges.

It is clear that addressing these challenges is indeed a daunting task that requires knowledge of factors like the environment and beneficiaries, garnered from huge and varied data and information bases which are not easily accessible. NSS, as the main data producers are key players who should fully play their role of guiding persons planning to take objective and fair decisions.It is clear that addressing these challenges is indeed a daunting task that requires knowledge of factors like the environment and beneficiaries, garnered from huge and varied data and information bases which are not easily accessible. NSS, as the main data producers are key players who should fully play their role of guiding persons planning to take objective and fair decisions.

Information and knowledge have emerged today as new economic resources and factors of international competition. The development of the information society is a powerful lever to lift Africa out of poverty. In this respect, information has become an economic resource2 that should be developed by the countries. In this context, statistics provide comprehensive information that should be disseminated using appropriate tools, notably, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) whose development is snowballing.

Box 4 :  Data and information

The transition of the global economy to a system based on information and knowledge offers a host of opportunities to African countries which can access this “new economy” by developing comparative benefits based on their history and their own material wellbeing.

The activities of AFRISTAT, specifically, its studies and applied research, should henceforth be modelled on this new impetus of the information society to help decision-makers in routine governance and in anticipating future actions on the basis of reliable and timely information.

According to recent evaluations conducted in most AFRISTAT Member States on the implementation of MDGs, achieving the targets set therein by 2015 will continue to be a prime concern to these States in the coming years. It is also worth noting the recent socio-political and/or economic changes, notably the democratic process and its corollaries (good governance, decentralization and devolution), liberalization of economies, globalization, sub-regional economic integration policies, development of information and communication technologies, etc. To achieve these objectives, Member States should produce statistics which are clearly consistent with the capacity building objective of AFRISTAT.

Hence, AFRISTAT should develop its capacities and enhance support to other areas outside its previous scope. In this vein, and in the coming years, it will strive to enhance its skills on population studies, a daunting challenge to be addressed as the population constitutes the foremost resource of every State. More specifically, alongside bodies like the United Nations Statistical Commission and UNFPA, AFRISTAT will participate in the proceedings of the 2010 population census round. Similarly, it plans to handle all aspects of social statistics, including civil registry whose smooth functioning shapes the very existence of a state at national and local levels. In addition to skills gathered in economic statistics and whose development will be pursued, AFRISTAT will develop its “social statistics” component by building requisite expertise to develop this area in a bid to meet the demand of Member States and sub-regional economic integration bodies.

In the area of the environment, democracy, human rights and governance, there is a lack of well defined statistical framework in the Member States. On account of the impact of these concepts on development management, there is a need to formulate such frameworks in the coming years. AFRISTAT will work alongside other partners who are already operating in these areas.

The period 2006-2010 will be largely marked by poverty reduction and continued efforts to achieve the MDGs. AFRISTAT Member States are fully aware of the essence of regularly gauging and measuring progress in the monitoring and evaluation of development strategies. Accordingly, the availability of aggregated information seems indispensable for optimal development management. Member States understand such a need and consider statistics as an essential tool for the implementation of result-oriented development strategies5. The objectives of AFRISTAT are, more than ever before, meaningful and must be aligned on this new, yet constraining planning since it :

• aims at redefining the role of development stakeholders (State, local governments, private sector, civil society);
• hinges on dialogue, consultation and participation of all stakeholders concerned in a democratic and multiparty political system;
• falls in line with development management policies of member countries and ensures consistency with the long, medium and short term timelines;
• integrates the decentralization process to ensure balanced spatial development;
• mainstreams environmental issues into development;
• prioritizes human resource development with special consideration of the role of women;
• takes into consideration the regional and sub-regional integration process.

In a nutshell, AFRISTAT’s action is consistent with a vision that seeks to pursue the development of its current areas of intervention and improved projects, notably capacity building to satisfy the needs of Member States in respect of data and statistical reports in all aspects of national life. Member States are not only backing these challenges and statistical development but have also affirmed the importance of statistical information as an indispensable tool that gives further substance and realism to policy decisions.

1 PNUD (2000), Rapport régional sur le développement humain en Afrique occidentale et centrale. Pour une lecture africaine sur le développement humain, (West and Central Africa Regional Human Development Report) pp. 29-42.

2 See report of the Fourth meeting of CODI (Committee of Development Information) on the theme “Information as an economic resource”, Addis-Ababa (Ethiopia), 25-28 April 2005.

3See document No. E/ECA/CODI/4/7 communication during CODI IV.

4 Arkoff, RL. From Data to Wisdom, Journal of Applied Systems Analysis, Volume 16.

5 Read the conclusions of the 14th session of AFRISTAT Council of Ministers on the “Strategic Work Guidelines of AFRISTAT Management for the period 2006-2010”.