Report on statistical capacity development in Africa

Abstract

Following the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on national statistical systems in Africa, which has revealed their vulnerability in responding to demands for statistical data and information in times of crisis, African countries have resolutely begun transforming and modernizing official statistics on the continent. To guide and support the process, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has produced a road map for the transformation and modernization of official statistics in Africa for the period 2023–2030. African statistical system stakeholders were called upon to integrate the road map’s principles and priorities into national and regional planning relating to the development of official statistics. Those requests show that, since 2022, the focus of statistical development in Africa has moved to the transformation and modernization of statistical systems. The present report, therefore, includes highlights of the support provided to that process by the members of the African statistical system and its partners and the progress made by countries in 2023 and 2024. 2. The report is structured according to the priorities of the road map. After section I, an introduction, sections II and III are focused on the institutional development of national statistical systems and their organizational development, respectively. Section IV is focused on progress in advancing statistical processes. The subject of section V is harnessing technology. Sections VI and VII concern human capital and capacity development, and organizational capital development, respectively. In section VIII, the conclusion, the Statistical Commission is requested to express its views and guidance on the conclusions and points for discussion.