Follow-up report on the main conclusions and recommendations of the Statistical Commission for Africa at its eighth session

Abstract

The purpose of the present document is to report on the status and progress made on the main conclusions and recommendations that emerged from the reports presented at the eighth session of the Statistical Commission for Africa by the groups working on various aspects of statistical development. In the report on the session, the programmatic issues faced, including those relating to the statistics programme of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and other statutory issues, are acknowledged and the availability of reliable and accurate geographical information is recognized as one of the most important factors enabling national economies to grow, since it allows more informed decisions to be made relating to social and economic development, including through improvements achieved in the mapping of relevant social and economic indicators. The theme of the eighth session, “Modernizing the data ecosystem in Africa to support regional integration”, was timely, as technological developments are revolutionizing the field of statistics in the public and private sectors.