African statistical services

Abstract

This paper is presented at the request of the ninth meeting of the ECA Conference of Ministers in April 1983, which, in adopting resolution 469 (XVIII) on African statistical services, felt that the Joint Conference of African Planners, Statisticians and Demographers should further examine the whole question of how to meet African statistical needs. The matter has become of increasing concern in the following way. It has been apparent for some years that, although African statistical services are continuing to make prepress and a few of them are doing very well, statistics in many countries are not performing the role that would be expected after n quarter of a century of independence. At the same time it has to be noted that African economic and social planning continues to be of a pragmatic rather than technical nature.