GrowZA to represent development sector at African Statistics Day 2022

The GrowZA team was excited to receive a request from the South African, African Statistics Day planning committee to represent the development sector speaking specifically to the practical application of development statistics in SADC.

These insights will form part of the African Statistics Day 2022 findings report for the benefit of the broader African Development Sector as well as global donors to the continent.

The African Statistics Day (ASD) is led by the African Union Commission Department for Economic Affairs with the expressed intent to intensify the development of statistics in Africa.

The ASD was adopted in May 1990 by the Sixteenth Meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers responsible for Planning and Economic Development. The day is celebrated on November 18 each year in order to “increase public awareness about the important role which statistics play in all aspects of social and economic life” of our countries and the continent.

Main Objectives of the celebration of African Statistics Day:

• Increase awareness of official statistics, availability and accessibility,

• Create a dialogue space between Producers and Users of official Statistics,

• Engage the public and private sector in production, dissemination and use of administrative and official statistics,

• Enhance the capacity of academicians, local government and media to access and use official statistics for evidence-based decision making and reporting,

• Disseminate statistical publications.

During ASD programming, the main actors of the African statistical system discuss the main themes for the development and harmonization of statistics in Africa. It is also an opportunity for the actors of the African statistical system to take a critical look at the thorny problem of the financing of statistics in Africa.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union has adopted a decision which binds member states of the African Union to allocate at least 0.15% of their national budget for development of Statistics, It is to noted that African states still have a strong and increased dependence on development partners for the financing of national statistical activities.

It is within this context that the contribution of a strategic social investment agency was sought.

We are humbled to contribute to the pool of development insights in this space.

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