South Africa to host the International Statistics Institute 2009.

Addis Ababa, 06 August 2008 (ECA) - The Republic of South Africa is hosting the 57th Session of the International Statistical Institute (ISI) 2009, from 16 – 22 August in Durban, South Africa.  This is the first time in the history of ISI - which stretches back to 1885 - that this premier event for statisticians world-wide is being hosted in sub-Saharan Africa.  The theme of ISI 2009 is Statistics: Our Past, Present & future.

The African Centre for Statistics (ACS) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is working closely with the hosts and providing substantive support to the conference.  ACS said that hosting the conference in Africa is important as it will allow many more statisticians from the continent to attend.  “The conference will contribute to increasing the capability of African countries in the compilation of quality statistics and to raising awareness of the importance of quality statistics for better development outcomes,” according to ACS.

Several ECA staffs are members of ISI, and ECA has already organized several events jointly with South Africa, including the African Symposium on Statistical Development and number of training workshops.  ECA is also providing support to pre-ISI and post ISI events, including the meeting of the African Group on National Accounts, the International Comparison Programme and prices statistics, and population censuses.  

Under the leadership of ACS, the members of the African Statistical Coordination Committee – that includes the African Development Bank, the African Union and the African Capacity Building Foundation - agreed to:

1) Make this 57th ISI a truly African event by ensuring strong scientific contributions by African statisticians.  ACS staff will be presenting several papers, chairing sessions and acting as resource persons in many of the short courses organized as side events.

2) Ensure continuity after the ISI session.  Two programmes so far initiated are the ISIBALO, or statistical capacity building programme for young statisticians that has already mentored more than 200 young African statisticians to prepare papers for the ISI; and a special event on "Women in Statistics" organized by PARIS21 and the ACS.

Overall, over 100 scientific papers are expected to be presented and various short courses and satellite meetings will also take place.

The International Statistical Institute (ISI) is one of the world’s oldest scientific associations established in 1885 with the principal objective of promoting the understanding, development and good practice of statistics world wide.  Its permanent office is located in The Hague, in the Netherlands.  It is composed of more than 2,000 individual elected members who are internationally recognized as the definitive leaders in the field of statistics.  Its membership crosses all borders, representing more than 133 countries worldwide.  

The ISI publishes a variety of professional books, journals, newsletters and reports, representing the cutting edge in the development of contemporary statistical knowledge.

More details on the conference can be obtained from www.statssa.gov.za/isi2009