Angola promises first census since 1970 by 2010

Luanda, 7 December, 2006 (ECA/ICS) – Angola will hold its first census since 1970 within the next four years, by 2010, said the country's Minister of Planning Ana Dias Lourenço.

In a meeting with Abdoulie Janneh, United Nations under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in the country's capital, Luanda, Lourenço, improving statistics compilation, analysis and dissemination is a priority for the Angolan government.

“Without accurate statistics, we cannot make sound policy that will benefit people,” she said.

They met on the eve of a celebration of African Statistics Day (ASD), held on 7 December, hosted by the Angolan government and attended by top statisticians from the seven Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries: Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Lourenço listed current accounts, poverty mapping and the population and housing census as the three priority areas for investment in the area of statistics.

She said reliable statistics on public and private sector spending and its results will give the country a boost in attracting foreign direct investment and in determining development priorities.

Culminating in ASD, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Statistics Division (UNSD), and Partnerships for Statistical Development in the 21 st Century (PARIS 21) - an umbrella group dedicated to statistics based at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - directors of national statistical offices convened from 4 to 7 December in Luanda for a week of workshops and discussion on statistical development in the region.

“ It is gratifying to see that Africa's partners in statistics development are here with us, to join us and the government of Angola for this celebration – the major event of this year's African Statistics week,” said Abdoulie Janneh.

The issue is particularly relevant to countries like Angola, emerging from over 30 years of war – the war for independence began in 1961 and was followed by almost continuous civil war until 2002 – where there has been no census since the colonial period.

“Our last real census was undertaken in 1970,” said Minister Ana Dias Lourenço. “But even then, the population count was not accurate, as most natives failed to cooperate with the count, in fear that numbers would be used by the colonial administration secret police to round up people,” she said.

Based on a partial 1983 census, and given the inaccuracies posed by large numbers of internally displaced persons as well as returning refugee populations, Angola has an estimated 14.5 million inhabitants, with at least five million living in the country's capital.

One the greatest challenges facing statistics development on the continent is providing a legal framework for undertaking of statistical activities, particularly relevant with regard to respecting the privacy of individuals and companies in collecting data.

“Events like the one today show us that there is real commitment on the part of most of our countries to this discipline, and we are well on the way to making major improvements,” said Pali Lehohla, South Africa's Statistician General, who attended the ASD celebrations.