African statistics framework launched
By Cristina Muller

Addis Ababa, 31 May - Regional and international experts met in Addis Ababa last week to launch a reference framework aimed at improving Africa’s precarious statistical capacity.

Sponsored by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), statistics experts from the African Development Bank (ADB), PARIS21, and the World Bank met from 23 to 28 May to establish the foundations of this important framework, known as the Reference Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical Capacity Building in Africa (RRSF).

Four international experts were given the go-ahead to begin consultations in 12 countries - Cameroon, Egypt, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Sudan, Ethiopia, Comoros, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Senegal. With guidance from ECA and the ADB, they will interview stakeholders in national institutions, sub-regional organizations, statistical training centres, main donors and international organizations.

The reference framework will be compiled and executed over a ten-year period from 2005 to 2015. The year 2015 is particularly important as a deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The 22 countries selected represent conflict and post-conflict nations, low and high performing countries, different language groups (English, French and Portuguese), various African regions, and countries hosting sub-regional organizations and statistical training centres.

They are: Cameroon, Central African Republic, D.R. Congo, Tunisia, Comoros, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Egypt, Sudan, Botswana, Zambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique and Angola.