The Fourth Meeting of the Committee on Development Information (CODI), entitled "Information as an Economic Resource", will convene from 25 - 28 April, 2005. Participants and Exhibitors are invited to pre-register for the meeting now so that we can assist you in your preparations in advance of all CODI IV related activities including the exhibition. The setup period for booth, displays and other exhibition components will occur between the 23^rd and 25^th of April.

What is CODI

The Committee on Development Information (CODI) is one of the seven technical Committees established by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Ministers during its review of the Intergovernmental machinery of ECA at its twenty-third session in May 1997. This committee took over the functions of the joint Conference of African Planners, Statisticians, Population and Information specialists, and of the United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Africa, and also ensures the implementation of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI). Its terms of reference include:

• To promote the growth of an Information Society in Africa;
• To advise on measures to improve all aspects of statistical development of member States;
• To advise on the building, maintenance and dissemination of regional development databases, including bibliographic, textual and spatial databases.

The Committee meets every two years in accordance with Resolution 826 (XXXII), adopted at the aforementioned conference. CODI conducts its technical deliberations under three subcommittees, namely:

• Sub-Committee on Information and Communications Technologies,
• Sub-Committee on Statistics, and
• Sub-Committee on Geo-information

Objectives of CODI-IV

The main objective of the Committee is to demonstrate through concrete examples, studies and successful practices that Information is an Economic Resource. In this regard, CODI-IV is expected to:

• Increase the understanding of the key role of data and information in planning and implementing Government programmes and projects; and
• Examine and investigate the opportunities offered by the information economy, in particular in relation to the African continent
• Set the path for the development of the ECA two-years programme on Harnessing Information for Development

Role of the CODI-IV Subcommittees on Statistics

The Subcommittee on Statistics will:

• Review the role of statistics in the tracking of progress towards the implementation of the new African development agenda, including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
• Review the essential role of Statistics by Measuring the Change in World Poverty.
• Increase the appreciation of statistics as an essential tool for development planning, monitoring and evaluation, including household survey and the 1993 System of National Accounts (1993SNA).
• Increase awareness of the importance of statistical methods in research and development in the economic, social and environmental sectors.
• Review the role of Statistical Information on Economic and Monetary Integration, including lessons Learned and Case Studies.

CONTACTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For Additional information regarding substantive issue on the Conference, please contact: Aida Opoku-Mensah, Officer in Charge Development Information Services Division Economic Commission for Africa P.O. Box 3001 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Fax: 251 1 51 05 12 Tel: 251 1 51 14 08 E-mail: aopoku-Mensah@uneca.org	Statistics Specifics: Dimitri Sanga, Team Leader Statistics ESPD Email: dsanga@uneca.org Phone: +251-1-44-30-50 Fax: +251-1-51-03-89 & Awa Thiongane Regional Adviser Statistics ESPD Phone: +251-1-44-30-50 Fax: +251-1-51-03-89 E-mail: athiongane@uneca.org

• Information to Participants
• Registration Form