The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Statistics Committee is meeting in Luanda, Republic of Angola, from 28-30 May 2024 to review progress on regional statistical activities.
The meeting was officially opened today by Honourable Secretary of State for Public Investment, Ivan dos Santos of Angola who highlighted that, statistics played a pivotal in regional development. Hon Santos announced that Angola will for its first time, conduct digitalized census on 19th July 2024, reflecting significant strides in modernizing the country's statistical infrastructure.
Ms. Angele Makombo N'Tumba, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional expressed sincere gratitude to Angola for hosting the meeting and commended the technical and professional contributions from SADC Member States' statistical offices. She acknowledged the presence of esteemed partners such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), emphasizing the collaborative efforts in enhancing regional statistical capabilities.
During her address, the Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration at the SADC Secretariat Ms. N'Tumba highlighted the importance of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 in guiding decision-making and planning across the region. She commended the statistics offices in the SADC member states for being resilient in their work amidst challenges facing the region like climate change, including the impact of the El Niño induced droughts and floods, which have complicated activities such as census. The modernization and swift access to social and economic data were lauded for significantly improving public service planning.
The meeting will also review progress on the SADC Protocol on Statistics, focusing on the signing and ratification of the protocol by Member States, the SADC – World Bank Regional Statistics Project, and advancements in data sources and collection methods.
Embracing innovations and capacity building in statistics remains a priority to align with international standards and support SADC's Vision 2050. The committee’s efforts in overseeing data collection and utilization are crucial for making informed policy decisions, driving the region's goals of poverty reduction, sustainable development, and creating an inclusive, competitive, and economically liberated SADC Community.
The SADC Statistics Committee, meets twice a year and aims to facilitate informed policy decisions by providing reliable and timely data, reduce poverty through data-driven strategies, and promote sustainable development by implementing approaches that ensure long-term environmental and economic sustainability.
Additionally, the committee seeks to enhance economic competitiveness through accurate statistical analysis and ensure inclusivity and equity by supporting data collection and utilization that fosters inclusive growth and equal opportunities for all SADC citizens.
