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Second Joint Session of the Committee of Directors Generals of National Statistics Office (CoDG) and the Statistical Commission for Africa (StatCom-Africa)

Theme: "Data revolution, Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda2063.”

Date: 21 – 28 November 2015
Place: Libreville, Gabon

I. Background and rationale

The Committee of Directors-General of African National Statistical Offices (CoDG) was established by the African Union (AU) 2006 Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance (CAMEF). As mandated, the CoDG meets annually under the aegis of the African Union Commission (AUC) to discuss statistical development issues in Africa. Topics reported to CAMEF include implementation progress of the African Charter on Statistics and the Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA). CoDG members comprise Directors General of National Statistics Offices (NSOs), while Heads of Statistics Training Centers, Regional and Panafrican Statistics Organizations and partners also attend.

The Statistical Commission for Africa (StatCom-Africa) was established in 2005 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. StatCom-Africa acts within the United Nations policies and procedures framework and subject to the general supervision of the ECA Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. StatCom-Africa members are composed of African countries represented by heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs). It is also a forum where the African Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD), the Forum on Statistical Development in Africa (FASDEV), and other initiatives report on their progress. StatCom-Africa meets on a biennial basis.

The main difference between these two intergovernmental bodies was the reporting mechanisms of AUC and ECA to their governing bodies. Whilst CoDG reports to the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and subsequently to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, StatCom-Africa reports to the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of ECA. As the constituencies of the CoDG and StatCom-Africa are similar, namely NSO Directors-General, from 2008, they have convened in joint sessions as the Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of ECA.

The First Joint Session was successfully held in Tunis, Tunisia from 8 to 12 December 2014. The African Statistical Community and its partners gathered in that occasion and appreciated the initiative. The First Session debated on main ongoing issues. The Second Session which is planned from 21 to 28 November 2015 in Libreville, Gabon, will take opportunities to fine-tune Africa position on many of these issues.

II. Objectives
The Second Joint Session of CoDG and StatCom-Africa will focus on major ongoing issues to the view of getting African view and pespectives. It will also considers issues of concern in relation with coordination and integration of the African Statistical System and partnership

III. Second Joint Session CoDG and StatCom-Africa

The Second Joint Session is being prepared by the AUC Statistics Division and the ECA African Centre for Statistics, in collaboration with the African Development Bank Statistics Department. It will be held from 23 to 28 November 2015 at Hôtel RENDAMA(meeting place: Stade de l'amitié sino-gabonaise d'agondje), in Libreville, Gabon with a theme of: "Data Revolution, Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063.”.

IV. Format of the Second Joint Session

For operational reasons, and to enable the Joint Session to discharge its responsibilities in an effective, coordinated and focused manner, the meeting is organized in plenary and Break-out sessions. To that effect, specialised technical groups have been instituted on a number of domains.

Aside from the plenary and working Groups sessions, a series of meetings are planned in conjunction with the meeting including: the Following side events:

Prior to the Second Joint Session CoDG/StatCom-Africa, the African Symposium on Statistical Development is planned from 23 to 25 November 2015.

Also, the African Conference for Transformative Agenda for Official Statistics will be conducted on 21and 22 November 2015.

V. Who can participate?
The official country delegation to the Joint Session of CoDG-ComStat-Africa shall normally be led by the head of the National Statistics office.

Observers from national, regional and international organization, IGOs, NGOs, the academia and research institutions, the private sector and related industries are also invited to attend. Observers attend all sessions, except those designated private, and participate in discussions, but may not vote on any issues.

VI. How to participate?

Note: Formal invitations will be sent through the usual channels: Member States invitations will be channelled through the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and existing embassies in Addis Ababa. Observers will be invited directly by SD/AUC and ACS/ECA.

Participation can be made in various ways:

• Contact your relevant National agency to be included in the country delegation;
• Contact the Secretariat at the address below to be considered for invitation as an observer.
Proposals from parties interested in organizing workshops on relevant themes, and/or sponsoring workshop participants are welcome.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Dossina Yeo
Acting Head of Statistics Division,
Economic Affairs Department
African Union Commission
Tel : (251) - 115 182651 / 115 51 77 00
Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44
E-mail: DossinaY@africa-union.org

Mr. Jose Awong ALENE
Statistician, Statistics Division
Economic Affairs Department
African Union Commission
Tel: (251) 115 51 77 00
Fax: (251) 115 51 78 44
E-mail: AleneJ@africa-union.org

Mr. KUTOATI Adjewoda Koami
Database administrator, Statistics Division,Economic Affairs Department
African Union Commission
Tel: (251) 1151182675
Fax: (251) 115 51 78 44
E-mail: adjewodak@africa-union.org

Mr. Joseph Tinfissi Ilboudo
Chief, Statistical Development Section
African Centre for Statistics (ACS)
UN Economic Commission for Africa
Tel: (251) 115 44 55 33
Fax: (251) 115 51 03 89
E-mail: JIlboudo@uneca.org

Mr. Oumar Sarr
Statistician, African Centre for Statistics (ACS)
UN Economic Commission for Africa
Tel: (251) 115 443614
Fax: (251) 115 51 03 89
E-Mail : osarr@uneca.org