ECA Chief Urges African Countries to Prioritize Statistics in Development Decisions

UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Executive Secretary Claver Gatete addressed the 10th Session of the Statistical Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, urging nations to prioritize robust data in development planning. Gatete warned that failing to use accurate, modern statistical systems leads to resource misallocation and missed economic opportunities.

He advocated for integrating census data with national identification, business registries, and geospatial systems to improve policy-making, especially regarding labor markets and climate adaptation. Rwanda’s Minister of Finance, Yusuf Murangwa, also spoke at the event, emphasizing that sound evidence is critical for government decision-making and called for increased political commitment, financing, and technical independence for statistical institutions.