REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICS · available relevant, quality harmonized statistical information for SADC planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICS

2013 - 2018

Final Version

23 July 2012

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Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................... 2

FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................................................ 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 4

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS.................................................................................................................... 5

STRATEGY IN BRIEF ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 VISION .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 MISSION ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 CORE VALUES ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 STRATEGIC THEMES AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................................. 7

1 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

1.1 ROLE OF REGIONAL STATISTICS ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.2 CURRENT OPERATING FRAMEWORK FOR STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT IN SADC ............................................................................................. 13 1.3 RATIONALE FOR A REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................... 14 1.4 PROCESS FOR FORMULATION OF THE STRATEGY ...................................................................................................................................... 14

2 THE ROLE OF STATISTICS IN REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT ........................................................ 15

2.1 AT THE CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION AGENDA LEVEL ................................................................................................................................ 15 2.2 AT THE SADC INTEGRATION AGENDA LEVEL .......................................................................................................................................... 16 2.3 PRIORITY REGIONAL STATISTICAL NEEDS ............................................................................................................................................... 17

3 THE CURRENT STATE OF THE SADC REGIONAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM ................................................................... 23

3.1 MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................................... 23 3.2 ANALYSIS OF STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS ..................................................................................................... 27 3.3 MAIN CHALLENGES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 28

4 THE 2013-2018 REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICS ........................................................... 29

4.1 VISION .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 4.2 MISSION ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 4.3 CORE VALUES ................................................................................................................................................................................. 29 4.4 MAIN STRATEGIC THEMES, OBJECTIVES, AND RESULTS ............................................................................................................................. 29

5 STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION .............................................................................................................................. 43

5.1 SADC STATISTICAL PROGRAMME FOR THE SIX-YEAR PERIOD..................................................................................................................... 43 5.2 BUSINESS PLANS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 53 5.3 RESOURCING THE STRATEGY ............................................................................................................................................................... 54 5.4 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................................................................................. 54 5.5 STATISTICAL CAPACITY AT SADC SECRETARIAT ....................................................................................................................................... 55 5.6 CHANGE MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................................................................... 56 5.7 ADVOCACY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 5.8 MONITORING AND EVALUATION ......................................................................................................................................................... 56 5.9 RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................................................................................................. 57

6 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................................... 58

ANNEX I: PROPOSED TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR SADC STATISTICS COMMITTEE ........................................................ 59

ANNEX II: PROPOSED STATISTICAL FUNCTIONS FOR SADC SECRETARIAT .................................................................... 59

ANNEX III: PROPOSED GENERIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR FOCAL POINTS ............................................................... 59

ANNEX IV: PROPOSED GENERIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS ..................................... 60

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Foreword

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established at the Summit of Heads of State and Government on 17 August 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia when its Treaty was signed. Its overall development agenda is outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) adopted in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Currently, SADC comprises of the following Member States: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Eradication of poverty and improvement of the well-being of the people of the region through regional integration and cooperation is SADC’s ultimate goal as a Community.

Statistics is one of the cross-cutting Priority Intervention Areas explicitly identified within the RISDP. Its overall goal is to make available relevant, quality harmonized statistical information for SADC planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SADC programmes and protocols.

The Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS), the subject of this document, is designed to improve development outcomes and governance by strengthening national statistical systems in the region. In particular, it is intended to: raise awareness of the critical role of statistical information in planning, policy research, monitoring, and evaluation; promote its greater use and adoption for evidence-based decision making; and improve capacity for statistical production and the sustainability of statistical information systems in the region in line with international best practice and norms, using relevant state-of-the-art technological innovations

The SADC Statistical Strategy Document, approved by Council in September 1998, has thus far been the operating framework for the regional statistical system. It has, however, become outdated and has also not been fully aligned to the needs of the RISDP and SIPO policy frameworks which were adopted later in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Therefore the need for updated regional Strategy has been apparent and was also duly acknowledged and noted SADC Council during its meetings, held in Kinshasa, DRC, and Windhoek, Namibia in September 2009 and August 2010, respectively. Given this situation, various measures towards the design and development of the Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS) have been undertaken within the framework of activities of the SADC Statistics Committee and Secretariat. Among these are the: mobilisation of necessary resources through the Capacity Building for Regional Integration (CBRI) program; situation analysis and statistical user-needs assessment undertaken at Secretariat during February to April, 2011; formation of the SADC Statistics Committee Task Force, in June 2011 to support the development of the Strategy; and drafting of the Strategy during the period July 2011 to June 2012.

In summary, this RSDS Document defines and articulates the: priority regional statistical needs to serve the Integration and Development Agenda; current state of the SADC Regional Statistical System including its the main components, strengths, weaknesses, and main challenges; main strategic thrusts for statistical development for the period 2013 – 2018 including the vision, mission, core values, main strategic themes, objectives, and results; and tentative Implementation Strategy including the envisaged programme of activities for the six-year period, the institutional framework, and proposed monitoring and evaluation framework.

It is hoped that the RSDS provides the key ingredients central to the development and strengthening of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) and provides the vision, and sets the key milestones, of getting where it should at the end of the six-year reference period. The Strategy is also intended to provide a comprehensive and unified framework for the continuous assessment of evolving user needs and priorities for regional statistics as well as for building the capacity needed to meet these needs in a more coordinated, synergistic and efficient manner. In addition, it should provide the necessary framework for mobilising, harnessing, and leveraging resources (national, regional, and international) and also a firm basis for effective and results-oriented strategic management of the SRSS over the next six-year period.

Finally, it is hoped that the Strategy will provide the framework and enabling environment to: raise the profile of statistics and encourage their greater use among key stakeholders; promote intensified adoption of evidence-based planning and decision-making; and, ultimately, lead to improved livelihoods for the peoples of SADC.

Tomaz Augusto Salomão ,

Executive Secretary, July 2012

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Acknowledgements

The development of this Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS) for SADC was funded by the European Union, within the framework of the Capacity Building for Regional Integration (CBRI) project. The CBRI has been designed to support the overall capacity of the SADC Secretariat to drive and coordinate the regional Integration and Development Agenda as outlined in the SADC RISDP and SIPO.

The preparation of the Strategy involved all SADC Member States and was undertaken within the framework of the SADC Statistics Committee (SSC). The core team involved in its development was the Task Force constituted by the SSC at its meeting held during 1-3 June 2011 in Maseru, Lesotho. The Task Force included the following six Member States: Democratic Republic of Congo; Lesotho; Mauritius; Mozambique (as Chair); South Africa; and Tanzania. Persons from these Member States that actively participated in the RSDS development process included the following:

Dr. Dias João Loureiro Preisdent, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, Mozambique, Task Force Chairperson. Mrs. Mothweso Lefosa Director, Bureau of Statistics, Lesotho, Professor Gregoire Kankwanda Director General, National Institute of Statistics, Democratic Republic of Congo. Dr. Albina Chuwa Director General, National Bureau of Statistics, Tanzania. Mr. Deepak Bahadoor Deputy Director, Central Statistics Office, Mauritius. Mr. Lucky Ngwenya Manager – International Relations, Statistics South Africa. Ms. Celia de Klerk Executive Manager, Statistics South Africa. Ms. Yandiswa Mpetsheni Executive Manager, National Statistics Systems, Statistics South Africa. Mr. Gabriel George Madembwe Manager, Human Resources and Administration, National Bureau of Statistics,

Tanzania. Mr. Cirile Tembe Director, Instituto Nacional deEstatistica, Mozambique. Mr.Lars Carlson Consultant, Instituto Nacional deEstatistica, Mozambique.

In line with the road map defined for development of the Strategy, the Task Force met twice during 12-13th December 2011 and 11-13th April 2012 in Maputo, Mozambique, respectively, to consider drafts prepared by the Secretariat.

The valuable inputs and contributions received from other stakeholders especially the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Africa Centre for Statistics on the draft RSDS document are also acknowledged.

The SADC Secretariat was the coordinating agency for the development of the Strategy. In particular, the development process for the Strategy benefited immensely from the overall policy guidance and critical inputs provided by Dr. Angelo Mondlane (Director – Policy, Planning, and Resource Mobilization, SADC Secretariat) and Mr. Ackim Jere (Senior Officer – Statistics, SADC Secretariat). The preparation and drafting of the RSDS was mainly undertaken by Mr. Maphion Jambwa (Advisor – Regional Statistics, Capacity Building for Regional Integration Programme, SADC Secretariat). Thanks also go to Mr. Marc Kwai Pun (Team-leader for Lot 2 of the Capacity Building for Regional Integration Programme, SADC Secretariat) who assisted with editing the draft.

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List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

ACS African Charter on Statistics AfDB African Development Bank ASS African Statistical System ASSD Africa Symposium on Statistical Development AUC African Union Commission CBRI Capacity Building for Regional Integration CPI Consumer Price Index ECA Economic Commission for Africa EMIS Education Management Information System EAC East African Community EPA Economic Partnership Agreement EU European Union FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FASDEV Forum on Statistical Development in Africa FDI Foreign Direct Investment FTA Free Trade Agreement GDDS General Data Dissemination System GDP Gross Domestic Product HCPI Harmonised Consumer Price Indices ICT Information and Communication Technology IMF International Monetary Fund MDGs Millennium Development Goals NSDS National Strategy for the Development of Statistics NSO National Statistical Office NSS National Statistical System PARIS21 Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21

st Century

PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper REC Regional Economic Community RISDP Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan RSDS Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics SADC Southern Africa Development Community SHaSA Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa SIPO Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ SNA System of National Accounts SSC SADC Statistics Committee SRSS SADC Regional Statistical System SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats TWG Technical Working Group

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Strategy in Brief

Background and Rationale

1. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established at the Summit of Heads of State and Government on 17 August 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia when its Treaty was signed. Currently, it comprises of the

following Member States: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Eradication of poverty and improvement of the well-being of the people of the region through regional integration and cooperation is SADC’s ultimate goal as a Community.

2. Statistics is one of the cross-cutting Priority Intervention Areas of the Regional Indicative Strategic Plan (RISDP) which was adopted in 2003. The main goal for interventions in this area is to make available relevant, timely, accurate and harmonized data for planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SADC programmes, policies, and protocols. The stated targets include: development of a regional legal framework for statistics; harmonisation of SADC statistics; development of integrated regional statistical databases; development of indicators for monitoring and evaluation; building and enhancement of statistical capacity in SADC; development of economic models and forecasting mechanism for statistics; establishment of a multi-sectoral forum of users and producers of statistics; and enhancement of the utilisation of cost effective Information and Communication Technologies for sharing information.

3. The Statistics Strategy and the related statistics programme, approved by Council in 1998, has so far been the main guiding framework for regional statistical development in SADC. In particular, it has provided the general principles and priorities for the various regional relevant initiatives and programmes.

4. Achievements in statistical development within the framework of the 1998 Statistics Strategy Document have, however, been modest. There is also some scope for improving the coordination and implementation of regional statistical programmes. At the same time demand for harmonized statistical data, to support the planning and monitor progress of regional integration, has increased significantly. For example, the various interventions SADC is pursuing towards deeper economic integration of the region including the Free Trade Area, Common Market, Customs Union, Monetary Union, and macro-economic convergence have particularly created high demand for quality harmonised regional statistical data.

5. All SADC Member States have National Statistical Systems to produce and disseminate important statistical information for their respective information requirements. The statistical data thus available should in principle constitute the main basis for the generation of regional statistics to inform regional policies, strategies and implementation plans. However, the variations amongst the National Statistical Systems both in terms of data coverage and statistical methods constitute a challenge for the consolidation and quality of regional statistics. In order to address thisa well-coordinated and regulated SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) is needed.

6. The 2013-2018 Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS) is developed with the view of addressing the above-mentioned challenges. It is built around a common vision, and mission, and core values and establishes an agenda based on six strategic themes for the development of the regional statistical system for SADC.

Vision

7. The overall vision of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) is to be a preferred provider of quality harmonized regional statistical information to support all key regional integration dimensions.

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Mission

8. The mission of the SRSS is to diligently facilitate the efficient and timely production and dissemination of high-quality and reliable harmonized regional statistical indicators for evidence based-decisions.

Core Values

9. Internationally acceptable methods and frameworks shall be used when collecting, analysing, compiling, archiving and disseminating regional statistics. In discharging these roles and responsibilities, staff of institutions that constitute the SRSS shall be guided by the following shared values:

(i) User focus – user-needs constitute the main basis for existence of the SRSS and its activities must be

focused on meeting such user-needs through collaborative efforts of the users and producers of

regional official statistics.

(ii) Quality and performance driven – activities should be undertaken to deliver the highest possible

level of quality, using the highest level of expertise and professional competence among staff.

(iii) Effectiveness - resources should be used effectively, in conformity with the principles of good

governance.

(iv) Continuous improvement and development – efforts should be focused on continuous development

and improvement of the SRSS and its statistical products to ensure high quality monitoring and

evaluation of the socio-economic changes and trends in the region.

10. It is foreseen that the realisation of the vision of the SRSS can be accomplished through achievement of the following six strategic themes of the Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS):

Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators;

Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics;

Strategic Theme 3: Improve services to users and promote wider use of regional statistics;

Strategic Theme 4:Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS;

Strategic Theme 5: Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region; and

Strategic Theme 6: Promote statistical capacity building in the region.

Strategic Themes and Objectives

11. The following describes the specific objectives for the SRSS and expected results from implementation of the RSDS, within the framework of the six Strategic Themes.

12. Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators

It is important to ensure availability of statistical information to support all the major dimensions of regional integration. This entails the need: (a) to compile regionally and internationally comparable statistical data that corresponds to user needs based on the prioritized statistical themes; and (b) to set up a regional central database containing key SADC statistics readily accessible to users. To cater for these, Strategic Theme 1 encompasses the following main objectives:

(i) Objective 1.1: Statistical needs to support evidenced based monitoring and evaluation of progress

in priority areas of the SADC Development Agenda identified. Priority statistical themes for regional

statistics should be identified, based on user-consultations with key stakeholders of the regional

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statistical including the Directorates at the Secretariat.

(ii) Objective 1.2: Effective data collection mechanisms, templates, and data transfer protocols, for

compilation of regional statistics established. Relevant data collection templates and standardized

formats for submission of data by Member States to the Secretariat including for, among others, the

Statistical Yearbook, SADC Facts and Figures, and the SADC Integrated Trade Statistics Database

(ITSD), are required.

(iii) Objective 1.3: Prioritized comparable social and economic indicators for regional statistical

publications compiled sustainably. Among others, the annual SADC Statistical Yearbook and Facts

and Figures and the monthly updating of the Integrated Trade Statistics Database (ITSD) and

publication of Trade data will be compiled and published.

13. Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics

Quality and harmonized statistics are required to support the effective charting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes designed to achieve the regional development and integration objectives. The standardization, harmonization and coordination of the terms and concepts used for collection, analysis and dissemination of statistics in prioritised statistical domains will also be a key objective of the regional statistical system within the framework of the RSDS. Strategic Theme 2 seeks to address this through the achievement of following objectives:

(i) Objective 2.1: Consensus built and core staff trained on concepts and definitions, standards, classifications and frameworks suited for SADC for statistical areas and processes of the prioritized regional harmonization programme. Relevant training on the agreed frameworks and common statistical standards and methods will be promoted to enhance requisite capacity both at the national and Secretariat level.

(ii) Objective 2.2: Manuals and guidelines for production of the standardized and harmonized

statistics developed. Relevant manuals and guidelines for production of standardized and harmonized statistics in prioritized statistical areas and processes in social and economic statistics will be developed.

(iii) Objective 2.3: Agreed frameworks and common statistical standards and methods adapted to

regional circumstances to facilitate harmonization of statistics implemented. Relevant international frameworks and common statistical standards and classifications will be customised and adapted by Member States to the SADC circumstances with respect to the prioritized subject-matter areas.

14. Strategic Theme 3: Improve services to users and promote wider use of regional statistics

The extent to which quality regional statistics are accessible and used by intended key users is a prerequisite for effective regional programmes and the attainment of desired results. Promoting wider and timely dissemination of statistical data that are regionally and internationally comparable, including the setting up of a functional regional database readily accessible to users, will, therefore, be a central issue of the regional statistical system during the six year period. The implementation of Strategic Theme 3 is linked to the following strategic objectives:

(i) Objective 3.1: Data dissemination and services to users of regional statistics enhanced. A systematic approach and dissemination strategy will be developed and implemented and will comprise: a web-based regional database with links to websites of National Statistical Offices of the Member States; a firmly established ITSD expandable to other subject-matter areas; and the annual compilation and publication of the SADC Statistical Year book and Facts and Figures.

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(ii) Objective 3.2: Advocacy strategy for statistics in the region developed and implemented. An

advocacy strategy for regional statistics will be developed and implemented. It will include advocacy campaigns to raise the profile of statistics be aimed at facilitating the effective use of statistics and instilling a culture of evidence based decision-making and development planning especially targeted at management and implementation of regional programmes.

15. Strategic Theme 4: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS

Some of the goals of the SRSS will include promoting the production of high quality statistics through better organisation and coordination of statistical services and use of national and international best practices, standards and methods. Strategic Theme 4 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 4.1: Policy and legal framework for the coordination of regional statistics developed and implemented. The absence of a regional statistical legal framework is currently a major constraint for the Secretariat in performing its expected role with respect to statistics. The instrument is required to ensure that the institutional arrangements for collecting, processing and dissemination of regional statistics are formalised and adequately capacitated. Guided by principles of the African Charter on Statistics the envisaged Protocol should also provide a framework for enforcing compliance on minimum standards for quality statistics and for the Secretariat to be able to collect and coordinate statistics from the Member States.

(ii) Objective 4.2: User-producer forum at regional level to promote key stakeholder participation in

regional statistical activities established. A culture of networking and information sharing among stakeholders needs to be promoted within the framework of the SRSS.

(iii) Objective 4.3: Technical Working Groups/Task Forces for respective statistical areas or processes

to drive and guide the various harmonization processes established. Member States will be designated to co-ordinate activities of respective TWGs/Taskforces, based on their relative strengths in the respective statistical process or areas. Each TWG will comprise about 30 statistical specialists from the Member States and SADC Secretariat.

16. Strategic Theme 5: Harness State of the art innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology (ICT)

for statistical development in the region

Innovations in ICT during the last two decades or so have significantly widened the scope for production, sharing, and dissemination of statistical data. Examples in which the SRSS can tap on these innovations include (a) increase the role of electronic forms of data transfer; and (b) make the storage of regional data safer and more easily accessible to users. Strategic Theme 5 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 5.1: Use of ICT for statistical production of statistics and data sharing among n

stakeholders of the SRSS enhanced. There is increased scope for sharing and dissemination statistical data and information through Intranets, the Internet, and electronic data collection templates and standardised formats, for example, for the Yearbook, SADC Facts and Figures and the Integrated Trade Statistics Database.

(ii) Objective 5.2: Use of state-of-the-art ICT innovations for disseminating, archiving, and storage of regional statistics including integrated databases for socio-economic indicators on SADC enhanced. This will include to: create a regional data storage facility within Secretariat; establish an archive within the system; develop data storage back up mechanisms, procedures for data protection, and relevant data access protocols.

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17. Strategic Theme 6: Promote statistical capacity building in the region

The enhancement of Human Resource Capacity for the production, compilation and use of statistics is crucial both at the Member State and Secretariat level. Capacity building geared towards statistical production should be focused more at Member States level given they represent the production centres for data that is later consolidated into regional statistics. Analytical training focused on key users of official statistics should be targeted at both Secretariat and the Member State to ensure the effective utilisation of statistics for result-based management in respect of programmes at the regional, national, and sub-national levels. Strategic Theme 6 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 6.1: Analytical capacity building both at national and Secretariat level enhanced. This should be targeted at equipping users both at Member State and professional at the Secretariat with skills in basic data analysis. Typically, the key statistics users do not possess the necessary skills to enable them to effectively analyse and use the information correctly.

(ii) Objective 6.2: In-service training programmes in statistics at national level implemented. Human resource development should be an on-going activity especially at the NSO’s within the Member States. Use and adaptation of training materials generated through the RSTP, for example, can provide valuable training materials for relevant in-service training programmes.

(iii) Objective 6.3: Partnerships between National Statistical System and training institutions in the region to promote training in official statistics enhanced. Sustainable capacity building can be promoted through: training institutions offering relevant official statistics programmes; and the implementation of an appropriate qualification accreditation framework for statisticians, both at national and regional level.

18. Strategy Implementation

(i) The SADC Statistical Programme (SSP) has been developed for the six year period as an integral part of the Strategy. The Programme represents the Action Plan providing details of the expected outputs, activities, broad tentative time frames, and institutional responsibilities with respect to the above-mentioned strategic themes.

(ii) Business Plans (Annual Action Plans), will be the main instrument for operationalizing, implementing, and monitoring the SSP. Following the launch of the RSDS, annual implementation plans will be developed for each successive year. It will be prepared by the Secretariat with the strategic guidance of the SSC.

(iii) The main components of the institutional framework for implementation of the RSDS will include: Council; SADC Statistics Committee and its Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces; Secretariat; and Focal Points.

(iv) The resources needed to implement the RSDS, especially the SADC Statistical Programme (SSP) and respective annual Business Plans still need to be articulated in detail. It is foreseen that the main components of the cost for implementation of the RSDS will be related to the: enhancement of Statistical Capacity at SADC Secretariat; and activities of the SSC Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces to be established for purposes of driving and guiding the harmonisation programme. The appropriate resource mobilisation plan, including the funding options, is required and still needs to be developed.

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19. Monitoring of Implementation of the Strategy

The framework mechanism for monitoring and evaluation will include: Annual Work Plans and Annual Progress reports; a Mid-Term Review; and Final Review. While the first two would be undertaken using SADC Secretariat internal resources, it would be desirable for external consultants to carry out the Mid-Term and Final Reviews.

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1 Background

1.1 Role of Regional Statistics

20. SADC’s Mission is “to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient productive systems, deeper co-operation and integration, good governance, and durable peace and security, so that the region emerges as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the world economy”. In order to achieve that mission, SADC has developed long term strategies which are geared towards the establishment of regional harmonised regulatory frameworks and infrastructure networks as enabling factors for strengthening regional integration and cooperation amongst Member States. Designing regional policies, monitoring their implementation and evaluating their results require the availability of quality regional statistical information in all relevant sectors. Statistics are therefore, a key instrument for policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation in support of the regional integration process and the positioning of the region in the world economy.

21. All SADC Member States have National Statistical Systems to produce and disseminate important statistical information for their respective information requirements. The statistical data thus available should in principle constitute the main basis for the generation of regional statistics to inform regional policies, strategies and implementation plans. However, the variations amongst the National Statistical Systems both in terms of data coverage and statistical methods constitute a challenge for the consolidation and quality of regional statistics. In order to address this, a well-coordinated and regulated SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) is needed. Currently, there is no specific regional legal framework or instrument that formally defines or regulates the operations and development of the SRSS. In a de facto sense, it is constituted by partnerships between the Statistics Unit at SADC Secretariat and the National Statistical Systems (data providers, producers and users, statistics research and training institutes and statistics coordination bodies, etc.) of the respective Member States. Its core components include: statistical users; its data producers and providers; the system outputs; institutional framework; coordination mechanisms; and capacity building structures.

22. The SADC specific legal framework or protocol for the SRSS could build on the major step by the African Union which adopted the African Charter on Statistics (ASC) in February, 2009. The ASC is designed to serve as a legal instrument to regulate statistical activity and also as a tool for advocacy and statistical development on the continent. The Charter provides the: guiding strategic framework for statistical development; code of professional ethics and best practices aimed at instilling professionalism in the African Statistical System (ASS). The Charter rests on six principles concerning the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs. The principles include: Professional independence; Quality; Mandate for data collection and resources: Dissemination; Protection of individual data; Information sources and respondents; and Coordination and cooperation.

23. The overarching objective of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) is to support regional integration by making available relevant, timely and accurate regional statistical information to be used for policy formulation, planning, and protocol monitoring and decision-making. In particular, the SRSS should aim at achieving the following:

(i) Collection of national statistical data, and its collation into quality regional statistics and

dissemination;

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(ii) Coordination and harmonisation of regional statistics in relevant subject-matter areas of SADC

development programmes (e.g. international merchandise trade and trade in services, foreign direct

investment, national accounts, prices, infrastructure, population, education, and health, etc.);

(iii) Customisation of international statistical classifications, definitions and standards, guidelines,

principles, and recommendations, to SADC circumstances to achieve desired comparability; and

(iv) Enhancement and promotion of capacity building for National Statistical Systems of the respective

Member States.

1.2 Current Operating Framework for Statistical Development in SADC

24. The operating framework for the regional statistical system has so far been guided by the 1998 SADC Statistical Strategy Document, and it’s embedded Statistical Programme. It has over the years, provided the general principles and priorities for the various programmes for statistical development of the region.

25. The main statistical capacity building initiatives undertaken in SADC during recent years, within the framework of the 1998 SADC Statistical Strategy Document, include the following:

Initiative Timeframe Main Objectives Key Deliverables

Regional Statistical Training Project (RSTP) – funded by the European Union

2001 -2008 To enhance human resource capacity for production and utilization of official statistics in SADC.

SADC Regional Statistical Training Strategy.

Conduct of Regional and National Short Courses covering different statistical subject-matter areas and processes.

Development of training materials: Regional Model Syllabus and Training Pack; Programme of Short Courses for management and professional statistical staff; and Advanced Diploma in Official Statistics.

Price Statistics Project– funded by the European Union

2002-2006 To harmonize the production of Consumer Price Indices in the SADC.

Monthly national Harmonised Consumer Price Indices (HCPI) and SADC regional HCPI.

Statistical Capability Building for Poverty Reduction Strategies – funded by the World Bank

To coordinate use of poverty statistics in the region.

Sustained capacity for producing poverty related statistics in Member States.

SADC Millennium Census Data Analysis Project – funded by Rockefeller Foundation

2000- 2005 To improve analytical capacity for analysing population census data in the region.

Improved analytical capacity for census data in Member States.

SADC-UNSD Development Account Project– funded by the United Nations

2002-2006 To strengthen capacity for the production and analysis of statistics required for national development planning and for monitoring internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs, in the region.

Strengthened national statistical systems in SADC region.

Improved availability and quality of indicators for MDGs.

Platform for communication and data exchange.

Strengthened statistical capacity of the SADC Secretariat.

Statistics Component of the SADC/EU Capacity Building for Regional Integration (CBRI) Project– funded by the European

2010 – on-going.

To facilitate the Development of the Regional Strategy for Development Statistics in SADC and the strengthening of the Statistical Services at SADC Secretariat.

Regional Strategy for development of statistics.

SADC Statistics Year book.

Integrated Trade Statistics Database.

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Initiative Timeframe Main Objectives Key Deliverables

Union

Harmonization of Trade Statistics– funded by the European Union

On-going. To support the implementation of the SADC Trade protocol for purposes of boosting trade among the Member States.

Quality harmonised Foreign Trade statistics for Member States.

Statistical Capacity Building (SCB) programs I, II and III - funded by the African Development Bank

2005 – on-going.

To support Member State statistical

development strategies; generate

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

statistics; improve economic

statistics in general; and train

producers and users of statistics.

Improved capacity in Member States in various thematic statistical areas.

Purchasing power parities.

Comparable Statistics expenditure on GDP, Household consumption etc.

26. Among the various projects the most significant results were achieved through implementation of the SADC

Statistical Training Programme (RSTP). While, generally, the above-mentioned led to some developments of capacity in the region with respect to the various areas, the issue of sustainability has been a major challenge. This remains a critical issue due to partly lack of adequate statistical resources in the Member States as well as the limited statistical capacity at Secretariat.

1.3 Rationale for a Regional Strategy for Statistical Development

27. In general, the results achieved for statistical development within the framework of the 1998 SADC Statistical Strategy Document have been modest and the implementation of regional statistical programmes has mainly been ad hoc, with inadequate coordination capacity. At the same time demand for harmonized statistical data, to support policy analysis, planning and monitoring of progress of regional integration, has increased significantly. The various priority areas SADC is pursuing towards economic integration and cooperation of the region including the Free Trade Area, Customs Union, Monetary Union, and macro-economic convergence have particularly created high demand for quality harmonised regional statistical data.

28. In addition to the above, recent emergent phenomena including HIV/AIDS pandemic, environmental degradation, climate change and global warning, and the recent global financial meltdown have equally placed high demands on national statistical systems to generate statistical data hitherto not routinely produced. This includes statistics for sustained assessment of short term trends in economic performance to provide scientific basis for formulation of appropriate interventions and guide policy dialogue for formulation of relevant policy measures.

29. Emanating from the above, a Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) to serve as a framework to guiding statistical development in the region is urgently required. Such a framework should provide the basis for development and coordination of an integrated statistical system for SADC and its Member States. The Strategy is needed to ensure that regularly disseminated quality statistics are aligned to policy requirements, are affordable, are comparable over time and space and are consistent between sectors. It should aim at: informing the monitoring and evaluation of progress in the implementation of SADC policies, operational plans, programmes, and the protocols; and articulating relevant statistics that should be collected and how they should be disseminated. Identification of financial, human, and infrastructural resources required for the development and operations of the regional statistical system is also crucial.

1.4 Process for Formulation of the Strategy

30. The SADC Statistics Committee at its 15th

meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, in September 2008:

(i) Agreed on the need and importance for the development of a Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS) document which would guide and provide, among other things, a coordinated mechanism for statistics development and resource mobilization for SADC; and

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(ii) Directed the Secretariat working together with Mozambique to prepare and present a concept note on the matter during the 16th meeting of the Committee for consideration.

31. Secretariat, together with Mozambique, presented the concept note as directed to the Committee during its

16th meeting held in Swaziland in December 2009. Among other issues, the note outlined the proposed: rationale, methodological approach, and way forward for the development of the envisaged Strategy.

32. The 16th

meeting of the Committee further directed Secretariat to take necessary steps for the development of the actual Strategy. From then the process and steps in the development of the RSDS included the following:

Activity Timeline Responsible Organisation

1 Presentation of Concept Paper at 16th SSC Meeting/ Secretariat tasked to mobilise resources for RSDS development

December 2009 SADC Secretariat/ INE Mozambique

2 Mobilisation of necessary resources/ Key component of Capacity Building for Regional Integration (CBRI) project

January – December 2010

SADC Secretariat

3 Situation analysis, consultations with Directorates at Secretariat

August 2010/ April 2011

SADC Secretariat / CBRI project

4 Formation of SSC Task Force, comprising 6 Member States to support RSDS development process

June 2011 SSC

5 Evaluation of the SADC 1998 Statistics Strategy/ Develop RSDS vision, mission and values / Task Force Meeting, Maputo, December 2011

August – December 2011

SSC/Task Force

6 RSDS Zero Draft development/ Secretariat/ CBRI project

January – February 2012

SADC Secretariat / CBRI project

7 Task Force Meeting to review Zero Draft March 2012 SADC Secretariat / CBRI project/Task Force

8 Revision of Zero Draft /generate Draft 1/ Secretariat/ CBRI project

May 2012 SADC Secretariat / CBRI

9 Submit Draft 1 to SSC for comments/ Incorporate comments from SSC/ generate Draft 2/ Secretariat/ CBRI project

June 2012 SADC Secretariat /CBRI

10 Engage Member States on the Draft June 2012 NSO’s/NCP’s

11 Submit revised Draft 2 to management at Secretariat/ Incorporate Management comments/ generate Final Draft/Secretariat/ CBRI project

June/July 2012 SADC Secretariat /CBRI

12 Submit Final Draft by Secretariat to Council of Ministers for approval

August 2012 SADC Secretariat /CBRI

2 The Role of Statistics in Regional Integration and Development

2.1 At the Continental Integration Agenda Level

33. The importance of regional integration at the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) level as the building

block for integration at the continental level is recognised in the: 1991 Abuja Treaty which forms the basis for the establishment of the African Economic Community; 2010 Minimum Integration Program (MIP) of the African Union (AU); and Strategy for the Harmonisation of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA) jointly formulated in 2010 by the African Union, African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). In particular, the MIP, which is aimed at ensuring greater coherence and harmony in the integration process undertaken at the regional level and the continental level, is structured around priority sectors with activities and concrete actions identified, to accelerate the integration processes within and cooperation between Regional Economic Communities. The priority areas include:

Free Movement of Persons, Goods, Services, and Capital;

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Governance, Peace, and Security;

Infrastructure and Energy;

Agriculture;

Trade;

Industry;

Investment;

Harmonization of Statistics;

Political Affairs;

Science and Technology;

Social Affairs;

Macroeconomic Convergence; and

Environmental Sustainability.

34. The main pillars of the African integration process, under which the above sectors have been categorised, have been identified as:

(i) Political integration and regional and continental governance;

(ii) Economic integration; and

(iii) Social and cultural integration.

2.2 At the SADC Integration Agenda Level

35. SADC‘s vision is in line with above continental approach and entails a regional community characterized by improved standards of living and quality of life, social justice, peace, and security for the people of Southern Africa. The major strategic thrusts of the RISDP and SIPO, its two main policy frameworks, include:

(i) Governance, peace, and security focused on conflict prevention and management, promotion of good political and economic governance;

(ii) Deepening economic integration and co-operation, through costs reduction and increased competitiveness with the aim of accelerating diversification and growth;

(iii) Development and interconnection of the infrastructure and services to support economic integration and poverty reduction;

(iv) Achieving sustainable access to safe and adequate food and healthy livelihood for SADC’s population;

(v) Social and human development through improved human capital and facilitation to support growth and make it more distributive; and

(vi) Ensuring sustainable use of the environment and natural resources.

36. According to the SADC Policy for the Strategy Development, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (SPME) approved by Council in February 2012 additionality, subsidiarity, variable geometry, and development orientation are the guiding principles of the RISDP and SIPO. Further to RISDP and SIPO, the SPME points out that Result based management principles and internationally recognized professional standards norms and values with regard to monitoring and evaluation shall be adhered in particular with respect to: utility, credibility, transparency, ethics, impartiality, competencies and capacities.

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2.3 Priority Regional Statistical Needs

37. Several policies and priority programmes are being developed and implemented within the framework of the main pillars of the African integration process. Quality harmonized statistics are required to shed light on the policy and strategic choices and to measure the progress being made in achieving the respective goals. The table below presents the priority statistical themes for the integration process within the three pillars, broken down by integration areas and statistical dimensions.

Themes Integration Area Statistical Dimension

Political integration and regional governance

Institutional organization --

Community funding Autonomous alternative funding

Political governance and collective security

Peace and security

Governance

Economic integration

Trade integration Foreign trade

Balance of payments

Monetary and financial integration

Currency and finance

Price indices

Public finance

National accounts

Economic cooperation and partnerships

Investments

Industry

Transportation Transportation infrastructure

Energy Energy infrastructure

Information technology and communication

ICT infrastructure

Environment

Agriculture

Natural resources

Environmental management and climate change

Social and cultural integration

Education Education and literacy

Science and technology

Health Health

Regional and continental citizenship

Demography

Migration

Art, culture, sports and leisure

Tourism

Women and youths Gender, Employment

Social protection

Human development Human development

Source: Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA, 2010).

38. The SADC statistical development programme will need to be aligned to the above framework to ensure that it produces and provides the requisite data not only for SADC but also for the continental integration processes.

39. The table below depicts the main statistical requirements for the various Intervention Areas of the RISDP.

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Analysis Matrix of RISDP Intervention Areas and Statistical Areas

INTERVENTION AREA INTEGRATION OBJECTIVE

INDICATORS STATISTICAL INFORMATION REQUIRED

CLUSTER 1: TRADE INDUSTRY FINANCE AND INVESTMENT (TIFI)

1.1 Goods and Services Market Integration

Trade and Economic Liberalization and Development through phased establishment of: SADC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union, and eventually Regional Currency

- Existence/ implementation of

Framework for Common Trade

Policies.


Framework for Removal of

Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers.

- Existence of integrated goods

and services market.

- Extent of Availability and

Accessibility of Services.


Regional agreement on free

movement of people.

- Magnitude and development

of Intra- and extra-regional

trade.

- Degree of trade openness.

- Regional Economic Integration

- Economic Growth and

Prosperity.

- Merchandise trade: total exports and total

imports, major commodity breakdowns, Intra-

and extra - SADC imports and exports of

goods, export and import unit and volume

indices, terms of trade indices.

- Exports and imports of (transportation, travel,

and other) services.

- Balance of payments: imports and exports of

goods and services, current account balance,

reserves, overall balance, International

Investment Position.

- External debt and debt-service schedule.

- Intra-regional migratory flow.

- Tariff level of tariffs for intra- and extra-

regional imports.

- Imports coverage rate by exports.

1.2 Financial and Capital Markets development and strengthening

Financial and Capital Markets

- Existence of SADC Financial

Institutions.

- Existence of Stock market.

- Extent of Financial and Capital

Market Development.

- Traded capital.

- Share price index.

- Exchange rates.

1.3 Attainment of deeper Monetary Cooperation

Monetary Cooperation - Existence of Monetary and

Fiscal Management System.

- Existence/ extent of Monetary

Cooperation.


harmonized economic and

monetary policy instruments.

- Alignment on community

monetary and financial

directives.

- Existence of an agreement on

capital circulation (intra- and

inter-regions).

- Extent of convertibility of

currencies (intra- and inter-

regions).

- Money supply. - Net external position. - Domestic credit. - Interest rates, government security rates,

money market or interbank rates, etc.

1.4 Attainment of Macroeconomic Convergence

Macroeconomic Convergence

- Extent of compliance with

convergence criteria.

- Regional Economic Integration

- Economic Growth and

Prosperity.

- GDP (nominal and real). - Gross national income. - Gross capital formation. - Gross savings. - Consumer Price Index. - Producer Price Index.

Fiscal Stability - Monetary and Fiscal

Management System.

- Sustainability of public

finances.

- Public revenues and expenditures, and balance.

- The financing with breakdowns. - Domestic debt and foreign debt. - Government-guaranteed debt. - Interest payments on debt.

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- GDP.

1.5 Increasing levels of Intra-SADC Investment and Foreign Direct Investment

Increased Investment

- Existence of Mechanisms for

Secure Investment

Environment.

- Finance and Investment

Climate.

- Intra- and inter-regional FDI.

- Inward and outward FDI flows. - Gross capital formation. - Gross savings. - GDP.

1.6 Cooperation in Taxation and related matters

Enhanced Cooperation in Taxation

- Extent/stage of harmonization

of tax systems.

- Tax revenues, etc.

1.7 Enhancing Productive Competitiveness

Competitive and Diversified Industrial Development

- Existence of a framework for SADC industrial Development and competitiveness Strategy.

- Extent of GDP from agriculture to higher value added sectors.

- R&D expenditure. - Investment in human capital. - Innovativeness (patents) - Productive Competitiveness. - Production index/ indices. - Regional competitiveness.

- Manufacturing output indices. - Industrial GDP. - Regional GDP. - Regional manufactured products. - Exports and imports of manufactured

products. - R&D expenditure, patents, education and

training expenditure.

CLUSTER 2: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES (I&S)

2.1 Transport Integrated Transport System

- Density of the regional road

network.

- Density of rail

interconnections.

- Density of air

interconnections.

- State of regional road and rail

infrastructures

- Existence of regional ports.

- Regional air traffic.

- Rail traffic (passenger and

cargo).

- Road traffic (passenger and

cargo).

- Road: total network (km); road fleet (total

vehicle registrations, number goods vehicles),

per 1000 people; traffic passenger and cargo).

- Railway (route length, passenger and freight

traffic).

- International and domestic maritime (port,

fleet, traffic).

- International and domestic civil aviation

(number of airports, passenger and cargo

traffic).

- Public Expenditure on transport as a

Percentage of GDP.

2.2 Energy Adequate, Affordable, and Environmentally friendly Energy

- Existence/stage of Harmonized regional energy policies, regulations, standards, and legislation.

- Existence and development of the regional energy interconnected network.

- Increased and improved energy sources.

- Intra- and inter-regional trade in electricity.

- Intra- and inter-regional hydrocarbon trade.

- Energy consumption per $ of GDP, energy

consumption by source, etc.

- Electricity production, volume of electricity

sales, capacity of electricity network, installed

capacity to produce electricity.

- Share of renewable sources in total energy

use, use of non-renewable energy by type.

- Value and volume of hydrocarbons traded and

consumed.

- Household source of energy for cooking,

households with access to electricity, etc.

- Share of imports in total energy supply.

- Electricity tariffs and CPI for energy, etc.

- Public expenditure on energy as a percentage

of GDP.

2.3 Water Adequate, Affordable Access to Safe Water

- Existence of regional guidelines on water quality and standards.

- River Basin Organisations established and operational in all shared river basins in SADC.

- Water Accessibility: population with improved

drinking water source, public expenditure on

water, etc.

- Water usage: renewable water resources,

annual freshwater withdrawals, water use

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- Improved Sources and Quality

of Water.

- Improved Access to and

Availability of Clean Water.

- Extent of Infrastructure and

Services.

intensity by economic activity, etc.;

- Water management: average annual

concentration of chemicals, presence of faecal

coliforms in freshwater, population connected

to wastewater treatment, etc.;

- Water tariffs and prices.

2.4 Telecommunications ICT Supportive and Integrated into Regional Development Initiatives

- Extent/stage of harmonization

of legislative and regulatory

frameworks.

- Density of interconnection of

states (and regions).

- Telephone density.

- Communication costs.

- Fixed Telephone Lines, Number and Density

per 100 Inhabitants.

- Internet services (service providers,

subscribers).

- Mobile Telephone Service Providers per 100

Inhabitants.

- Mobile Cellular Subscribers, Number of

Subscriptions and Density per 100 Inhabitants.

- Public Expenditure on ICT as a Percentage of

GDP.

2.5 Meteorology Expanded and Integrated Systems and Infrastructure for Meteorological Services

- Annual variability of rainfall

- Monthly Average Rainfall

- Highest Rainfall Recorded for any Month

- Lowest Rainfall Recorded for any Month

- Annual Variability of Temperature

- Monthly Average Temperature

- Highest Mean Minimum Temperature

Recorded for any Month

- Lowest Mean Minimum Temperature Recorded for any Month

- Highest Daily Maximum Temperature Recorded for any Month

2.6 Tourism Maximised Benefits from Sustainable Tourism

- Existence of regional policies

and harmonised standards on

tourism.

- Extent of tourism

infrastructure.

- Extent of tourism services.

- Arrivals of non-resident tourists/visitors.

- Intra- and extra-SADC visitor arrivals by

country of destination.

- Average number of tourist nights.

- Revenue from tourism.

- Public expenditure on tourism as a

percentage of GDP.

CLUSTER 3: FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (FANR)

3.1 Sustainable Food Security

To improve Food Availability via increased production and productivity of Crops, Livestock and Fisheries

- Degree of self-sufficiency.

- Extent of Food Safety and

Quality.

- Sustainability of Food Security

and Food Availability.

- Food Production.

- Average per capita dietary

energy intake levels.

- Average yields per Hectare.

- Irrigated land.

- Adoption rates for improved seeds, fertilisers.

- Regional agricultural GDP.

- Intra- and inter-regional

agricultural trade.

- Regional agricultural production. - Regional demand for agricultural products. - Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food and

agricultural prices. - Food availability: food balance sheet. - Agricultural exports and imports. - Agricultural GDP. - Public expenditure on agriculture.

CLUSTER 4: SOCIAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMES (SHD&SP)

4.1 Developing and Sustaining Human Capabilities

Poverty Eradication through Sustainable and Equitable Development

- Human Development Index

(HDI).

- Quality of Life.

- Prevalence and incidence of

- GDP, schooling, literacy, life expectancy.

- Income poverty: population below US$1 (PPP)

per day; share of poorest quintile in national

consumption; etc.

21



poverty.

- Measures of deprivation: malnutrition,

educational achievement, lack of access to

basic services, etc.

Harmonized and Integrated SADC Education and training System

- Existence/extent of implementation of harmonised policies on education and training.

- Existence of operational regional university institutions/ Centres of excellence and specialization.

- Extent of inter-university cooperation (intra- and inter-region).

- Extent/stage of standardized educational curricula and training qualification systems and frameworks.

- Literacy rates. - School attendance. - Access to Education. - Education Facilities.

- Literacy rate by grade and gender. - Net enrolment rates (by grade and gender). - Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary,

and tertiary education. - Number of schools, teaching staff, ratio of

public expenditure on education to GDP.

Strengthened Collaboration in Health Sector

- Existence/extent of implementation of harmonised policies on health and nutrition.

- Extent of cooperation among health professionals.

- Existence of operational regional health institutions/ facilities.

- Mortality and Morbidity/ Health of Populations.

- Service delivery.

- Under-five mortality rate, maternal mortality, Infant mortality rate.

- HIV prevalence, etc. - Crude birth rate, fertility rate, and life

expectancy. - Inpatient, outpatient, and preventative care. - Population served by public health services

such as immunizations, sanitation services, and improved water supply.

- Public expenditures on health services. - Capacity of health care facilities by location

and type of facility. - Number of trained personnel by location and

certification.

4.2 Increase utilisation of human capabilities

Integrated and Competitive Regional Labour Market

- Existence/extent of implementation of harmonised policies on labour and employment.

- Programmes and framework for the free movement of labour in place.

- Human Skills Development enhanced.

- Employment/Unemployment Levels.

- Employment by age, gender, employment status, occupation, and industry.

- Unemployment by age, gender, employment status, occupation, and industry.

- Wages/ earnings by age, gender, employment status, occupation, and industry.

CLUSTER 5: GOVERNANCE, PEACE, AND SECURITY

5.1 Governance, Peace, and Security

Strengthened Political Governance

- Improved Democratic

Practices.

- Political Stability.

- State of freedoms of expression and belief

- State of free association and assembly rights

- State of freedom to participate in the political process

- State of electoral process - Level of institutional and

political stability - Judicial and parliamentary

oversight institutions and

- Statistics on Electoral Reforms

- Statistics on Political Parties

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accountability mechanisms - Competitiveness of political

participation

Conflict Prevention, Resolution, and Management

- Existence of an operation mechanism for conflict prevention.

- Existence of operational community security mechanism.

- Enhanced collective defence in SADC Region.

Strengthened Economic Governance

- Degree of credibility of

institutions and policies.

- Proportion of community

programs / projects involving

civil society.

- State of social and economic

freedoms

- Existence of anti-corruption

Mechanisms

- Perceived corruption levels

- Corruption index and rank

5.2 Disaster Management Effective Disaster Management

- Disaster Preparedness. - Percent of Total Population Living in Disaster-prone Areas

6. CROSS CUTTING ISSUES

6.1 Gender and Development

Gender Equality - Existence and extent of implementation of regional gender policy.

- Gender Development Index

- Ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary school.

- Employment by sector and sex (per cent), - Women in national parliament. - Number of female Cabinet Ministers. - Number of female Chief Executives in public

sector. - Access for females to: credit, land, property

for females.

6.2 Science and Technology - Availability and Access to ICT. - Number of patents registered per million - Public expenditure on Science and Technology

as a percentage of GDP, etc.

6.3 Environment and Sustainable Development

Effective Management of the Environment and Natural Resources

- Extent/stage of harmonization of regulations on environmental management.

- Existence of regional projects on environmental protection.

- Extent of dissemination of environmental information improved.

- Existence of regional pollution control programmes.

- Pollution levels established.

- Carbon dioxide emissions.

- Annual variability of rainfall.

- Annual variability of temperature.

- Consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

- Total population living in coastal areas.

- Threatened plant species as a percentage of

total known plant species.

- Threatened animal species as percentage of

total known animal species.

Public-private Sector Partnership (PPP) and Dialogue

Active participation of the Private Sector in the Regional integration process

- Existence/ extent of implementation of SADC Policy on PPP.

- Improved Private Sector Environment.

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3 The Current State of the SADC Regional Statistical System

40. This part provides a description of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS). In this respect, it should be noted that there is currently no legal framework for the SRSS, and, hence, it is not formally defined.

3.1 Main Components of the System

41. The SADC Regional Statistical System is essentially constituted by partnerships between the Statistics Unit at SADC Secretariat and the National Statistical Systems (NSSs) of the respective Member States. Its core components, summarised in the diagram below, include: statistical users; its data producers and providers; the system outputs; institutional framework; coordination mechanisms; and capacity building structures.

(a) Statistics Users

42. In general, the key users of SADC regional statistics embrace the following:

SADC Institutions: SADC Directorates and other SADC Institutions (e.g. Committee of Central Bank Governors, etc.);

Member State Government Institutions: Ministries, Central Banks, Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mining, Agriculture, etc.;

International Agencies: United Nations Agencies, the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, African Development Bank, etc.;

International Cooperating and Development Partners;

Trans-national corporations;

International Statistics Agencies (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations Statistics Division, etc.);

The Public and Media;

Researchers, Universities, etc.;

Civil Society and Non-Governmental Agencies; and

24

Public.

(b) Data Sources and Producers

43. Typically, the National Statistical Office (NSO) constitutes the hub of the national statistical system and plays the central coordinating role regarding the development, production, and dissemination of official statistics within the respective SADC Member State. The NSO is also the focal and contact point for the Secretariat on statistical matters. There are, however, other key producers of official statistics within the respective Member States. For example, sectoral data are produced and disseminated by various government ministries (e.g. Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, Water, etc.), Departments (e.g. Immigration, Police, etc.), and Agencies (e.g. the Central Bank, utility companies, etc.), sometimes with little or no involvement on the part of NSO’s.

44. While, the production of harmonised quality national statistics is the responsibility of the National Statistical Systems (NSS) of Member States co-ordinated by the respective NSO, the Secretariat has two main statistical functions:

(i) The first focuses on the compilation of relevant regional statistics based mainly on data received from

Member States. This entails bringing together existing published data from national statistical system,

analysing and consolidating it to generate comparable and harmonised figures, making it possible to

define, undertake and analyse regional policies. It is typically concerned with the use of secondary

data to generate data series and indicators, based on data extracted from national statistical

publications or obtained from returns submitted by Member States. The focus is more on the

upstream activities related to the compilation of data series and indicators as opposed to the

generation of source data.

(ii) The second function follows directly from the first and is concerned with the promotion of standards

and frameworks, with harmonization and with the strengthening of capacity in Member States.

45. In addition to the Secretariat, there are also other SADC institutions involved in the compilation of regional statistics. In particular, Committee of Central Bank Governors (CCBG), based at the South African Reserve Bank in Pretoria has a statistics function and compiles the annual statistical report focused on financial data.

(c) System outputs

46. Historically, the Secretariat’s main statistical product has been the annual Facts and Figures to support the main statistical requirements of the Secretariat.

47. A new initiative to launch a SADC Statistical Yearbook, to be published annually, began in 2011. The general concept of the Yearbook is to provide stakeholders with a comprehensive set of reliable and sound information on the socio-economic profiles and development of the SADC region and its Member States. The content of the publication will include time-series and summaries of statistical information on population, society, government, economy and environment both at the regional and national levels.

48. The development of the SADC Integrated Trade Statistics Database (ITSD) also started in 2011 and is expected to be completed by end of 2012.

(d) Institutional Framework

49. The operating Institutional Framework for the SRSS is summarised below.

(i) Council of Ministers

25

50. Council provides overall policy guidance and approves the regional statistical programme proposed by the SADC Statistics Committee through the Secretariat.

(ii) SADC Statistics Committee

51. The SADC Statistics Committee (SSC) comprising the heads of the national statistics offices of the Member States and the SADC Secretariat is the nucleus of the SRSS. The SSC provides policy, strategic, and professional guidance for the development and execution regional statistics programmes and meets for those purposes, at least once every year. Annex I contains the Terms of Reference for the SSC as approved by Council in 1998.

(iii) Secretariat

52. The role of the Secretariat includes: co-ordination of regional statistical activities; design and implement prioritised regional statistical projects; provision of leadership and technical advice on harmonisation and standardisation issues; be the central point for the development of official statistics regional database systems; and co-ordination the regional statistical capacity building development. Annex II provides Statistical Functions for Secretariat as approved by Council in 1998.

(iv) Focal Points

53. Focal Points were established, within the framework of the 1998 Strategy, to complement the role of the Secretariat in providing the required statistical service as well as to effectively co-ordinate and guide statistical development for the region. In this respect, the SSC assigned NSO’s of some the Member States to serve as Focal Points (centres of excellence) for specific statistical areas or statistical processes of common interest to the region as a whole, as follows:

Country Statistical Area

Botswana Informal Sector Statistics

Mozambique National Accounts

South Africa Population and Housing Censuses

Tanzania Investment Statistics

Zambia Foreign Trade Statistics

Zimbabwe Economic Classifications

54. Annex III provides the Terms of Reference for the Focal Points as approved by Council in 1998. Unfortunately, due to resource constraints the focal points have generally not performed as expected with the exception of South Africa. There is, therefore, a need to devise necessary mechanism to reinforce their operations.

(e) Coordination Mechanisms

(i) Regional Framework for Statistical Development

55. The Strategy Document approved by Council in 1998 is currently the main operating framework for the development of the SADC Regional Statistical System. However, the Strategy is now outdated and is not aligned to the RISDP and SIPO. The Strategy articulates and defines the regional statistical system which, among other things, includes the: system components; institutional framework; principles and mechanism; the statistical programme; and a staff exchange programme.

56. The focus areas of the SADC Statistical Programme (SSP), as defined within the framework of 1998 Strategy document are: Trade; Finance and Investment (National Accounts, Prices, etc.); Transport and Communications; Energy and Water; Human Resource Development; Agriculture and Food Security; Informal Sector; Poverty; Gender; Environment and Natural Resources; and Classifications, Definitions, and Standards.

26

57. Achievements have only been registered in only a few areas. Those are, namely, the areas of National Accounts, Population and Censuses, prices and statistical training especially for staff of national statistical offices.

58. The implementation of the Strategy was adversely affected by various challenges encountered including limited: resources allocated for its activities, both at the Secretariat and national levels; advocacy for the strategy at the different SADC policy levels; change management process especially at Secretariat; and alignment with the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).

59. Notable lessons to be learnt from the implementation of the 1998 Statistics Strategy include the following:

There is need for such a strategy to be clearly elaborated with the involvement of all SADC key statistics stakeholders to ensure stakeholder-ownership of the processes;

Advocacy for the strategy is crucial;

There should be tangible incentives for Member States to implement the strategy; and

A monitoring and evaluation framework, including a mid-term review, is crucial.

(ii) Legal Framework

60. As acknowledged in the RISDP, there is need for a legal instrument for regional cooperation in the area of statistics. This is currently a major constraint for the Secretariat in performing its expected role with respect to Statistics.

(iii) Connectivity

61. It is necessary to develop an efficient system for data transmission between and among producers in the SRSS (the NSO’s, Central Banks, etc.). It is equally important for users to be efficiently connected to the SADC databases. Such a facility can be provided through a common homepage on internet, for example. Current and on-going efforts to improve the said connectivity include the:

Enhancement of the SADC Statistics and Statistics Training Websites;

Development of the SADC Statistical Yearbook, whose data collection is based on electronic

templates sent out to Member States; and

Further development of the ITSD to enable more frequent data update. This may be achieved by

extending a facility to allow Member States to directly upload data on the system.

(f) Capacity Building Structures

62. For about 10 years ending in 2010, the Regional Statistical Training Project (RSTP) has been the main vehicle for statistical capacity building for the SADC region. Co-ordinated by the Secretariat, the focus of the RSTP has been on capacity building for the Member States and its key results have included the following:

(i) SADC Regional Statistical Training Strategy produced in October, 2005.

(ii) Conducting of 12 Regional Short Courses covering various subject-matter areas and statistical

processes, relevant training materials archived, including: Sample Survey Design; National Accounts;

Geographic Information System; Human Resource Development; Organization and Management of

NSO's; International Merchandise Trade Statistics; Trade Indices; Business Surveys and Frames; Data

analysis; Survey and Statistical Methods; Economic Statistics; Agriculture and Food Security Statistics;

Regional Model Syllabus; and Programme of short courses.

27

(iii) Development of the SADC Regional Model Syllabus on Basic Statistics Course and Training Pack.

(iv) Development of the SADC Programme of Short Courses for management and professional statistical

staff and relevant training materials.

(v) Development of the SADC Curriculum for the Advanced Diploma in Official Statistics and the related

training materials.

63. Examples of initiatives through which the above-mentioned results of RSTP are to an extent being sustained include:

The Diploma in Statistics offered by the University of Botswana since 2010 and parts of the degree programme in statistics by the University of Namibia that have been developed based on training materials emanating from the RSTP; and

In-service training programmes that have benefited from the same materials such as those of: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica of Mozambique, Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), and Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT).

3.2 Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

64. The current scenario of the SRSS has been evaluated through using the Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) scheme and is summarized below:

Strengths on which to build Weaknesses to be resolved

1. Frameworks to guide and regulate statistical development including: national statistical laws, African Charter on Statistics, Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa, NSDS framework, and Quality Assurance Frameworks, UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

2. Infrastructure for basic statistical services in most Member States for: censuses and large-scale sample surveys; basic demographic, social and economic statistics.

3. Existence of basic human resources at National Statistical Offices (NSO’s), some government Ministries, and Agencies (e.g. Central Banks), with accumulated experience and competency for statistical work, in most Member States.

4. Reasonably good connectivity in most Member States. 5. Existence of training institutions both for professional and sub-

professional statistical personnel. 6. Established cooperation among Member States through the SADC

Statistical Committee (SSC) and African Statistical Coordination Committee (ASCC), among others.

7. Various initiatives aimed at increasing statistical capacity in the region and continent.

8. Increased willingness of key stakeholders in National Statistical Systems (NSS’s) to collaborate and achieve synergy in statistical production.

1. Underutilisation of available statistics by policy- and decision-makers due to lack of statistical culture.

2. Low quality outputs and significant data gaps (e.g. for MDG’s and emerging areas such as environment/ and HIV/AIDS).

3. Fragile NSS’s due to limited: own resources, coordination mechanisms, and specialist skills (such as sampling and environment).

4. Absence of official statistics in curricula in training programs of universities and statistical training centres in the region.

5. Limited resources for development of the SADC regional statistical system, overdependence on external funding.

6. No legal framework for SRSS.

28

Opportunities to be exploited Threats to be avoided

1. Increased demand for statistics e.g. due to: need for local level and disaggregated data; surge in results-based management; PRSPs; and RISDP and continental integration programmes

2. More positive responsiveness by Member States to the need to strengthen NSS’s and to transform NSO’s.

3. Commitment from development partners to support statistical capacity-building initiatives in Africa; increased regional and continental partnerships for the same

4. Existence of international frameworks, standards, guidelines, and best practices in statistics and statistical harmonization

5. Possibilities for Increased user orientations and advocacy for statistics.

6. Accessibility to ICT innovations that can be harnessed to improve statistical production, dissemination, data analysis and utilisation.

7. Possibilities to strengthening the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) through a SADC protocol on statistics.

8. South-South Cooperation in statistical development.

1. Multiplicity of initiatives for statistical development and lack of coordination among International Cooperating Partners.

2. Capacity for statistical production outstretched due to heavy demands on NSS’s (e.g. data for MDG’s and environment) without necessary additional resources.

3. Low prioritization of investment in statistics, high dependence on International Cooperating Partner funding.

4. High staff turnover and Inability to attract and retain statistical staff, high calibre staff at NSO’s.

5. Political interference leading to the compromising of administrative and professional independence of NSO’s.

3.3 Main Challenges

65. Based on the SWOT analysis the generalized and notable challenges confronting the SRSS include:

Nonexistence of a legal framework for the SRSS. This means that the SRSS is not formally defined and

there is no legal framework to guide and regulate its operations and development.

No clear definition of what constitutes regional official statistics. This also still needs to be articulated

and documented and can be done within the framework of the regional statistical legal framework

alluded to above.

Underutilisation of available statistics by policy- and decision-makers due to lack of statistical culture.

Low prioritization of investment in statistics, resulting in limited resources for regional statistical

system development and overdependence on external funding.

Disparities in the capacities of NSS’s, capacity limited for some of the Member States to deliver

required data for regional statistical series.

Low quality outputs and significant data gaps (e.g. for MDG’s and emerging areas such as

environment/ and HIV/AIDS).

Absence of official statistics in curricula in training programs of universities and statistical training

centres in the region.

High staff turnover and Inability to attract and retain statistical staff, high calibre staff at NSO’s.

29

4 The 2013-2018 Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics

66. The 2013-2018 Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics is developed with the view of addressing the challenges confronted by the current SADC Regional Statistical System while building on the lessons learnt in the implementation of the 1998 Regional Strategy. The RSDS is built around a common vision, and mission, and core values and establishes an agenda based on six strategic themes.

4.1 Vision

67. The overall vision of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS) is to be a preferred provider of quality harmonised regional statistical information to support all key regional integration dimensions.

4.2 Mission

68. The mission of the SRSS is to diligently facilitate the efficient and timely production and dissemination of high-quality and reliable harmonized regional statistical indicators for evidence based-decisions.

4.3 Core Values

69. Internationally acceptable methods and frameworks shall be used when collecting, analysing, compiling, archiving and disseminating regional statistics. In discharging these roles and responsibilities, staff of institutions that constitute the SRSS shall be guided by the following shared values:

(i) User focus – user-needs constitute the main basis for existence of the SRSS and its activities must be

focused on meeting such user-needs through collaborative efforts of the users and producers of

regional official statistics.

(ii) Quality and performance driven – activities should be undertaken to deliver the highest possible

level of quality, using the highest level of expertise and professional competence among staff.

(iii) Effectiveness - resources should be used effectively, in conformity with the principles of good

governance.

(iv) Continuous improvement and development – efforts should be focused on continuous development

and improvement of the SRSS and its statistical products to ensure high quality monitoring and

evaluation of the socio-economic changes and trends in the region.

4.4 Main Strategic Themes, Objectives, and Results

70. To realise the vision and mission of the SADC Regional Statistical System, the following six main strategic themes have been identified:

Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators (ST1);

Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics (ST2);

Strategic Theme 3: Improve services to users and promote wider use of regional statistics (ST3);

Strategic Theme 4: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS (ST4);

Strategic Theme 5: Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region (ST5); and

Strategic Theme 6: Promote statistical capacity building in the region (ST6).

71. The following describes the specific objectives for the SRSS and expected results from implementation of the RSDS, within the framework of the six Strategic Themes.

30

Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators.

72. It is important to ensure availability of statistical information to support all the major dimensions of regional integration. This entails the need: (a) to compile regionally and internationally comparable statistical data that corresponds to user needs based on the prioritized statistical themes; and (b) to set up a regional central database containing key SADC statistics readily accessible to users. To cater for these, Strategic Theme 1 encompasses the following main objectives:

(i) Objective 1.1: Statistical needs to support evidenced based monitoring and evaluation of progress

in priority areas of the SADC Development Agenda identified. Priority statistical themes for regional

statistics should be identified, based on user-consultations with key stakeholders of the regional

statistical including the Directorates at the Secretariat.

(ii) Objective 1.2: Effective data collection mechanisms, templates, and data transfer protocols, for

compilation of regional statistics established. Relevant data collection templates and standardized

formats for submission of data by Member States to the Secretariat including for, among others, the

Statistical Yearbook, SADC Facts and Figures, and the SADC Integrated Trade Statistics Database

(ITSD), are required.

(iii) Objective 1.3: Prioritized comparable social and economic indicators for regional statistical

publications compiled sustainably. Among others, the annual SADC Statistical Yearbook and Facts

and Figures and the monthly updating of the Integrated Trade Statistics Database (ITSD) and

publication of Trade data will be compiled and published.

73. According to the User-Needs assessment based on consultations with Directorates at Secretariat by the Statistics Unit, during the period February to April 2011, the bulk of regional statistics requirements can be met through the availability of data on the priority statistical themes presented in the table below. The table summarises the main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised according to the above-mentioned priority statistical themes. It should also be noted that these priority statistical themes also constitute the main subject-matter areas covered by the SADC Statistical Yearbook currently under construction.

STATISTICAL AREA (A)

OBJECTIVES EXPECTED OUTPUTS PERFORMANCE INDICATOR

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST1A01: National Accounts Statistics

To provide a firm basis for charting, monitoring and evaluation of the economic performance of the region;

To improve coverage of data on the region to cover all economic activities, including the informal sector.

Agreed annual national accounts tables for all Member States;

Regional annual data;

Core staff at each Statistical Office (NSO) competent in national accounts.

Number of Member States publishing agreed set;

Regional data published.

Improved GDP estimates;

Better macroeconomic management for the region.

ST1A02: Business Statistics

To provide the basis for monitoring and analysing developments in the manufacturing sector in support of industrial policies and programmes of the region;

Automated business registers for all Member States;

Business data annually for all Member States;

Regional data published;

Number of Member States with automated business registers;

Number of Member States publishing business statistics annually;

Improved data for the business sector and its contribution to GDP;

Informed industrial policy for the region.

31



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

To support Member States in building capacity to create and maintain comprehensive business registers aimed at improving the quality of business statistics.

Core staff competent in business surveys and business registers at each NSO.

Regional business statistics published annually.

ST1A03: Price Statistics

To provide a firm basis for measuring and analysing inflation in the region;

To support Member States in building capacity for improving the range and coverage of price statistics.

Consumer Price Indices and Producer Price Indices published monthly basis by all Member States;

Regional Harmonised Consumer Price Index (HCPI) published monthly;

Competent core price statistics staff at each NSO.

Number of Member States publishing price statistics annually;

Range of price indices produced by Member States;

Regional monthly HCPI published.

Informed policies on prices;

Compilation of Purchasing Power Parities (PPP);

Improved investment and trade decisions.

ST1A04: Balance of Payments (BOP) Statistics

To provide a firm basis for monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the region’s external economic sector;

To support Member States in building capacity to produce quality BOP in line with latest IMF's Balance of Payments Manual.

Annual BOP for all Member States;

Regional BOP published.

Number of Member States publishing BOP;


Informed policies for the external sector;

Better adaptation to externally-induced economic crises.

ST1A05: International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

To support the formulation, monitoring, and implementation of effective trade policies for the region;

To support MS in building capacity to produce quality International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS).

IMTS for monthly for all Member States;

An updated SADC Integrated Trade Statistics Database (ITSD).

Number of Member States compiling and publishing IMTS annually;

Functional SADC ITSD.

Informed trade policies;

Increased trade in goods for the region.

ST1A06: Tourism Statistics

To provide indicators for the overall contribution of tourism sector to the economy of the region;

To enable more effective planning, monitoring, and evaluation of policies for the sector.

Tourism data for all Member States, annually;

Regional tourism data published annually.

Number of Member States publishing tourism statistics annually;

Regional tourism data published.

Informed policies on tourism;

Increased tourism for the region.

ST1A07: International Trade in Services

To provide a firm basis for planning, monitoring, and

Statistics on statistics on ITS for all Member States,

Number of Member States publishing ITS

Informed trade policies;

Increased trade for

32



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

(ITS) Statistics evaluation of service trade policies for the region;

To support Member States in building capacity to produce quality ITS in line with the United Nations ITS Manual and regional needs.

annually; Regional data

published annually; Competent core

staff in ITS at each NSO.

annually; Regional ITS data

published annually by Secretariat.

the region.

ST1A08: Investment Statistics

To provide a basis for planning, monitoring, and evaluation of investment promotion policies and programmes for the region;

To increase the quality and scope of available statistics on investment;

To support Member States in building capacity to produce quality investment statistics.

Data on investment for all Member States, annually;


Competent core staff in investment statistics at each NSO.

Number of Member States publishing statistics investment annually;


Informed investment decisions and policies for the region;

Increased investment for the region.

ST1A09: Government Financial Statistics (GFS)

To support effective macroeconomic management in the region via the provision of quality GFS.

Statistics on GFS for all Member States, annually;

Regional data published annually.

Number of Member States publishing GFS annually;

Regional GFS data published annually.

Effective management of public finances in the region;

Better use of resources for development.

ST1A10: Monetary and Finance Statistics

To enable analysis of the performance of the regional financial system and facilitate its effective management;

To support Member States in building capacity to produce quality statistics and indicators on the finance and banking sector.

Comparable data on banking and finance sector for all Member States, annually;


Number of Member States publishing financial statistics annually;


Informed finance and banking policies;

Sound financial system and development for the region.

ST1A11 Infrastructure Statistics

ST1A11-1: Road Transport Statistics

To provide a basis for

planning for road

transport in the

region and facilitate

monitoring and

evaluation of policies

and programmes for

the sector.

Statistics for all Member States on road infrastructure, motor vehicle fleet, cargo and passenger traffic, and performance indicators, and financial data;


Number of Member States publishing statistics on road transport annually;

Regional road transport data published annually.

Informed planning

and policies for

road transport;

Increased interstate

connectivity, trade

and development

for the region.

ST1A11-2: Railway Transport Statistics


planning for railway

transport in the

Statistics for all MS on railway infrastructure by type, rolling stock

Number of Member States publishing statistics on rail

Informed planning

and policies for

development of

33



EXPECTED OUTCOMES


monitoring and


and programmes for

the sector.

by type, freight, performance indicators, and financial data;


transport annually;

Regional rail transport data published annually.

railway transport;

Increased interstate

connectivity, trade

and development

for the region.

ST1A11-3: Air Transport Statistics


planning for air

transport in the


monitoring and


and programmes for

the sector.

Data for all Member States on air transport infrastructure, passenger and cargo traffic, performance indicators, and financial data;


Number of Member States publishing statistics on air transport annually;

Regional air transport data published annually.

Informed planning

and policies for air

transport;

Increased

connectivity, trade

and development

for the region.

ST1A11-4: Maritime Transport Statistics


planning for

maritime transport in

the region and

facilitate monitoring

and evaluation of

policies and

programmes for the

sector.

Data for all Member States on maritime infrastructure , cargo freight traffic data, performance indicators, and financial data;


Number of Member States publishing statistics on maritime annually;

Regional maritime transport data published annually.

Informed planning

and policies for

maritime transport;

Increased

connectivity, trade

and development

for the region.

ST1A12: Energy Statistics

To provide a firm basis for monitoring and analysing the production, distribution and consumption of energy in the region.

Statistics for all Member States on electricity generated, exports and imports;

Statistics on petroleum production, imports, and exports by all Member States;

Regional energy data published annually.

Number of Member States publishing energy statistics annually;

Regional energy data published annually.

Informed energy policies

Efficient use of energy and increased development for the region.

ST1A13: Water Supply and Sanitation Statistics

To provide a firm basis for monitoring and analysing the production, distribution and consumption of water in the region.

Data for all Member

States on: water

accessibility, water

usage, water,

water tariffs and

prices;

Regional data

published annually.

Number of Member States publishing water statistics annually;

Regional water data published annually.

Informed water

policies;

Efficient use of

water and better

development for

the region.

ST1A14: Information and communication technology (ICT) Statistics

To facilitate analysis of the impact and contribution of ICT to development in the region;

To promote and support implementation of relevant policies and programmes for the sector.

Statistics on ICT available each year for all Member States;


Number of Member States compiling and publishing ICT statistics annually;

Regional ICT data published annually.

Informed ICT

policies;

Efficient use and

promotion of ICT to

support

development for

the region.

ST1A15: Meteorology

To collect, compile and disseminate

Statistics on Meteorology

Number of Member States

Informed policies

and programmes

34



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Statistics

quality and comparable statistics on Meteorology in SADC.

annually for all Member States;


publishing Meteorology statistics annually;

Regional Meteorology data published annually.

on Meteorology for

the region;

Better adaptation

to and mitigation of

climate.

ST1A16: Agriculture Statistics

To provide a firm basis for planning, monitoring, and evaluation of agricultural policies and programmes to ensure food security for the region.

Statistics for all Member States on: the structure and production of the agriculture sector, prices agricultural products, etc.;

Functional SADC Agricultural Information Management Systems (AIMS) and Livestock Information Management System (LIMS);

Food balance sheets for Member States and the region published, annually.

Number of Member States publishing agriculture statistics annually;

Functional SADC AIMS and LIMS.

Informed

agricultural policies

and programmes;

Food security for

the region.

ST1A17: Environment Statistics

To enable the effective monitoring of the environment including MDG indicators for the region;

To establish a framework and relevant capacity for the collection and compilation of priority environment statistics in SADC.

Environment statistics for all Member States, annually;

Regional data published annually;

Capacity for all Member States to the compile environment statistics.

Number of Member States publishing environment statistics annually;

Regional environmental data published annually.

Better management and exploitation of natural resources;

Better adaptation to and mitigation to effects of climate change.

ST1A18: Population and Housing Censuses (PHC)/Household Surveys

To provide a firm basis for overall social and economic planning for the region;

To enhance the capacity in Member States for conducting PHC and household surveys and analysing data therefrom.

Data on levels and changes in population and related social variables for all Member States;


Competent core staff at each NSO to plan, manage, and execute census/ survey operations;

Strengthened capacity in Member States to analyse and disseminate demographic data.

Number of Member States conducting PHC and household surveys and published results during the six year period.

Increased use of population data in policy planning, decision-making, monitoring and evaluating of projects and programmes at Secretariat and in Member States.

ST1A19: Civil and Vital Registration Systems

To strengthen civil and vital registration systems and their use as a source for

Enhanced civil and vital registration systems in all Member States;

Number of Member States with effective Civil Registration

Improved population estimates and projections;

35



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

population and related data.

Quality vital statistics annually for all Member States;


statistics systems. Better informed public policies.

ST1A20: Migration Statistics

To improve the quality of international migration data and population projections;

To enable the effective monitoring of the SADC Protocol on Free Movements of Persons and related regional programmes.

Data for all Member States on immigrants and emigrants;

Regional data datasets.

Number of Member States publishing migration statistics annually;

Regional migration data published annually.

Analysis and effective use of data for assessing the impact of migration flows on economies in the region e.g. with respect to employment, skill base, health/ education system and similar resources.

Better informed public policies.

ST1A21: Poverty and Income Distribution Statistics

To facilitate monitoring the achievement of poverty eradication and income disparities, and contribute to attainment of the MDGs in SADC;

To promote more effective use of poverty information in research and policy formulation both at Member States and regional levels.

Poverty indicators incorporated in regular surveys for all Member States;

Data on poverty for all Member States;


Number of Member States publishing statistics on poverty and income distribution;

Regional data published every 3 years.

Enhanced use of poverty information in research and policy formation achieved;

More effective policies and programmes, leading to eradication of poverty in the region.

ST1A22: Health Statistics

To provide a firm basis for planning and monitoring for the health sector of the region;

To develop a sustainable health information system for the region.

Functional health information systems in all Member States;

Health statistics for all Member States, annually;

Regional data published by Secretariat.

Number of Member States compiling and publishing health statistics annually;

Regional health data published annually.

Informed health policies and programmes;

Healthy population and sustained development.

ST1A23: Education Statistics

To provide a firm basis for planning and monitoring for the education policies and programmes of the region;

To develop a sustainable education information system for the region.

Statistics on the education system, outputs, processes, and resources published by all Member States annually;

Regional data derived from Member States datasets.

Number of Member States publishing education statistics annually;

Regional education data published annually.

Informed educational policies and programmes;

Better skilled human resources and sustained development.

ST1A24: Research & Development &

To provide a firm basis for planning and monitoring of

Statistics on innovation, research, and

Number of Member States publishing

Informed innovation policies;

Increased extent of

36



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Innovation indicators

policies and programmes to encourage research and development and innovation with the aim of increasing the competiveness of the region.

development published by all Member States;


indicators on Research & Development & Innovation every 5 years;

Regional data published every 5 years.

science and technology;

Increased competiveness of the region.

ST1A25: Labour Market Statistics

To provide an adequate basis for analysis of employment, unemployment, productivity, and facilitate formulation of relevant regional policies and programmes;

To support the SADC

Labour Market

Information System

currently under

development.

Statistics on unemployment, etc. for all Member States;


Number of Member States publishing indicators on Labour Market annually;

Regional education data published annually.

More effective HRD strategies and programmes for the region;

Sustained development for the region.

ST1A26: Gender Statistics

To provide a basis for research on gender issues and facilitate the monitoring progress in gender equality in the region.

Gender statistics for all Member States annually;


Number of Member States publishing indicators on gender annually;

Regional gender data published annually.

Informed policies and programmes for the region;

Gender equality in the region.

ST1A27: Crime Statistics

To promote use of crime data for policy formulation and decision-making;

To strengthen Member States capacity to collect and disseminate data on crime/violence from administrative sources and surveys in the region.

Crime statistics for all Member States;


Number of Member States publishing basic crime statistics annually;


Informed policies and programmes to combat crime in the region and a more secure region.

ST1A28: Governance Statistics

To improve governance in the region;

To strengthen Member States capacity to collect and disseminate data on governance in the region.

Data for all Member published, annually;


Number of Member States publishing data on peace, security, and governance.

Improved good governance in SADC and a more secure region.

Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics 74. Quality and harmonized statistics are required to support the effective charting, implementation, monitoring

and evaluation of policies and programmes designed to achieve the regional development and integration objectives. The standardization, harmonization and coordination of the terms and concepts used for collection, analysis and dissemination of statistics in prioritised statistical domains will also be a key objective

37

of the regional statistical system within the framework of the RSDS. Strategic Theme 2 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 2.1: Consensus built and core staff trained on concepts and definitions, standards, classifications and frameworks suited for SADC for statistical areas and processes of the prioritized regional harmonization programme. Relevant training on the agreed frameworks and common statistical standards and methods will be promoted to enhance requisite capacity both at the national and Secretariat level.

(ii) Objective 2.2: Manuals and guidelines for production of the standardized and harmonized

statistics developed. Relevant manuals and guidelines for production of standardized and harmonized statistics in prioritized statistical areas and processes in social and economic statistics will be developed.

(iii) Objective 2.3: Agreed frameworks and common statistical standards and methods adapted to

regional circumstances to facilitate harmonization of statistics implemented. Relevant international frameworks and common statistical standards and classifications will be customised and adapted by Member States to the SADC circumstances with respect to the prioritized subject-matter areas.

75. Based on the User-Needs Assessment conducted at SADC Secretariat, the following table summarises priority

statistical themes that have been identified for the SADC statistical harmonisation programme during the six year period. The table presents main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised according to the above-mentioned Intervention Areas:



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST2A01: Harmonisation of National Accounts in SADC/ Migration to SNA 2008

To adopt a regional approach for SNA 2008 implementation and harmonisation of national accounts;

To strengthen Member States capacity to implement the SNA 2008.

Regional programme for migrating to 2008 SNA;

SADC manual with common standards, sources and methods based on the 2008 SNA;

Harmonized data based on 2008 SNA for all Member States.

Existence of a SADC Manual based on 2008 SNA;

Number of Member States publishing national accounts based on 2008 SNA.

Comparable statistics for quality policy- and decision-making in support of integration;

Applicable international standards and methods to SADC realities.

ST2A02: Harmonisation of Business Statistics

To improve coverage of all economic activities including the informal sector and SME’s;

To harmonise the definition and measurement of the informal sector in the region.

Comprehensive business registers for all Member States;

Agreed Nomenclature for the SADC region available;

Harmonised business statistics for all Member States;


Existence of a SADC Manual on business statistics.


Applicable international standards and methods to SADC realities;

Better management of the economy and business sector.

ST2A03: Harmonisation of Informal Sector statistics

To improve coverage of all economic activities including the informal sector and SME’s;

To harmonise the

Agreed definition on informal sector available;

Harmonised informal sector statistics for all

Number Member States conducting informal sector surveys.


38



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

definition and measurement of the informal sector in the region.

Member States; Regional data

published.

Applicable international standards and methods to SADC realities;

Better management of the economy and business sector.

ST2A04: Harmonised Consumer Price Indices (HCPI)

To harmonise Consumer Price Indices in SADC

International Comparison Program (ICP) data for all Member States;

Monthly HCPI published;

Number of Member States conducting ICP surveys;

Regional HCPI published monthly.

Purchasing Power Parities (PPP);

Well informed investment and trade decisions.

ST2A05: Harmonisation of International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS))

To harmonise IMTS in SADC in line with the IMTS 2010 of United Nations Statistics Division.

Harmonisation programme;

Harmonised IMTS for all Member States, published monthly;

Updated SADC ITSD;

Manuals on common standards, sources, and methods, available.

Number of Member States submitting data as per agreed timelines for the ITSD;

Extent to which ITSD up-to-date.

Comparable data for quality policy- and decision-making in support of integration;


ST2A06: Harmonisation of Population and Housing Censuses (PHC)/ Household Surveys

To adopt a regional approach for harmonisation of PHC in SADC especially with respect to the 2020 round of censuses


Sources and methods, including the core census questionnaire for SADC, available;

Harmonised population/related data for all Member States.

Number of Member States conducting PHC and household surveys and published results during the six year period



ST2A07: Harmonisation of Civil and Vital Registration Systems/ Statistics

To adopt a regional approach for harmonisation and strengthening civil and vital registration systems in Member States.


Manuals on common standards, sources, and methods available;

Harmonized vital statistics published by all Member States, annually;


Number of

Member States

with effective Civil

Registration

Systems and

generating vital

statistics.



ST2A08: Harmonisation of Labour Market Statistics

To harmonise the definition and measurement of employment and unemployment in the region.

Harmonised definition of unemployment for the region available;

Agreed uniform classifications available;

Manuals on labour market statistics in SADC available;

Harmonised

unemployment

definition for the

SADC by 2014;

Number of

Member States

with effective

Labour Market

Information

System based on



39



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Harmonized statistics published by all Member States;


agreed definition,

classifications, and

procedures.

ST2A09: Harmonisation of Poverty and Income Distribution Statistics

To harmonise the definition and measurement of poverty and income distribution in the region.

Harmonised definition of poverty agreed and available;


Harmonized statistics for all Member States;


Number of Member States generating poverty indicators and income distribution based on agreed regional definition.



ST2A10: Harmonisation of Gender Statistics

To enable the generation of harmonised gender statistics for the region.

Priority data needs established and documented;

SADC Manuals on common standards and methods available;

Harmonized Gender Statistics for all Member States;


Number of Member States generating Gender Statistics based on agreed regional set



Strategic Theme 3: Improve services to users and promote wider use of regional statistics

76. The extent to which quality regional statistics are accessible and used by intended key users is a prerequisite for effective regional programmes and the attainment of desired results. Promoting wider and timely dissemination of statistical data that are regionally and internationally comparable, including the setting up of a functional regional database readily accessible to users, will, therefore, be a central issue of the regional statistical system during the six year period. The implementation of Strategic Theme 3 links to the following strategic objectives:

(i) Objective 3.1: Data dissemination and services to users of regional statistics enhanced. A systematic approach and dissemination strategy will be developed and implemented and will comprise: a web-based regional database with links to websites of National Statistical Offices of the Member States; a firmly established ITSD expandable to other subject-matter areas; and the annual compilation and publication of the SADC Statistical Year book and Facts and Figures.

(ii) Objective 3.2: Advocacy strategy for statistics in the region developed and implemented. An

advocacy strategy for regional statistics will be developed and implemented. It will include advocacy campaigns to raise the profile of statistics aimed at facilitating the effective use of statistics and instilling a culture of evidence based decision-making and development planning especially targeted at management and implementation of regional programmes.

77. The main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised

according to the above-mentioned Intervention Areas are presented in the table below:

40



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST3A01 Data Dissemination in SADC

To disseminate widely quality user-oriented statistical data that is regionally and internationally comparable;

To set up an accessible regional central data warehouse for all SADC statistics.

Timely statistics disseminated for all Member States;

SADC Statistical Yearbook and Facts and Figures, published annually;

Functional regional data warehouse.

Number of Member States adopting standardized dissemination tools;

Number of regional integration areas covered by existing regional statistics;

Annual publication of the SADC Statistical Yearbook and Facts and Figures.

Better monitoring of integration efforts;

Better evidence-based decision-making.

ST3A02 Advocacy for Statistics in SADC

To achieve greater collaboration between users, suppliers, and producers of statistic aimed at improving data quality and usage.

Advocacy strategy available;

Annual report on sensitization programme for key stakeholders;

Annual report on interaction with data providers, suppliers and users of statistics.

Number of Member States in which strategy is implemented;

Extent of use of statistics in decision-making per Member States;

Extent of use of statistics at SADC Secretariat.

Improved quality of decisions;

Improved economic and social development in the region.

Strategic Theme 4: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS 78. Some of the goals of the SRSS will include promoting the production of high quality statistics through better

organisation and coordination of statistical services and use of national and international best practices, standards and methods. Strategic Theme 4 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 4.1: Policy and legal framework for the coordination of regional statistics developed and implemented. The absence of a regional statistical legal framework is currently a major constraint for the Secretariat in performing its expected role with respect to statistics. The instrument is required to ensure that the institutional arrangements for collecting, processing and dissemination of regional statistics are formalised and adequately capacitated. Guided by principles of the African Charter on Statistics the envisaged Protocol should also provide a framework for enforcing compliance on minimum standards for quality statistics and for the Secretariat to be able to collect and coordinate statistics from the Member States.

(ii) Objective 4.2: User-producer forum at regional level to promote key stakeholder participation in

regional statistical activities established. A culture of networking and information sharing among stakeholders needs to be promoted within the framework of the SRSS.

(iii) Objective 4.3: Technical Working Groups/Task Forces for respective statistical areas or processes

to drive and guide the various harmonization processes established. Member States will be designated to co-ordinate activities of respective TWGs/Taskforces, based on their relative strengths in the respective statistical process or areas. Each TWG will comprise about 30 statistical specialists from the Member States and SADC Secretariat.

41

79. The main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised according to the above-mentioned Intervention Areas are presented in the table below:



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST4A01 Strengthening coordination and management of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS)

To enable the more effective coordination of the SRSS, via: a legal framework for regional statistics, and a functional SADC Statistics Committee (SSC) and regional Technical Working Groups (TWGs).

SADC Statistics Protocol produced, and ratified by Member States;

Functional SSC; Functional TWGs.

Number of Member States that have signed and ratified the Protocol;

Annual SSC meetings and records;

TWG meetings and records.

Regulated and coordinated environment for statistical development;

Sustained production of harmonized statistics.

ST4A02 Strengthening of the National Statistical Systems (NSSs) of SADC Member States

To encourage SADC

Member States to

adopt statistical laws

and regulatory

frameworks

consistent with the

African Charter on

Statistics (ACS).

Up-to-date

statistical legal

frameworks in all

Member States.

Number of

Member States

with up-dated

statistical laws

consistent with

ACS

Better regulatory

framework for

statistical activities.

To encourage

Member States

establish governance

structures for

autonomous

statistical

production.

Functional statistics

boards/ councils in

all Member States.

Number of

Member States

with functional

governance

structures.

Better governance

and advocacy for

statistics.

To encourage SADC Member States mainstream statistics in national policy and planning frameworks.

Statistics identified as a crosscutting sector targeted for development in Member States and at Secretariat.

Number of Member States with a separate chapter on statistical development in their PRSP or National Development Plan.

Statistic prioritized in national development.

To encourage

Member States to

implement National

Strategy for the

Development of

Statistics (NSDS).

NSDS developed in each Member States;

Implemented NSDS in some of the Member States.

Number of

countries that

develop an NSDS;

Number of

Member States

that implement a

NSDS.

Better statistical

coordination and

development in

Member States.

Create sustainable

funding for statistical

activities in SADC.

SADC Statistics Fund created;

National Statistics Funds created.

Existence, adequacy, and sustainability of sources.

Adequate and

sustainable funding

of statistical

activities.

Conduct peer

reviews.

Peer review reports

on NSS’s.

Number of peer

review reports.

Improved NSS’s..

Strategic Theme 5: Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology (ICT) for statistical development in the region

80. Innovations in ICT during the last two decades or so have significantly widened the scope for production,

sharing, and dissemination of statistical data. Examples in which the SRSS can tap on these innovations include

42

(a) increase the role of electronic forms of data transfer; and (b) make the storage of regional data safer and more easily accessible to users. Strategic Theme 5 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 5.1: Use of ICT for statistical production of statistics and data sharing among n stakeholders of the SRSS enhanced. There is increased scope for sharing and dissemination statistical data and information through Intranets, the Internet, and electronic data collection templates and standardised formats, for example, for the Yearbook, SADC Facts and Figures and the Integrated Trade Statistics Database.

(ii) Objective 5.2: Use of state-of-the-art ICT innovations for disseminating, archiving, and storage of regional statistics including integrated databases for socio-economic indicators on SADC enhanced. This will include to: create a regional data storage facility within Secretariat; establish an archive within the system; develop data storage back up mechanisms, procedures for data protection, and relevant data access protocols.

81. The main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised

according to the above-mentioned Intervention Areas are presented in the table below:



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST5A01 Data Sharing

To promote use of ICT for the efficient transmission and sharing of data between Secretariat, Member States and other stakeholders.

Functional Protocols for data sharing between key stakeholders of the SRSS.

Existence of Functional Protocols.

Increased data sharing within the region;

Better monitoring of integration efforts.

ST5A02 Data Dissemination and Storage

Effective use of state-of-the-art ICT innovations for disseminating, archiving, and storage of regional statistics

Functional statistical data warehouse;

Standardized dissemination tools.

Number of indicators in data warehouse;

Number of Member States using standardized dissemination tools.

More accessible official statistics in the region;

Increased usage of statistics;

Better evidence-based decision-making.

Strategic Theme 6: Promote statistical capacity building in the region

82. The enhancement of Human Resource Capacity for the production, compilation and use of statistics is crucial both at the Member State and regional level. Capacity building geared towards statistical production should be focused more at Member State level given they represent the production centres for data that is later consolidated into regional statistics. Analytical training focused on key users of official statistics should be targeted at both Secretariat and the Member State to ensure the effective utilisation of statistics for result-based management in respect of programmes at the regional, national, and sub-national levels. Strategic Theme 6 seeks to address this through the achievement of the following objectives:

(i) Objective 6.1: Analytical capacity building both at national and Secretariat level enhanced. This should be targeted at equipping users both at Member State and Secretariat with skills in basic data analysis. Typically, the key statistics users do not possess the necessary skills to enable them to effectively analyse and use the information correctly.

(ii) Objective 6.2: In-service training programmes in statistics at national level implemented. Human resource development should be an on-going activity especially at the NSO’s within the Member States. Use and adaptation of training materials generated through the RSTP, for example, can provide valuable training materials for relevant in-service training programmes.

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(iii) Objective 6.3: Partnerships between National Statistical System and training institutions in the region to promote training in official statistics enhanced. Sustainable capacity building can be promoted through: training institutions offering relevant official statistics programmes; and the implementation of an appropriate qualification accreditation framework for statisticians, both at national and regional level.

83. The main objectives, expected outputs, performance indicators, and expected outcomes, categorised according to the above-mentioned Intervention Areas are presented in the table below:



EXPECTED OUTCOMES

ST6A01 Analytical Capacity

To build statistical analytical capacities at national and regional level.

Cadre of stakeholder staff in Member States trained;

Staff at Secretariat trained.

Number of staff trained each year per Member States;

Number of staff trained each year per at Secretariat.

Increased competence in the use of data in policy planning, decision-making, monitoring and evaluating of projects and programmes in the region.

To promote in-service training programmes at NSOs of Member States

Functional in-service training programme at each NSO;

Relevant training materials, available.

Number of NSO’s with in-service training programmes;

Number of staff trained each year per.

Increased competence in statistical production and better quality statistics.

ST6A02 Statistics Training Institutions

To establish partnerships between National Statistical System and national Statistics Training institutions including Universities to promote effective training in official statistics.

Active official statistics training programmes at training institutions in Member States.

Number of training institutions with programmes in official statistics per Member States;

Increased uptake and wider use of training materials generated through the RSTP.

Increased competence in statistical production and better quality statistics.

5 Strategy Implementation

84. While the development of the RSDS (and the associated vision, mission, and strategic aspiration) represents a major achievement in trying to enhance the profile and performance of the SRSS, it will, however, remain a pipedream if not implemented. It is therefore crucial to have appropriate and well-articulated implementation plans for the RSDS to be successfully executed.

5.1 SADC Statistical Programme for the Six-Year Period

85. The following SADC Statistical Programme (SSP) has been developed for the six year period. The programme represents the Action Plan providing details of the expected outputs, activities, broad tentative time frames, and institutional responsibilities with respect to the above-mentioned strategic themes.

Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators

44

86. In the table below, the interventions to be undertaken with respect to Strategic Theme 1 over the six year period of the RSDS have been mapped against each of the priority statistical themes.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS ACTIVITIES TIMEFRAME INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR

IMPLEMENTATION

ST1A01: National Accounts Statistics

Agreed annual national accounts tables for all Member States;

Regional annual data; Core staff at each Statistical

Office (NSO) competent in national accounts.

Produce and publish Member State (Member States) annual national accounts data

2013-2018, annually

National Statistical Office (NSO) of Member States

Compile and publish annual regional national accounts data

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Design and implement surveys to improve Member States data coverage

2013-2018 NSO of Member States

Design/implement training program for national accounts staff of Member States

Every two years SADC Secretariat /SADC Statistics Committee (SSC)

ST1A02: Business Statistics

Automated business registers for all Member States;

Business data annually for all Member States;

Regional data published; Core staff competent in

business surveys and business registers at each NSO.

Produce and publish annual Member States business statistics

2013-2018, annually

NSO of Member States

Compile and publish regional annual business statistics

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A03: Price Statistics

Consumer Price Indices and Producer Price Indices published monthly basis by all Member States;

Regional Harmonised Consumer Price Index (HCPI) published monthly;

Competent core price statistics staff at each NSO.

Produce and publish annual Member States price statistics

2013-2018, monthly


Compile and publish regional monthly regional price statistics

2013-2018, HCPI monthly and the rest annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A04: Balance of Payments (BOP) Statistics

Annual BOP for all Member States;


Produce and publish annual Member States BOP statistics

2013-2018, quarterly

NSO of Member States /Central Banks of Member States

Compile and publish regional annual regional BOP statistics

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat /Secretariat of Committee of Central Bank Governors (CCBG)

ST1A05: International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

IMTS for monthly for all Member States;

An updated SADC Integrated Trade Statistics Database (ITSD).

Produce and publish monthly Member States IMTS

2013-2018, monthly


Update ITSD/ disseminate regional IMTS

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Hold consultative meeting to strengthen collaboration between NSOs and Customs Administrations in Member States

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat / NSO of Member States/ Customs Administrations of Member States

Design/implement uniform format for Member States data submission for ITSD.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat / NSO of Member States/ Customs Administrations of Member States

ST1A06: Tourism Statistics

Tourism data for all Member States, annually;

Regional tourism data

Produce and publish annual Member States tourism data

2013-2018, quarterly


Compile and publish annual 2013-2018, SADC Secretariat

45

EXPECTED OUTPUTS ACTIVITIES TIMEFRAME INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION

published annually. regional tourism data annually

Implement measures to strengthen the collaborative process between stakeholder agencies in Member States.

2013-2018 NSO of Member States/ SADC Secretariat

ST1A07: International Trade in Services (ITS) Statistics

Statistics on statistics on ITS for all Member States, annually;


Competent core staff in ITS at each NSO.

Produce and publish annual Member States ITS

Every 2-3 years NSO of Member States

Compile and publish regional ITS

Every 2-3 years SADC Secretariat

Implement measures to strengthen the collaborative process between the various stakeholder agencies in MS.


ST1A08: Investment Statistics

Data on investment for all Member States, annually;

Regional data published; Competent core staff in

investment statistics at each NSO.

Produce and publish annual Member States investment statistics

Every 2-3 years NSO of Member States

Compile and publish regional investment statistics

Every 2-3 years SADC Secretariat

Implement measures to strengthen the collaborative process between stakeholder agencies in Member States.


ST1A09: Government Financial Statistics (GFS)

Statistics on GFS for all Member States, annually;


Produce and publish annual Member States GFS.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional GFS.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Implement steps to increase Member States data coverage in line with IMF’s GFS Manual.


ST1A10: Monetary and Finance Statistics

Comparable data on banking and finance sector for all Member States, annually;


Produce and publish annual financial statistics.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional statistics.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Implement steps to strengthen the collaboration among stakeholder agencies.


ST1A11 Infrastructure Statistics (ST1A11-1: Road Transport Statistics, ST1A11-2: Railway Transport Statistics, ST1A11-3: Air Transport Statistics, ST1A11-4: Maritime Transport Statistics).

Statistics for all Member States on road on road, railway, air and maritime transport;


Produce and publish basic Member States statistics on road, railway, air and maritime transport.

2013-2018, annually


Secretariat publishes regional statistics on road, railway, air and maritime transport.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A12: Energy Statistics

Statistics for all Member States on electricity generated, exports and imports;

Statistics on petroleum

Produce and publish basic Member States statistics on energy.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional statistics on energy.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

46


production, imports, and exports by all Member States; Regional energy data published annually.

ST1A13: Water Supply and Sanitation Statistics

Data for all Member States

on: water accessibility, water

usage, water, water tariffs

and prices;

Regional data published

annually.

Produce and publish basic MS statistics on water.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional statistics on water.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A14: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Statistics

Statistics on ICT available each year for all Member States;


Produce and publish basic Member States statistics on ICT.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional statistics on railway ICT.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Design/implement of training programme in ICT statistics for Member States.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC

ST1A15: Meteorology Statistics

Statistics on Meteorology annually for all Member States;


Produce and publish basic Member State statistics on Meteorology.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Compile and publish regional statistics on Meteorology.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A16: Agriculture Statistics

Statistics for all Member States on: the structure and production of the agriculture sector, prices agricultural products, etc.;

Functional SADC Agricultural Information Management Systems (AIMS) and Livestock Information Management System (LIMS);

Food balance sheets for Member States and the region published, annually.

Member States publish annual agricultural data.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional data.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

Implement steps to strengthen the collaboration among stakeholder agencies in Member States.


ST1A17: Environment Statistics

Environment statistics for all Member States, annually;


Capacity for all Member States to the compile environment statistics.

Produce and publish Member States environment statistics.

2013-2018, annually


Compile and publish regional environment statistics.

2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat

ST1A18: Population and Housing Censuses (PHC)/Household Surveys

Data on levels and changes in population and related social variables for all Member States;

Regional data published; Competent core staff at each

NSO to plan, manage, and execute census/ survey operations;

Strengthened capacity in Member States to analyse and disseminate demographic data.

Execute PHC/surveys and publish Member States population and related statistics, including population projections.


Compile and publish regional population and related statistics.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat

Implement steps to strengthen capacity for analysis, dissemination, and usage of Census data and Social and Demographic Analysis in


47


Member States.

ST1A19: Civil and Vital Registration Systems

Enhanced civil and vital registration systems in all Member States;

Quality vital statistics annually for all Member States;


Produce and publish basic Member States annual vital statistics.


Compile and publish regional annual vital statistics.


ST1A20: Migration Statistics

Data for all Member States on immigrants and emigrants;

Regional data datasets.

Activities similar to ST1A19: Civil and Vital Registration Systems, above.


ST1A21: Poverty and Income Distribution Statistics

Poverty indicators incorporated in regular surveys for all Member States;

Data on poverty for all Member States;




ST1A22: Health Statistics

Functional health information systems in all Member States;

Health statistics for all Member States, annually;

Regional data published by Secretariat.


2013-2018, annually


ST1A23: Education Statistics

Statistics on the education system, outputs, processes, and resources published by all Member States annually;



2013-2018, annually

Member States

ST1A24: Research & Development & Innovation indicators

innovation, research, and development published by all Member States;



2013-2018, Every 2-3 years

Member States

ST1A25: Labour Market Statistics

Statistics on unemployment, etc. for all Member States;



2013-2018, Every 2-3 years

Member States

ST1A26: Gender Statistics

Gender statistics for all Member States annually;



2013-2018, Every 2-3 years

Member States

ST1A27: Crime Statistics

Crime statistics for all Member States;



2013-2018, Every 2-3 years

SADC Secretariat

ST1A28: Governance Statistics

Data for all Member published, annually;



2013-2018, Every 2-3 years

Member States

48

Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics

87. The typical processes entailed in regional harmonisation of data for a prioritised statistical domain in order to facilitate comparability of statistics generated by the different Member States can be visualised as below.

88. Whereas some activities have to be managed at a regional level, others will be coordinated at national level. Two key dimensions of harmonisation include:

(i) Adoption of common concepts, definitions, standards, nomenclatures and methodologies based on international recommendations and guidelines adjusted to specific requirements of the region; and

(ii) Harmonisation of tools: definition and use of common tools (e.g. GIS, ICT, survey tools, etc.).

89. In the table below, the interventions to be undertaken under Strategic Theme 2 over the next six year period has been mapped against each of the priority statistical themes for the harmonisation programme.


ST2A01: Harmonisation of National Accounts in SADC/Migration to SNA 2008

Regional programme for migrating to 2008 SNA;

SADC manual with common standards, sources and methods based on the 2008 SNA;

Harmonized data based on 2008 SNA for all Member States.

Set in motion harmonising process/ re-establish regional Technical Working Group (TWG) for coordinated development of national accounts.

2013-2018 SSC

Develop programme for harmonisation of national accounts and migration to 2008 SNA in SADC.

2013-2018 TWG/ Focal Point

User-Needs Assessment/establish baseline situation.


Definition of targeted comparability level (subject-matter scope, concepts and definitions, classifications, etc.), implementation plan, stakeholder roles, etc.


Design relevant training program for NSO implementing staff / Continuous training.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC/ NSO of Member States

Implementation of the harmonisation process (regional and national work plans, customisation of guidelines)

2013-2018 SSC/ SADC Secretariat

Monitoring of and reporting on harmonisation process (data quality, comparability, dissemination of outputs)

2013-2018 SSC/ TWG/ Focal Point

Harmonisation

Concepts Definitions Classifications Methodology Standards Processes

Existing Statistics and Processes

Members states Different levels of capacity National statistics Regional statistics

SADC to SADC co-operation

Harmonised Statistics

Comparable national statistics

Core set of regional statistics

Consistent and systematic approaches

49


ST2A02: Harmonisation of Business Statistics






Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of business statistics.

2013-2018 SSC

Develop programme for harmonisation of business statistics in SADC.












ST2A03: Harmonisation of Informal Sector statistics






Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development informal sector statistics.

2013-2018 SSC

Develop programme for harmonisation of informal sector statistics in SADC.







2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC/ NSO of Member States





ST2A04: Harmonised Consumer Price Indices (HCPI)

International Comparison Program (ICP) data for all Member States;

Monthly HCPI published

Set in motion harmonising process/ formalise regional TWG for coordinated development of HCPI.

2013-2018 SSC

50


Develop programme for harmonisation of HCPI in SADC.












ST2A05: Harmonisation of International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

Harmonisation programme; Harmonised IMTS for all

Member States, published monthly;

Updated SADC ITSD; Manuals on common

standards, sources, and methods, available.

Set in motion harmonising process/ formalise regional TWG for coordinated development of IMTS.

2013-2018 SSC/ Focal Point

Subsequent Activities similar to second Activity under ST2A04: Harmonised Consumer Price Indices (HCPI), above.


ST2A06: Harmonisation of Population and Housing Censuses (PHC)/ Household Surveys


Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of PHC)/ Household Surveys in SADC.

2013-2018 SSC

Develop programme for harmonisation of PHC in SADC.







2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC/NSO of Member States






Harmonisation programme; Set in motion harmonising 2013-2018 SSC

51



Harmonized vital statistics published by all Member States, annually;


process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of Civil and Vital Registration Systems/ Statistics in SADC.

Subsequent Activities similar to second Activity under ST2A06: Harmonisation of Population and Housing Censuses (PHC)/ Household Surveys, above.

2013-2018

ST2A08: Harmonisation of Labour Market Statistics

Harmonised definition of unemployment for the region available;

Agreed uniform classifications available;

Manuals on labour market statistics in SADC available;

Harmonized statistics published by all Member States;


Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of labour market statistics.

2013-2018 SSC


2013-2018

ST2A09: Harmonisation of Poverty and Income Distribution Statistics

Harmonised definition of poverty agreed and available;


Harmonized statistics for all Member States;


Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of poverty and income distribution statistics.

2013-2018 SSC


2013-2018

ST2A10: Harmonisation of Gender Statistics

Priority data needs established and documented;

SADC Manuals on common standards and methods available;

Harmonized Gender Statistics for all Member States;


Set in motion harmonising process/ set up regional TWG for coordinated development of gender statistics.

2013-2018 SSC


2013-2018


90. The following initiatives will be implemented to improve service delivery by the SRSS and promote utilisation of statistics for decision making in the region.


ST3A01 Data Dissemination in SADC

Timely statistics disseminated for all Member States;

SADC Statistical Yearbook and Facts and Figures, published annually;

Functional regional data warehouse.

Prepare/ implement dissemination strategy for regional statistics.

2013-2018 Statistics Unit Secretariat

Establish regional statistical databases.


Promote web-based data dissemination across the region.


Collaborate with IMF for 2013-2018 SADC Secretariat

52


Member States to subscribe to GDDS/ SDDS.

Facilitate training in data analysis.

SADC Secretariat

ST3A02 Advocacy for Statistics in SADC

Advocacy strategy available; Annual report on sensitization

programme for key stakeholders;

Annual report on interaction with data providers, suppliers and users of statistics.

Prepare/implement strategy to inform key stakeholders.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC/ NSO of MS

Establish interactive mechanisms for data producers/ suppliers/ user.


Present statistics issues at national/ regional/ international, fora.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat / SSC

Training in NSO staff in public relations.


Strategic Theme 4: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS

91. The following initiatives will be implemented within the framework of Strategic Theme 4 to improve statistical coordination both at the national and regional level.


ST4A01 Strengthening coordination and management of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS)

SADC Statistics Protocol produced, and ratified by Member States;

Functional SSC; Functional TWGs.

Facilitate the drafting of the SADC Statistics Protocol.


Promote signing and ratification of Statistics Protocol by Member States.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat / NSO of Member States

Annual SSC meeting. 2013-2018, annually

SADC Secretariat /SSC

Set up Technical Working Groups (TWGs)/Conduct TWG meetings.

2013-2018, meetings annually

SADC Secretariat /SSC

ST4A02 Strengthening of the National Statistical Systems (NSSs) of SADC Member States

Functional statistics boards/ councils in all Member States.

Statistics identified as a crosscutting sector targeted for development in Member States and at Secretariat.

NSDS developed in each Member States;

Implemented NSDS in some of the Member States.

SADC Statistics Fund created; National Statistics Funds

created. Peer review reports on NSS’s.

Updating of Member States statistical legislations.


Lobby Member States to provide adequate resources for NSS.

2013-2018 SSC/NSO of Member States

Strengthen coordinating mechanisms for NSS’s.


Adoption data dissemination standards (GDDS and SDDS) by Member States.


Strategic Theme 5: Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region

92. The following initiatives will be implemented within the framework of Strategic Theme 5 to harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS ACTIVITIES TIMEFRAME INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR

IMPLEMENTATION

53


ST5A01 Data Sharing

Functional Protocols for data sharing between key stakeholders of the SRSS.

Promote use of compatible tools for data sharing in NSSs of Member States;

2013-2018 SSC

Create a regional data warehouse facility at Secretariat.


Develop procedures for statistical data security.


ST5A02 Data Dissemination and Storage

Functional statistical data warehouse;

Standardized dissemination tools.

Develop protocols for public to access regional data warehouse.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat]


93. The following initiatives will be implemented within the framework of Strategic Theme 6 to promote statistical

capacity building in the region.


ST6A01 Analytical Capacity

Cadre of stakeholder staff in Member States trained;

Staff at Secretariat trained.

Design/ conduct training in basic data analysis at the for professional staff of Directorates at Secretariat;


Design/ conduct training programme and materials for training in basic data analysis targeted at key users of official statistics within NSS of Member States.

2013-2018 NSO of Member States / SADC Secretariat

ST6A02 In-service Training

Functional in-service training programme at each NSO;

Relevant training materials, available.

Institutionalise training as an on-going activity/ set up NSO in-service training programmes/ use training materials from Regional Statistical Training Project, etc.

2013-2018 SSC/ NSO of Member States

ST6A03 Statistics Training Institutions

Active official statistics training programmes at training institutions in Member States.

Lobby universities/ training institutions to introduce official statistics as major subject.

2013-2018 SADC Secretariat /SSC / NSO of Member States.

Define national qualification accreditation frameworks for statisticians.

2013-2018 SSC/ NSO of Member States

Define accreditation framework for statistics courses/programmes in the region.


5.2 Business Plans

94. Business Plans (Annual Action Plans), will be the main instruments for operationalizing, implementing, and monitoring the SSP. Following the launch of the RSDS, annual implementation plans will be developed for each successive year. It will be prepared by the Statistics Unit with the strategic guidance of the SSC. Council, in principle, should approve each annual programme, which will be used as the basis for the budget of official regional statistics activities for the given year. It shall also be the basis for determining and articulating statistical obligations of various key stakeholders. In particular, each Business Plan shall articulate:

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(i) How to implement the multi-annual plan;

(ii) What SRSS is trying to achieve by statistical themes over the 6-year period of the RSDS and the

particular year;

(iii) The detailed activities for the particular year; and

(iv) Required resources.

5.3 Resourcing the Strategy

95. The resources needed to implement the RSDS, especially the SADC Statistical Programme (SSP) and respective annual Business Plans still need to be articulated in detail. It is foreseen that the main components of the cost for implementation of the RSDS will be related to the: enhancement of Statistical Capacity at SADC Secretariat; and activities of the SSC Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces to be established for purposes of driving and guiding the harmonisation programme. An appropriate resource mobilisation plan, including the funding options, is required and still needs to be separately articulated and developed. In addition, support of International Co-operating Partners in this respect should be sought as appropriate.

5.4 Institutional framework

96. In general, the institutional framework for implementation of the RSDS can be described as follows:

97. The table below describes the expected roles of the various key players of the SRSS.

INSTITUTION ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY

SADC Council of Ministers Council will provide overall policy guidance for statistical development in the region within the overall framework of the RISDP. It will also approve the RSDS, the SSP, and the annual regional statistical programmes through the SADC Statistics Committee.

SADC Statistics Committee Implementation of the RSDS will take place under the overall technical guidance

of the SADC Statistics Committee (SSC) comprising the Heads of the National

Statistics Offices of the Member States and the Statistics Unit at SADC

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INSTITUTION ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Secretariat.

The SSC will meet at least once a year to provide the necessary policy, strategic, and professional guidance for the development and execution of the annual regional statistics programmes within the framework of the Strategy. ANNEX I contains Proposed Terms of Reference for SADC Statistics Committee.

SADC Secretariat The role of the Secretariat includes: co-ordination of regional statistical

activities; design and implement prioritised regional statistical projects; provide

leadership and technical advice on harmonisation and standardisation issues; be

the central point for the development of official statistics regional database

systems; and to co-ordinate the regional statistical capacity building

development.

The Secretariat will be responsible for the preparation of the draft annual

programmes and relevant progress reports, based on the RSDS and SSP, for

submission to the SSC. ANNEX II contains: Proposed Statistical Functions for

Secretariat.

NSO/NSS The NSO for each respective Member State will be responsible for coordinating and ensuring effective implementation, at national level, of the RSDS and the related activities of the SSP and annual programmers.

SSC – Focal Points National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of some of the Member States will be designated by the SSC to serve as Focal Points (centres of excellence) and champion development efforts for specific statistical areas or statistical processes of common interest to the region as a whole. ANNEX III: Proposed Generic Terms of Reference for Focal Points.

SSC – Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces

Technical Working Groups (TWGs)/ Task Forces (TFs) will be established as deemed necessary and appropriate by the SSC for each identified statistical area or process. Each such group will comprise statistics specialists from Member States, representatives of SADC Secretariat. Focal Points will be designated to co-ordinate the activities of respective Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces. ANNEX IV contains Proposed Generic Terms of Reference for Technical Working Groups.

5.5 Statistical Capacity at SADC Secretariat

98. The limited statistical capacity at Secretariat was probably the most fundamental bottleneck to the full implementation of the 1998 Strategy. The realisation of the vision and mission of the SRSS as elaborated in the RSDS will obviously require enhanced statistical capacity and a new organizational structure for the Statistics Unit within the Policy, Planning and Resource Mobilisation Directorate at Secretariat.

99. To ensure the effective implementation of the RSDS and the sustainability of its results, the following structure and staffing level is proposed for the Unit:

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100. This represents the basic structure and the critical mass necessary to effectively roll-out and implement the Strategy.

101. In the interim, initial support for implementing the proposed structure could be sought within the frameworks of programmes funded by co-operating partners such as the European Union and the African Development Bank.

102. In the long term secondment of professional staff by Member States to the Statistics Unit of the Secretariat is an option that also needs to be considered.

5.6 Change management

103. Implementing the transformation processes brought about by the RSDS requires that a formal Change Management process be adopted by key stakeholders; most especially the Secretariat and National Statistical Systems of the Member States. Successful change will only be possible with high-level leadership and commitment from all managers.

5.7 Advocacy

104. A Public Relations programme to sensitize and inform the various stakeholders of their roles in facilitating the production of information for decision-making will be crucial for the successful implementation of the RSDS. Necessary mechanisms need to be established to facilitate greater interaction with data providers, suppliers and users of statistics. In particular this should include sensitization of the public, government agencies, business sector, etc., of their roles in facilitating the production quality official statistics.

5.8 Monitoring and Evaluation

105. Among other reasons, periodic monitoring of progress in implementation of the RSDS will be crucial and important for the following reasons:

(i) Ensuring that the plan is on track;

(ii) Ensuring that the objectives are being met;

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(iii) Ensuring that corrective measures can be taken before things get out of hand; and

(iv) Providing the essential link between the plan and actual activities of the implementation.

106. Examples of categories of indicators to be used for the purpose will include:

Statistics infrastructure;

Publications issued;

Human Resources Development

Financing;

Index of customer satisfaction; and

Degree of implementation of the African Charter on Statistics.

107. The following reports are proposed to be part of the monitoring framework:

Report By Whom When Distributed to Whom

Annual Work Plan SADC Secretariat June, each year SSC/Council

Annual Progress reports SADC Secretariat June, each year SSC/Council

Mid-Term Review Independent Reviewers 2016 SSC/Council

Final Review Independent Reviewers 2018 SSC/Council

5.9 Risks and Assumptions

108. The main assumptions and risks associated with the main Strategic Themes of the RSDS are articulated in the table below.

Strategic Theme Assumptions Risks

Strategic Theme 1: Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators

- Commitment of Member States to plan and execute sample surveys and censuses.

- Interest of Member States in emerging issues such as climate change, environmental, gender statistics, etc.

- Member States unable to conduct sample surveys/censuses.

- Conflict situation disrupting statistical in Member States.

- Poor articulation of regional statistical priorities.

- Inadequate commitment of Member States to provide data required for regional integration.

Strategic Theme 2: Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics

- Capacity of Member States to agree on common standards, sources, and methods suited for the region.

- Meetings/training for specialists from NSOs of Member States to map-out and guide the prioritised regional harmonisation programme, etc.

- Commitment and capacity of Member States to plan and execute sample surveys and censuses.

- Inability of Member States to execute surveys/censuses.

- Inadequate participation by the region in international fora where reviews and decisions on standards and methods are made.

- Unsuitable sources and methods of that do not accommodate political, economic, social, and cultural values circumstances of the region.


- Growing interest to reference statistical information and evidence-based policy making.

- Hosting of annual SSC meetings and attached publicity.

- Statistics not an integral part of the entire process of development planning, monitoring and evaluation in Member States.

- Lack of basic skills to handle data among key users.

- Inadequate trust in official statistics. - Inadequate advocacy for statistics at

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Strategic Theme Assumptions Risks

various national and regional policy levels.

Strategic Theme 4: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SRSS

- Increased political will to reform national statistical systems across the region.

- Regulatory framework increasing autonomy for statistical producers (NSOs, boards, councils, etc.) in Member States.

- National development frameworks increasingly recognising need for quality statistics for monitoring and evaluation.

- Lack of effective leadership for the autonomous NSOs.

Strategic Theme 5: Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region

- Growing and relatively high penetration rate of cellular networks and internet facilities.

- Growing international development in data-capturing technologies could minimize need for bulk movement of paper.

- Negative perceptions of technology as a security risk in Member States.

- High infrastructure costs for ICT development.


- Training institutes as well as capacity-building initiatives already exist on the continent.

- Inadequate coordination and succession planning initiative.

- Low retention rate for statisticians in Member States.

- Low interest in official statistics among training institutions in the region.

6 References

1. Ackim Jere, SADC Sectariat, and João Dias Loureiro, Instituto Nacional de Estatística, Mozambique, Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics for SADC-Motivational Note.

2. SADC Regional Statistical Training Project, (January 2005), Consolidated Report on Statistical Audits of National Statistical System of SADC Member States and the Desk Study of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and Protocols of SADC.

3. SADC Regional Statistical Training Project, (October 2005), Regional Statistical Training Strategy. 4. SADC Secretariat, (1992), THE Treaty of the Southern African Development Community. 5. Southern African Development Community, 2003, Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan. 6. SADC Secretariat, (May 2011), SADC Framework for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Working

paper. 7. SADC Secretariat, (5 August 2004), Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ on Politics, Defence and

Security Co-operation. 8. SADC Secretariat, (2010), SADC Statistics: Facts and Figures. 9. SADC Secretariat, (August 2011), Desk Assessment of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development

Plan, Draft Report. 10. SADC Secretariat, (February 2012), SADC Policy for the Strategic Development, Planning, Monitoring

and Evaluation. 11. SADC Secretariat, (December 2011), Integrated Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring System Statement

of User Requirements, (Version 1.0). 12. African Union Commission, African Development Bank, and United Nations Economic Commission

for Africa, (2010), Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA).

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ANNEX I: Proposed Terms of Reference for SADC Statistics Committee

The SADC Statistics Committee (SSC) comprising the heads of the national statistics offices of the Member States and the Statistics Unit at SADC Secretariat is the nucleus of the SRSS. The SSC provides policy, strategic, and professional guidance for the development and execution regional statistics programmes and meets for those purposes, at least once every year. Its terms of reference include to:

Define the role of statistics in the integration process;

Set priorities for statistical development (including training) in SADC;

Develop a SADC Statistical Programme;

Mobilize resources for and oversee the implementation of the SADC Statistical Programme;

Mobilize resources for the implementation of the SADC Statistical studies from time to time;

Develop protocols or legal instruments providing for uniform approaches to the implementation of the SADC Statistical System;

Promote and facilitate the secondment of regional statisticians to member states; and

Seek to achieve the comparability, standardization and harmonization of data processing, and statistical system and policies.

ANNEX II: Proposed Statistical Functions for SADC Secretariat

As stipulated in the 1998 Council Decision, the role of the Statistics Unit at Secretariat includes:

The co-ordination and rationalisation of all regional statistical activities;

To design and implement regional projects on prioritised statistical subject matter areas;

To provide leadership, professional and technical advice (think tank) on harmonisation and

standardisation issues; and

To be the central point for regional data and statistics including technical advice on the development of

official statistics regional database system (integration of integrated databases for subject-matter areas

e.g. trade, national accounts, prices, environment, gender, etc.).

ANNEX III: Proposed Generic Terms of Reference for Focal Points

The ultimate goals for the Focal Points, as specified, included to:

Achieve comparative advantage in the specific subject-matter areas or process assigned to them in terms of development of expertise, skills, and capacity;

Promote the adoption of best international practices and sharing of relevant experiences and knowledge within the region in the specific area or process;

Promote the sharing of relevant experience and knowledge through appropriate mechanism including staff exchange programmes, mentoring, and study visits;

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Establish networks of experts in the respective subject matter area or process for purposes of sharing knowledge and experiences among the member states;

Promote the enhancement and harmonisation of statistics in the SADC region through sharing of knowledge between Member States and learning from each other; and

Promote statistical capacity building for the benefit of all member states, in collaboration with the Secretariat.

ANNEX IV: Proposed Generic Terms of Reference for Technical Working Groups

Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces will be established in identified statistical areas, under the coordination of the SSC. Their Terms of Reference with respect to the implementation of the Strategy will include:

Adapting international standards and methods with respect to the specific statistical area or process to

the SADC circumstances and environment;

Developing draft standards and methods for the harmonization of statistics in SADC for the specific

statistical area or process;

Monitoring the implementation of adopted common standards and methods in the Member States;

Preparing progress reports on the harmonization of standards and methods in the SADC; and

Validating statistics from MEMBER STATES in line with adopted common standards for the region.

Each Task Forces/Working Groups will hold meetings at least twice a year under the auspices of the SSC. The

following table outlines the Task Forces/Working Groups currently foreseen for the 2013 – 2019 period.

Technical Working Group Main Tasks

1 SADC Statistics Protocol To support development of the Protocol.

2 Data Dissemination and Analysis Studies and recommends measures and standards to enhance data dissemination and sharing; promote use and analysis of SADC statistics; and sustain the regular production of the SADC Statistical Yearbook, Facts and the development of the SADC statistical databases.

3 ST2A01: Harmonisation of National Accounts in SADC/Migration to SNA 2008

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of national accounts statistics in SADC, including the co-ordinated migration to the 2008 SNA.

4 ST2A02: Harmonisation of Business Statistics

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of business statistics in SADC.

5 ST2A03: Harmonisation of Informal Sector statistics

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of informal sector statistics in SADC.

6 ST2A04: Harmonised Consumer Price Indices (HCPI)

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of Consumer Price Indices in SADC.

7 ST2A05: Harmonisation of International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of IMTS in SADC.

8 ST2A06: Harmonisation of Population and Housing Censuses

To adopt a regional approach for harmonisation of population and housing census data in SADC especially with respect to the 2020

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Technical Working Group Main Tasks

(PHC)/ Household Surveys round of population and housing censuses.

9 ST2A07: Harmonisation of Civil and Vital Registration Systems/ Statistics

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of statistics on vital events in SADC.

10 ST2A08: Harmonisation of Labour Market Statistics

To harmonise the processes for the collection, compilation and dissemination of labour market information in line with the SADC Labour Market Information System currently under development.

11 ST2A09: Harmonisation of Poverty and Income Distribution Statistics

To harmonise the approach in the region of defining poverty, including identification of sources and methods for relevant data collection, including MDGs

12 ST2A10: Harmonisation of Gender Statistics

Study, discuss, and recommend adoption of common standards (concepts, classifications and methodologies) towards improving comparability of Gender statistics in SADC.

Documents

REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICS · available relevant, quality harmonized statistical information for SADC planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation