The strengthening of statistical capacity in African countries, the launch of Africa's Information Highway, and a new book outlining guidelines for building statistical business registers were among the topics discussed at a meeting convened by the Statistics Department of the African Development Bank Group, in Gaborone, Botswana, on Sunday, February 16.

The meeting brought together heads of National Statistical Offices from the Bank's regional member countries (RMCs) and international experts to discuss the important role statistics play in the development of the continent. The event, which discussed progress and activities being undertaken under the Bank's Statistical Capacity Building Program for its RMCs, was a preparatory meeting for the 9th Africa Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD), which runs from Monday, February 17 to Friday, February 21, in the Botswanan capital.

Chairing the discussions were Charles Lufumpa, Director of the AfDB Department of Statistics; Oliver Chinganya, Manager of the Bank's Statistical Capacity Building Division; and Beejaye Kokil, Manager of the AfBD's Economic and Social Statistics Division.

Presentations were delivered by the PARIS21 Secretariat, the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda and the AfDB.

The five-day African statistics symposium brings together about 450 participants representing African countries' statistics and civil registration offices, pan-African institutions, economists, researchers, statisticians, analysts and development partners.

The 9th ASSD is jointly organized by the AfDB, Botswana Statistics, Statistics South Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC). This year's theme focuses on "Promoting the use of civil registration and vital statistics in support of good governance in Africa."