IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Modern tools of communication and dissemination of data create greater possibilities for access, understanding and use.  Stats SA and the African Development Bank have created the attached animation to tell the story of trade potential in Africa.

The Statistician-General (SG) for South Africa, Mr Pali Lehohla, will share a presentation with the 24^th African Union Summit. The presentation focuses on the importance of industrialisation and trade in achieving the African Union agenda (Africa 2063). The presentation shows that trade between African countries is low, and describes  the importance of guiding policy towards enhancing trade, breaking down the barriers to trade and promoting the integration of markets.

Mr Lehohla will demonstrate how the application of statistical techniques to raw data collected via the International Comparison Programme (ICP) could identify regional consumption markets, which could in turn be used to guide industrial policy through interrogating prospects for regional consumption markets to meet demand.

The presentation speaks to the importance of ensuring that policy decisions are backed by data. The SG encourages African countries to learn from each other and to use the data which is available to lower the barriers to trade, thereby creating a continental economy which will strengthen each member country and create a prosperous, industrialised Africa.

View the video below