Announcement of 10th ASSD by ASSD Chairperson: Mr Pali Lehohla (South Africa’s Statistician-General)

I am greatly honoured as the Chairperson of the Africa Symposia on Statistical Development (ASSD) to be entrusted with the responsibility of making the clarion call for the statistical community to meet in the Origins of the Nile River– the land of bananas– Uganda. The meeting to be held on 13–15 January 2015 in the monumental Munyonyo Conference Centre overlooking the expansive Lake Victoria in Kampala has the distinct character of being a special event. Its uniqueness is aptly enveloped in the theme: “A Decade of Statistical Development; Revolutionising Censuses and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics towards Africa Agenda 2063”.

The 10th ASSD marks a special milestone in the revitalisation of statistics in Africa. Particularly, the past ten years have witnessed a revival of statistics in Africa through the setting up and resuscitation of pertinent statistical forums and initiatives led by various stakeholders such as the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and others. The revitalisation voyage has been captured in a book by Professor Ben Kiregyera which will be launched during the symposium. The symposium will also mark the 10-year celebration of the African Statistics Journal. The discussions of this symposium will delve specifically into the topical issues of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, data revolution, and the 2020 Round of Population and Housing Censuses.

I hope to see you in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, soon.