Statistics is the compass that guides Africa’s dev’t aspirations – Ethiopia’s Deputy PM

Addis Ababa, December 3, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Truneh, underscored the central role of statistics in shaping Africa’s development during the opening of the 19th Regular Meeting of the Committee of Directors-General of African National Statistics Offices (CoDGs) at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Temesgen described statistics as “the compass that guides Africa’s development aspirations—and turns them into reality.” He emphasized that evidence-based data must underpin policymaking and development programs across the continent.

“Today, we opened the 19th Regular Meeting of the Committee of Directors-General of African National Statistics Offices here in Addis Ababa. And we did so with a simple truth in mind: if we want to build the Africa we imagine, we must ground our work in facts, in evidence, and in data we can trust,” he said.

Highlighting Ethiopia’s own reforms, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that statistics lie at the center of the country’s Ten-Year Development Plan and ongoing economic modernization. “We are modernizing the Ethiopian Statistics Service because every policy we craft, every development program we launch, every decision we make must stand on the solid foundation of credible, timely data,” he added.

Temesgen called on African nations to strengthen the institutional independence of their national statistics offices, secure sustainable financing for statistical systems, and establish a harmonized continental data ecosystem.

He argued that robust statistical systems are essential for a “prosperous, more confident, more united Africa.”

The 19th CoDGs session, which convenes heads of national statistics offices and international partners, continues throughout the week at the AU Headquarters, focusing on harmonizing statistical practices and improving data-driven policymaking across Africa.