African Group on Statistical Training and Human Resources agrost report of the meeting Cairo, Egypt

1. Background

After consultations with the key partners, the Secretariat of AGROST convened a meeting in the margins of the Sixth Africa Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD), held in Cairo, Egypt, from 31^st October to 02^nd November 2010. AGROST members met on the 3^rd of November 2010 at the Intercontinental City Stars Hotel.

2. Opening remarks

He stressed the fact that AGROST has been created to deal with issues pertaining to both initial training as well as the on-the-job training.

He mentioned that the Bujumbura meeting held in June 2009 clearly defined the objectives, the terms of reference and the memberships of AGROST.

He emphasized the fact that the last StatCom-Africa, held in January 2010, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, endorsed AGROST as one of its Working Groups; therefore, the current meeting must take stock of what has been done since then what has not been done and what are the impeding factors. As per one of the recommendations made by StaCom-Africa II, ECA has nominated one staff on a full time basis to coordinate the Secretariat of AGROST. He however mentioned that this role could only be effective if all the partners provide the Secretariat with information related to their activities on the ground.

He concluded by thanking all partners that support statistical training activities in Africa and especially those who have contributed to the organization of the current meeting namely the AfDB, Paris21 and InWent.

Mr. Oumar SARR, as Secretary of AGROST, presented the objectives and the draft agenda of the meeting for discussion and approval by participants.

3. Objectives of the meeting

The agenda was adopted with minor amendments proposed by Paris21.

4. Proceedings

   1. Activities conducted under AGROST since January 2010

Before listing activities conducted, the Secretariat recalled the objectives of AGROST.

The main objective of AGROST is to ensure the coordination of activities and initiatives in support of statistical training and human resources development in Africa. This coordination is to take place at three different levels namely ongoing activities and initiatives, project planning, as well as alignment of Technical and Financial Partners support to statistical training in Africa. As specific objectives, AGROST has:

• 
  To centralise information on initiatives and programmes in support of statistical training and ensure their monitoring;
  
• 
  To ensure a permanent forum for the exchange of information and best practices on statistical training and human resources development in African National Statistical Systems.
  

ECA has nominated one professional Staff on a full time basis to serve the Secretariat since February 2010. Since then, the Secretariat has conducted the following activities:

• 
  Online discussion forum in place;
  
• 
  Updated list of Statistical Training Centres in AFRICA;
  
• 
  Proposed a list of topics to be discussed online and invitations to the forum sent to all members and stakeholders;
  
• 
  Come up with a questionnaire for gathering Needs and Capacity Assessment;
  
• 
  Prepared a Proposal of Statistical Training Programme for Africa (STPA);
  
• 
  Prepared a Proposal of Statistical Training in the framework of the Global Strategy to Improve the Agricultural and Rural Statistics;
  
• 
  Conducted one Mission to ENSEA-Abidjan: the purpose of that mission was to discuss the proposal of the Statistical Training Programme for Africa (STPA);
  
• 
  Conducted one joint Mission to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with AfDB, World Bank and Paris21: the purpose of that mission was to explore the possibility of creating a statistical training institute in DRC;
  
• 
  Contacts have been established with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the International Statistical Institute (ISI), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Statistical Office of the European Union (EUROSTAT): all these contacts have been made with the purpose of establishing joint programmes with partners;
  
• 
  Proposed training programmes in the next ECA biennium (2012-2013).
  

• 
  Training of Trainers (TOT) for participants from both partner institutions in technical and didactical skills of e-learning ;
  
• 
  TOT in public relations and Statistics
  
• 
  International leadership training to one selected person from each of the two institutions.
  

Paris21 has been involved in various missions on the National Strategies of Development of Statistics to ensure that the training component is well care of account. Specifically, Paris21 organized joint missions with ECA, InWent and other partners to Djibouti, Liberia, DR Congo and Gambia.

The AfDB is implementing Phase II Capacity Building Programme in which it provides technical and financial support to Six Statistical Training Centres (STCs) in Africa, namely; ISEA-Makerere University, EASTC- Dar –es – Salaam, ENSEA- Abidjan, ENSAE – Senegal, ISEA – Rabat and ISSEA – Cameroon. It also organizes expert groups meetings and workshops at regional and sub regional levels in areas of national accounts, prices, infrastructure, gender, labour statistics, among other in which STCs participate.

ENSEA of Abidjan is going to train students at “Techniciens supérieurs” level in Madagascar and is ensuring harmonization of programmes. ENSEA is also building partnership with ISAE, Makerere University by conducting joint researches, staff exchange and improving mutually their Lecturers’ and students’ proficiency in French and English languages. ENSEA is now open to English speaking countries; in this regard, students coming from South Africa, Liberia and Sierra Leone are currently trained at ENSEA.

Botswana University has developed syllabus for SADC member countries and has started a PhD Degree programme.

2. Statistical Training Programme for Africa (STPA)

1. Studies

• 
  Update the list of African statistical training centers (Institutes and University Departments) and programs by different levels of initial training;
  
• 
  Assessment Study on statistical training needs and capacity;
  
• 
  Analysis of the training components within existing NSDSs or NSDSs under development;
  
• 
  Study on Harmonization of curricula and standardization of qualifications offered by different STCs;
  

3. Curricula development;

4. Sub regional workshops on the dissemination of developed materials;

5. Meetings of Heads of STCs;

6. Joint researches;

7. Study tours for lecturers for improving language skills;

8. Students exchange programmes;

9. Equipping of Libraries;

10. Young statisticians;

11. Provision of Short term expertise to STCs and NSOs in specialized areas incl. provision of materials;

12. Study tours, exchange programmes, and twinning arrangements across NSOs;

13. Induction-Tutorage-Mentoring Facility for Heads of NSOs/Statistical Boards;

14. Fellowships;

15. Regional workshops for training of trainers;

16. E-learning;

17. Regional workshops for training of Communications Officers at NSOs (communicating statistics);

18. Regional workshops for training of Heads of Coordination Units at NSOs.

The estimated budget for the three years programme is USD $ 11,887,405.00.

The meeting approved the programme and called upon Technical and Financial Partners to select whatever activities they want to fund and to ensure their proper funding and implementation.

3. Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSIARS)

• 
  Research under the leadership of FAO;
  
• 
  Statistical Training under the leadership of ECA under the auspice of AGROST; and
  
• 
  Technical Assistance under the leadership of the AfDB.
  

In the margins of the last ICAS-V held in Kampala, in October 2010, a Round Table of Donors was organized to let them know about the African Implementation Plan and to call upon them to sponsor the programme. The Africa Region, unlike, other regions, is ready to start its activities from the first quarter of 2011. The donors who were present manifested their interest to funds activities of the Global Strategy and in particular the African Implementation Plan. A second Round Table of Donors will be organized in the margins of the UN StatCom to garner support from more partners.

4. Partnership

InWent and Paris21 informed the participants about the assessment made through the NSDS on the training side.

5. Way forward

With regard to the AGROST plan of actions for 2011/2012, the Secretariat has to prepare a work plan by end of December 2010. To that end, partners should provide the Secretariat with their respective programmes by 25 November 2010 for consolidation.

For funding the STPA, the meeting asked the Secretariat to see how it will be possible to organize a meeting of Technical and Financial Partners in the margins of the UN Statistical Commission planned for February 21011.

The Secretariat called upon participants to start thinking about the curricula to be developed in the framework of the Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics.

6. Conclusions

The meeting asked the Secretariat to study the mechanism of renewing the membership of AGROST.

The meeting invited the Secretariat to produce regular reports to share among members; to this end, all partners were invited to provide the Secretariat with inputs related to their activities on the ground.

The meeting agreed to add University of Ibadan Nigeria as a member of AGROST.

The meeting welcomed the commitment made by InWent to create an AGROST Portal.

On the mechanism of coordination and collaboration, participants called upon all partners to share information with the Secretariat for better coordination and collaboration.

The Secretariat clarified the issue of membership of AGROST. It is clear that the list of members is the one set up during the meeting organized in Bujumbura (see appendix); but, during the StatCOM-Africa, any country and/or participants has the right to join any Working Group. ?

The participants requested the Secretariat to arrange for the next meeting around May or June 2011 in collaboration with partners.

7. AGROST Membres / Members

• 
  Southern African Development Community (SADC)
  
• 
  Common Market for Eastern et Southern Africa (COMESA)
  
• 
  Communauté Économique Des États d’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) / Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS);
  
• 
  Communauté Économique des États d’Afrique Centrale (CEEAC)
  
• 
  Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA) / Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA);
  
• 
  East African Community (EAC)
  

• 
  African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
  
• 
  AFRISTAT
  
• 
  Banque Africaine de Développement (BAD) / African Development Bank (AfDB)
  
• 
  Banque mondiale / World Bank
  
• 
  Commission de l’Union Africaine / African Union Commission (AUC)
  
• 
  Commission Économique pour l’Afrique (CEA) / United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
  
• 
  France / French Cooperation
  
• 
  InWent
  
• 
  La Commission Européenne / EUROSTAT / European Commission/EUROSTAT
  
• 
  PARIS21
  
• 
  Royaume-Uni / UK Department for International Development (DFID)
  
• 
  Banque Islamique de Développement / Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
  
• 
  Statistics Norway
  

8. List of participants

   	NAME	INSTITUTION	Office Phone	Phone Mob	FAX	EMAIL
   1	Adalbert Nshimyumuremyi	AfDB	+216 711 03 643			a.nshimyumuremyi@afdb.org
   2	Ajayi O. O.	AfDB Consultant	+234 906 000 40 75			ooajayi611@yahoo.com
   3	Leonette Ester Luiselsa Mabjaia	National Statistical School Mozambique	+258 82 47 33 260		+258 21 49 00 35	leonette.mabjaia@ine.go.mz or leonettemabjaia@hotmail.com
   4	Amira Gamal El Din	Capmas	2013 50 88 20		+224 024 399	amira-gamaleldin@hotmail.com
   5	Mohamad Zaid	Capmas	+201 290 14 953		+224 837 324	zaid_moh@hotmail.com
   6	Alieu S. M. Ndow	Gambia Bureau of Statistics	+220 43 77 847			asmndow@yahoo.com
   7	Amegashie Freeman	Afristat	+223 20 21 55 80		+223 20 21 11 40	amegashie@afristat.org
   8	Blazyk Samuel	Paris21	+331 4524 9035			samuel.blazyk@oecd.com
   9	Dansokho Mady	ENSAE Senegal	+221 77 650 65 70			bendansokho@yahoo.fr
   10	Prof Evina Akam	IFORD - Yaoundé	+237 77 98 60 08		+237 22 23 67 93	evinaakam@yahoo.fr or evina@iford-cm.org
   11	Bahemuka Stephen	AfDB	+216 7110 27 22		+216 7110 3743	s.bahemuka@afdb.org
   12	Oumar Sarr	UNECA	+251 11 544 3416	+251 911 55 00 21		osarr@uneca.org
   13	Awa Thiongane	UNECA	+251 11 544 3451			athiongane@uneca.org
   14	Dr John Olaomi	Botswana Univ.	+267 355 4501	+267 - 73442646		olutunji.olaomi@mopipi.ub.bw
   15	Ackim Jere	SADC	+267 3951 863		+267 3972 848	ajere@sadc.int
   16	Ndayishimiye Nicolas	ISTEEBU	+257 22 21 67 34		+257 22 22 2635	nicmuso@yahoo.fr
   17	raveloma Gerard	INSTAT	+261 20 21 21 652		+261 20 22 332 50	dginstat@moov.mg
   18	Emp Sindato	EASTC	+255 784 784319		+255 732 99 1395	ceo@eastc.ac.tz
   19	Thomas Wollnik	InWent	+49 228 44 60 1252		+49 228 44 60 1356	thomas.wolnik@inwent.org
   20	John B. Male Mukasa	UBOS	+256 777 771 928		+256 414 237 553	john.malemukasa@ubos.org
   21	Agnes M. N. Ssekiboobo	ISAE Makere Univ. Uganda	+256 772 49 22 60		+256 414 530 756	director@isae.mak.uc.ug or agssekiboobo@isae.mak.ac.ug or agssekiboobo@yahoo.com
   22	Sane Congo Aissata	INSD Burkina faso	+226 70 29 45 38			saneaissata@yahoo.fr
   23	Dimitri Sanga	UNECA	+251 11 544 3050			sanga@un.org
   24	Koffi NGuessan	ENSEA Abidjan	+225 22 44 08 42		+225 22 44 39 88	nguessan@ensea.ed.ci
   25	Yeo Dossina	AUC	+251 11 55 19 287		+251 11 551 02 49	dossinayeo@africa-union.org

9. Agenda of the Meeting