Work Programme - Statistics South Africa

2.6 Promoting international cooperation and participation in statistics
The Statistics Act (Act No. 6 of 1999) provides for the Statistician-General to participate in international statistical activities
and build relations with international statistical role players. The Act further directs the Statistician-General to endeavour to
as well as to represent Stats SA internationally on statistical matters.
Africa has made many attempts to address socio-economic, political and cultural integration. There have been several
initiatives, and policy decisions have been adopted by African political leaders to accelerate the integration of the continent
in a bid to position Africa irreversibly on the path to development.
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been implemented, enabling statistics authorities to advance their mission of meeting user demands for statistics. However,
in spite of these remarkable efforts, producers of statistics at national, regional and continental level share the weakness of
statistics not being sustainable. In order to address this challenge, the Heads of State and Government adopted the African
Charter on Statistics in 2009, which serves not only as a legal instrument to regulate statistical activities on the continent,
but also as a tool for advocacy and the development of statistics in Africa. Following the endorsement of the Charter, the
Strategy for the Harmonisation of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA) was adopted in 2010. Its objective is to enable the African
Statistics System (ASS) to generate and disseminate timely, reliable, and harmonised statistical data, covering all aspects
of political, economic, social, and cultural integration for the continent. Together, these two initiatives will contribute to the
attainment of the continental integration agenda, which is an overarching goal of African leaders.
Strategic objective:
Objective statement:
Promote international cooperation and participation in statistics
Ensure alignment with international standards, best practice and statistical skills development by
increasing participation, sharing and learning in international statistical initiatives on an ongoing
basis
Baseline: Number of international papers/documents compiled: 3
This objective will contribute to promoting the harmonisation of statistics in Africa,
strengthening statistical capacity on the continent, promoting international statistical best
practices and building international partnerships
Links:
This objective will contribute to creating a better Africa and a better world
the South Africa I know, the home I understand