The Executive Director and Chief Statistician of Uganda, Dr. Chris N. Mukiza, on Thursday morning delivered Uganda’s submission at the 4th Session of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Statistics Committee meeting in Mombasa.
The high-level forum brought together statisticians and policymakers from across the IGAD member states to review progress in implementing the IGAD Regional Strategy for Development Statistics.
The committee is also charting new strategic directions aimed at strengthening the IGAD Regional Statistics System and ensuring the long-term sustainability of statistical activities in the region.
In his remarks, Dr. Mukiza emphasized the urgent need for robust data security and infrastructure among National Statistics Offices (NSOs).
He encouraged member states to invest in data backup and disaster recovery centers, stressing that data loss remains one of the top risks confronting statistical agencies across Africa.
“Statistics are the backbone of evidence-based policy and regional integration. Without strong mechanisms for data preservation and recovery, the progress we have made in harmonizing and modernizing statistical systems could be easily reversed,” Dr. Mukiza noted.
The meeting also provided a platform for delegates to share lessons on statistical reforms, financing challenges, and innovations to enhance regional data comparability.
The IGAD Secretariat highlighted the importance of reliable statistics for driving the bloc’s development agenda, including trade integration, food security, and conflict prevention initiatives.
The 4th IGAD Statistics Committee Session is expected to conclude with concrete resolutions on enhancing coordination, capacity-building, and resource mobilization for statistics across the region.