Technical Assistance for African Countries' National Accounts

1. AFRICAN GROUP ON NATIONAL ACCOUNTS Addis Ababa 03-06 February, 2014 Technical assistance to african countries (Adopt modern and country‐adapted IT tools). Statistics Division Economic Affairs Department African Union Commission

2. OUTLINE • Introduction • Actions to be under taken Conclusion

3. IntrODUCTION • As you aware the Strategy for the Implementation of 2008 SNA in Africa was adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union which held in Kampala in July 2010 ; • After the Adoption, AUC, UNECA and AfDB developed a project document to implement the strategy

4. IntrODUCTION • During the meeting of AGNA which took place in February 2013 in Addis-Ababa, the AGNA Group decided to structure the activities of the project into to two phases (Phase 1: Three years and Phase 2: Two Years), and allocated responsibilities between the three Pan-African Institutions, RECs and Countries ; • One of the key activities of this project is the Activity 1.1.1: Assist and support Member States to adopt and apply modern and country‐adapted IT tools. • And AUC is leading this activity under the continental secretary

5. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission • AUC via the Secretariat sent the questionnaire to all African countries to collect the information on IT tools that they are using to compile National Account, • After that AUC will produce a report on “IT-Tools used to compile national accounts” in African countries.

6. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission The Commission will classify countries into three groups • Group 1: Countries that are using ERETES to compile national accounts; • Group 2: countries that are using other IT tools to compile national accounts; • Group 3: Countries are not using IT tools to compile of national accounts;

7. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission Group 1 • Before the end of the year 2014, African Union Commission will organize basic and advance training for the all African Countries on regional basic

8. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission Group 1 • After this training at the regional level, African Union Commission will send to those countries, experts to support these countries in the use of ERETES software. But sending experts will be based on country demand.

9. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission Group 2 • For countries that use different software other than ERETES, the Commission will send experts in these countries to build their capacities in using for their respective these tools and also assist in the maintenance of the software. In these countries, the Commission will advocate for migration from their IT tools to ERETES software;

10. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission Group 3 • For countries that do not use the software to compile national accounts, the Commission will train them on the use of ERETES software for the compilation of national accounts. • Train of trainers to countries experts. • Experts can be sent to countries based on their demand.

11. Actions to be under taken by African Union Commission • African Union Commission in collaboration with INSEE and Eurostat will find ways and means to acquire ERETES software to their countries and its maintenance; • All activities listed below will be undertaken during the year 2014,

12. CoNCLUSIOn • Strengthening the capacities of countries in using IT tool for the compilation of national accounts is very important for the improvement of the production of national accounts in Africa and also the implementation of the 2008 SNA. • The Commission also plans to set up a system of monitoring and evaluation on the use of IT tools for the compilation of national accounts in Africa.

13. Thank for your kind attention