Story by Tichaona Kurewa
VICTORIA FALLS – THE 33rd Southern African Development Community (SADC) Statistics Committee Meeting opened in Victoria Falls with the regional bloc applauding Zimbabwe for its notable advancements in modernising and standardising national statistical systems.
Speaking at the official opening, Ms Angele Makombo N’tumba, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, said Zimbabwe’s progress in statistical development now serves as a regional benchmark, especially in aligning data systems with national, regional and global development frameworks.
“When we compare across the 16 SADC member states, Zimbabwe is clearly on track in improving data collection, monitoring, and overall statistical systems. Without accurate data, effective planning in social and economic sectors becomes impossible. Zimbabwe’s advancements offer a model worth emulating,” she said.
Statistics are regarded as a cornerstone of evidence-based development planning and are instrumental in measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the SADC Vision 2050.
Representing the government, Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Honourable David Mnangagwa, acknowledged the regional recognition and reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to international best practices in official statistics.
“ZIMSTAT is well aligned with both regional and international statistical standards. Our data is precise and reliable. Even institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and African Development Bank rely on our statistics, sometimes without any direct incentive to do so. This shows the strength of our systems. Conferences like this are crucial for evaluating whether we are applying the correct parameters and benchmarks both nationally and regionally. In this regard, Zimbabwe can indeed be proud of the solid statistical foundation we’ve built,” he said
The meeting also discussed the need for member states to ratify the SADC Protocol on Statistics, which is crucial for its full operationalisation.
Once ratified, the protocol is expected to significantly enhance the credibility and reliability of official statistics across the region.
In addition, delegates are reviewing the implementation of resolutions from previous meetings and are working on a forward-looking strategy to guide the region’s statistical development in the medium term.
Held under the theme of strengthening regional cooperation in statistical development, this year’s meeting is a critical milestone in building a harmonised and credible data environment across the SADC region.
