Macro Development and Statistics

The impact of the Data Revolution on development planning

The Capacity Development Division (CDD) of ECA, in collaboration with the African Centre for Statistics (ACS), organized a High Level Policy Dialogue on the topic "The impact of Data Revolution on Development Planning in Africa" from 7 to 8 July 2015 in Cotonou, Benin. The dialogue followed a Conference that was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 27 to 29 March 2015, which culminated in the Africa Data Consensus, which defined the data revolution as “a shift in the way that data is harnessed to impact on development decision-making, with a particular emphasis on building a culture of usage.”[1]

The High Level Dialogue provided an opportunity for African Development Planners to discuss and identify the strategies, instruments, and mechanisms that can be adopted by member States to promote evidence-based decision-making, through the integration of the recommendations of the Africa Data Consensus in national planning processes.  The meeting also provided a platform for participants to share knowledge on the policy implications of the Data Revolution to national planning, and ultimately, the structural transformation agenda and how to leverage on the already existing community of practice