2007 AFRICA SYMPOSIUM STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT

1. 2007 AFRICA SYMPOSIUM STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT Kigali Rwanda 15-19 January

2. COUNTRY PRESENTATION FOR SOMALIA By Weheliye Nur Acting Director General of Ministry of Planning and Statistics

3. STATUS OF INSTITUTIONS • Currently there are three zones in Somalia; Somaliland, Puntland State of Somalia and Central South Somalia all under independent administrations • The war in the 1990s resulted in the loss of the statistical infrastructure of Somalia – both physical and institutional setup • There is no National Statistical Office (NSO) • There are efforts to rebuild the system, a daunting task faced by public and private institutions, and development partners

4. STATUS OF INSTITUTIONS – CONT. • There is rudimentary statistical capacity in Somaliland and Puntland State of Somalia • TFG is in the process of setting up a rudimentary system

5. STATISTICAL CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT • Statistical capacity building in data collection, compilation and analysis of socio economic and macro-economic data initiated in the past five years with the support of the UNDP and the World Bank • There has been no recent census due to the prevailing security situation • The 1985 Census was problematic • There is reliance on the census of 1975 which included the count of livestock • Efforts have been made to make projections over the years on the basis of the 1975 Census supplemented various surveys conducted by UNDP to obtain figures for planning

6. A CENSUS FOR SOMALIA IS MOST URGENT AND IMPORTANT!! • The last Census was done 31 years ago • National development planning cannot be accurate due to much change in population dynamics and regional distribution in the last three decades as a result of the war • Need for evidence based policy making which is fully consistent with democratic political process characterized by transparency and accountability • The Federal Charter calls for constitutional referendum before the end of its term

7. ON-GOING EFFORTS • We have been encouraged by the response of the UNDP and UNFPA in supporting the efforts of statistical capacity building. • Through the UNDP in the Settlement Survey, about 80% of the Settlements have been covered. • This provides a valuable resource for preparatory work of the census • High resolution Satellite imageries would enhance preliminary groundwork • The above will contribute to the census taking process significantly culminating in our participation in the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

8. CHALLENGES • Human capacity in statistical applications is still a major constraint • Absence of a legal statistical framework • Absence of National Statistical Office and supporting regional and district offices • An enabling security environment (although currently the situation is rapidly improving) • Financing

9. INTERVENTIONS • A legal statistical framework needs to be established urgently • There is an urgent need to setup a National Statistical Office • Recruitment and training of personnel with reasonable terms of service to retain them • Financial assistance