Casablanca Hosts the Africa Forum on Administrative Data to Support Democratic Governance and Sustainable Development
The city of Casablanca is preparing to host a high-level continental forum on the role of administrative data in enhancing democratic governance in Africa, scheduled from July 9 to 11, 2025. The forum will feature representatives from African Union member states, European statistical institutions, international organizations, and technical cooperation agencies.
This forum takes place under the framework of the Second African Statistical Program (PAS II), funded by the European Union and overseen by Eurostat, the European statistical office. The French Agency for Technical Expertise International will implement the program in partnership with STATAFRIC, with the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
The forum carries the theme “Leveraging Administrative Data in Africa: Breaking Barriers to Accelerate the Implementation of the 2030 and 2063 Agendas,” aiming to highlight the importance of developing statistical systems and enhancing their use in public decision-making. This involves capitalizing on the potential offered by administrative data to produce accurate and reliable indicators that contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and promoting good governance.
Maxime Bonkongo, head of the PAS II SC program team, stated that high-quality administrative data is essential for strengthening democratic governance by enabling governments to make decisions based on accurate data that positively impacts citizens’ quality of life.
The forum represents an open platform for discussion and experience exchange among African countries, with the aim of intensifying cooperation and building interconnected administrative records and integrated statistical systems. It also provides an opportunity to discuss coordination mechanisms among national institutions and share best practices, particularly in vital sectors such as health and education.
Participants will address key topics related to enhancing data governance, developing the legal framework regulating it, improving interoperability between statistical systems, and integrating administrative records within national systems while considering the challenges associated with personal data protection in public policies.
The organization of this forum aligns with efforts to establish a cohesive African statistical system capable of meeting development challenges and providing a reliable database to guide public policies towards greater efficiency and transparency.
