SA to host statistics conference
Themba Gadebe
6 August 2007Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) will host the 57th session of the International Statistical Institute (ISI) in Durban's International Convention Centre in 2009, in what will be the biggest international gathering in the country ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The local statistics body was chosen as host by the ISI, which comprises about 2 000 of the world's leading statisticians elected from 130 countries. In addition, it will be the first time in 122 years that an ISI session will be held in sub-Saharan Africa.
The biannual ISI sessions are held to provide the world's leading statisticians with a platform to share experience in a diverse range of statistics among public, private, research and educational institutions.
The event's main goal is to build human statistical capacity in South Africa, the Southern African Development Community and in Africa beyond 2009, in an effort to further demonstrate South Africa's commitment to mathematics and statistical development.
Five years ago the Finance Minister Trevor Manuel pointed out that African countries boast a more credible and tangible education outcomes, but statistical development remained limited due to a combination of factors.
These included capacity problems in African national statistical offices, a lack of political will to support statistics for measuring the development agenda, unsustainable funding initiatives, underperformance, domestic under-funding and conflicting donor agendas.
The International Statistical Institute is one of the oldest international scientific associations active today, existing as an autonomous society that seeks to develop and improve statistical methods and their application through the promotion of international activities and cooperation.
Historically, however, Africa's participation at ISI has remained extremely limited and Stats SA is confident that hosting the session "will mark a significant milestone in South Africa's critical path towards the development of statistical human capacity in Africa".
Source: BuaNews
