ECOWAS convenes statistical harmonization summit in Dakar

From 27 to 31 July 2026, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission hosted a five‑day meeting of the Directors‑General of the National Statistical Institutes of its member states in Dakar, Senegal. The summit, part of the ECOWAS Statistical Policy, aimed to strengthen the harmonisation of statistical systems to produce reliable, comparable and timely data for public‑policy design, regional integration and the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050.

Opening the proceedings, Prof. Allé Nar Diop, minister attached to the Minister of Economy, Finance and Planning, highlighted statistics as a strategic public good and an "infrastructure of sovereignty". Representatives of the African Union, the World Bank and UNFPA were present. ECOWAS Commissioner Dr. Kalilou Sylla and Professor Félix Fofana N’Zué underscored the need for high‑quality data amid economic, climate and security crises, stressing that robust statistics are essential for governance, integration and the achievement of Vision 2050. The agenda includes harmonising economic and public‑finance statistics, developing common macro‑economic reference frames and consolidating regional statistical tools.