From 2 to 6 March 2026, Côte d’Ivoire is hosting a high-level regional consultation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), providing a strategic and inclusive platform for reflection on the future of the Community. This important dialogue will inform the upcoming Special Summit of Heads of State and Government dedicated to shaping the future direction of ECOWAS.
On the sidelines of this major regional event, the Research and Statistics Directorate of the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission is organizing five regional technical workshops in Abidjan from 2 to 13 March 2026. These workshops are being held within the framework of ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa Project (PHASAOC), funded by the World Bank. Their objective is to strengthen the harmonization, modernization, and overall performance of national statistical systems across Member States.
The official launch ceremony took place on Monday, 2 March 2026, and set the tone for two weeks of technical engagement focused on innovation, regional cooperation, and statistical excellence. The ceremony was presided over by H.E. Adama Dosso, Deputy Minister to the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in charge of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. He was joined by Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission; Prof. KOUAKOU Kouadio Clément, Deputy Chief of Staff, representing H.E. Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire; H.E. Fathmah Diarre-Diop, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire (ad interim); Prof. Félix N’Zué, ECOWAS Director of Research and Statistics (ad interim); as well as experts from Member States and regional institutions.
In his opening address, Minister Adama Dosso emphasized the strategic importance of reliable, up-to-date, and harmonized statistics for effective national planning and evidence-based public policy implementation. He highlighted the central role of high-quality data in driving the structural transformation of African economies and achieving sustainable development objectives.
For his part, Commissioner Dr. Kalilou Sylla reaffirmed ECOWAS’ strong commitment to modernizing national statistical systems in alignment with Vision 2050. He underscored the importance of regional methodological harmonization, greater use of innovative data sources, and strengthened cooperation among Member States to build an integrated, resilient, and results-oriented statistical ecosystem. He commended the continued professionalism and collaboration of National Statistical Institutes, noting that their engagement in implementing harmonization programmes forms the foundation of the region’s ambition for deeper statistical integration.
The first workshop focuses on strengthening national capacities in demographic projections. Participants are reviewing recent methodological developments, sharing country experiences, and engaging in practical exercises on developing assumptions and producing population projections. The session also reinforces mechanisms for regional collaboration and coordination in demographic analysis.
The second workshop is dedicated to the implementation of the methodological guide for the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), with particular emphasis on sampling techniques. The objective is to ensure that consumer price indices produced by Member States are reliable, comparable, and fully aligned with regionally agreed standards.
The third workshop centers on experience-sharing related to the Open Data Platform version 2 (ODP2) and the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) standard. It provides an opportunity to present lessons from the most advanced countries, strengthen capacities in SDMX data modeling, identify a regional model for data ingestion, management, and dissemination, and address key issues related to interoperability, security, and confidentiality. This session also consolidates collaboration with the African Development Bank as part of ongoing efforts to support the digital transformation of statistical systems and promote open access to public data.
The fourth workshop brings together the Technical Working Group responsible for reviewing and finalizing the harmonized methodology for calculating the Construction Materials Index (CMI). Experts are conducting a detailed technical review of the methodology, finalizing the nomenclature of materials, validating calculation formulas, and defining practical modalities for implementation across Member States.
The fifth workshop explores the use of mobile phone data, specifically Detailed Call Records (DCR), for statistical purposes. Discussions focus on developing methodologies for producing key indicators, strengthening legal and ethical frameworks governing data use, and establishing a regional technical framework to enhance collaboration between National Statistical Institutes, telecommunications operators, and regional institutions. This initiative aims to modernize data production, dissemination, and interoperability across the region.
Through the organization of these five technical workshops, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the technical capacities of Member States, harmonizing statistical methodologies, modernizing information systems, improving access to and dissemination of data, and building an integrated and efficient regional data ecosystem.
These technical engagements represent a significant step toward consolidating a robust regional statistical system capable of effectively supporting public decision-making, development planning, and the monitoring of regional and international commitments, including National Development Plans, ECOWAS Vision 2050, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
