LUANDA, March 2, 2017 – Today, the World Bank Group and the Government of Angola signed a loan agreement to launch the Angola Statistics Project. “This financial agreement is critical for the National Institute of Statistics given that it plays a crucial role in the management of information that influences the adoption of macroeconomic measures,” said Archer Mangueira, Finance Minister of Angola who signed the agreement alongside Clara de Sousa, World Bank Country Manager for Angola.
The main data gaps of the National Statistics System are the lack of an agricultural census and related surveys, infrequent household and employment surveys, and an outdated business census. The data gaps translate into limitations for the System of National Accounts in Angola that also has additional space for improvement in terms of methodologies and documentation.
The five-year project is being financed by a $62 million loan from the World Bank with the aim of enabling the National Institute for Statistics (INE) to fill data gaps, improve statistical production, and enhance statistical dissemination practices. Improving the country’s official statistics was identified as a national policy objective in the Government’s 2016-17 National Development Plan.
“This agreement will enable capacity building and the production of statistics which is fundamental not only for policy makers but also relevant for all economic agents in general,” said de Sousa. “For the World Bank, the outcomes of this project will also be of critical importance since they will allow us to adequately monitor progress towards our twin goals of poverty reduction and shared prosperity. We look forward to the implementation stage.”
Implementing an agricultural census and specialized surveys for subsectors like forestry and fishery will substantially improve the evidence base for enacting agricultural policies that will stimulate diversification of the economy. Additionally, more frequent household and employment surveys will enable the authorities to update poverty and employment statistics at regular intervals thereby allowing better monitoring and policy responses to changing trends in poverty and the labor market.
The data and statistics that will be produced by the project will be valuable not only for government officials, but for the public as well. Public access to high-quality data will stimulate policy analysis and strengthen user demand for statistics produced by INE.
The proposed statistical lending operation is directly aligned with the Country Partnership Strategy objectives for Angola. The World Bank Group’s support to Angola centers on facilitating knowledge transfer, providing strategic development advice, and building institutions and capacity, for reducing poverty.
