Project for the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa
(PHASAOC) CEMAC
SOP 2 component P180085
Workshop to review and validate the technical tools of the price component of the 2025/26 edition of the Harmonized Survey on Household Living Conditions (EHCVM)
January 27 to 31, 2025 – Douala (Cameroon)
Welcome by Mr. Joseph TEDOU, Director General of the National Institute of Statistics of Cameroon
- Mr. President of the CEMAC Commission,
- Mr. WAEMU Commissioner for Economic Policies and Internal Taxation,
- Mr. Director of Operations of the World Bank, represented here by Mr. Prosperous BACKINY Y., Project Manager,
- Representatives of the CEMAC States, UEMOA, Cape Verde, Guinea and Mauritania,
- Ladies and Gentlemen Experts of the CEMAC and UEMOA Commissions,
- Ladies and Gentlemen of the World Bank,
- Distinguished guests in your ranks, qualities and ranks,
- Ladies and gentlemen
In my capacity as Director General of the National Institute of Statistics of Cameroon, the country that hosts this workshop, I have the honor to take the floor to wish you, on behalf of the Authorities of the Republic of Cameroon, a warm welcome and a pleasant stay on Cameroonian soil, particularly in Douala, the economic capital.
Before continuing my remarks, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Authorities of the CEMAC Commission, whose illustrious President honors us to be with us, for having chosen Cameroon as the host country of this first workshop for the examination and validation of the technical tools of the price component of the 2025-2026 edition of the Harmonized Survey on Household Living Conditions (EHCVM), jointly organized by the CEMAC and the UEMOA in the CEMAC zone; workshop that aims to build capacity and share experience among participating countries.
In this spirit of sharing experience, the INS of Cameroon has regularly participated in previous editions of EHCVM operations; which allowed it to carry out the5th Cameroon Household Survey (ECAM5) of 2021-2022 in accordance with the methodology and tools validated for EHCVM. This is the place to thank the WAEMU and World Bank authorities who have allowed us to benefit from this sharing of experience.
- Mr. President of CEMAC,
- Mr. WAEMU Commissioner for Economic Policies and Internal Taxation,
Your presence honors the National Statistical Institutes of our countries and, at the same time, commits them to do better than in the past, in the fields of harmonization of concepts and methodologies in compliance with official standards and nomenclatures, with a view to ensuring the production and timely availability of quality statistical data and indicators to inform the choices of regional integration policies and programs, their development and coordinated implementation. This statistical quality should also meet “the needs of multilateral surveillance, monetary policy and sectoral policies”, as presented in paragraph 1 of item 13 of the Final Communiqué of the CEMAC Summit of Heads of State, held in Yaoundé on December 16, 2024.
- Mr. President of the CEMAC Commission,
- Mr. WAEMU Commissioner for Economic Policies and Internal Taxation,
- Dear participants,
- Ladies and gentlemen
Now, I would like to solemnly announce that Cameroon signed the Financing Agreement for the Project for the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa (PHASAOC) on January 20, 2025, by the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT). The signature of the Director General of the INS took place on January 24, 2025. It should be noted that the signing of Presidential Decree No. 2025/010 of January 8, 2025, which empowers the two above-mentioned signatories (MINEPAT and the DG/INS), is the essential legal act that marks the entry into force of the Agreement.
I take this opportunity to express my very deep gratitude to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA, for this strong and valuable financial mobilization for the benefit of the entire National Statistical Information System (SNIS), after the modernization of the institutional and regulatory framework initiated in July 2020 by the new Statistical Law and in December 2021 by the Decree implementing the said Law.
This authorization of the President of the Republic is for us, the actors of the SNIS, the expression of his very strong political will in favor of an efficient official statistical system at the service of the sustainable development of Cameroon. My gratitude also goes to the Government for all the diligent actions that led to this signature.
This is also the place to thank the dedicated team of the World Bank who has accompanied us tirelessly in the passage of the various stages of the procedure. We are counting on this collaboration to accelerate the achievement of the next stages of disbursement and implementation of the Project in its various components.
With the entry into force of the Agreement, we still have to work actively to meet the preconditions for the first disbursement; which will pave the way for the effective mobilization of funds to finance the activities included in the Project document. Through this implementation, Cameroon will continue to strengthen and improve the capacity of its SNIS in compliance with quality assurance and the common and harmonized framework for statistical production.
It should be noted to emphasize that having accessed the Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (GDDS-a) for nearly two decades, Cameroon’s current ambition is its eligibility by 2030 for the IMF’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS); A more demanding standard with advantages related to the transparency and quality of the data produced, published and displayed according to the agreed schedule.
With regard to this meeting, Cameroon is determined to play its part. In this perspective, the conclusions and recommendations resulting from the exchanges will be taken into account for their diligent and effective implementation.
It is on this technical commitment that I wish the workshop every success.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Joseph TEDOU
Director General of INS – Cameroon.