ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopian Statistical Service (ESS), and Space Science and Geo-spatial Institute (SSGI) have joined handsto provide critical, high-quality, up-to-date information that accelerate national development.
The two organizations have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on delivering quality and timely information that could be an important input for Ethiopia’s holistic development.
Signing the agreement, ESS Director General Beker Shale (PhD), said that the agreement helps to provide high-quality, up-to-date information that can be a resource for national growth.
“For the country to grow in the holistic way, evidence based information is important. Because information helps to make rational decisionand research,” he said.
The Ethiopian Statistical Service provides high-quality,current information for policy, decision-makers, researchers, economic, social, and general macro-economic implementation and the sources of information are mainly surveying studies, measuring long-term and mid-term studies and secondary data, he added.
According to the Director General, these data are growing and shifting, especially in the modern and technological age, and the sources of information are increasing through time.
However, he indicated that short surveys and administrative data are not enough to provide quality information in a timely manner, that’s why the Service started to use latest and alternative technology.
The Space Science and Geo-spatial Institute is the country’s institute that could create this capacity, he said, adding that the agriculturesector, which is backbone of country’s economy,is ESS’smain partner so that it can get data in different waysincluding satellite imagery.
Therefore, when the Ethiopian Statistical Service forms a partnership with the Space Science and Geo-spatial Institute, it is considering that the partnership is crucial to provide better information for a better Ethiopia, Beker said.
Space Science and Geospatial Institute Director General Abdisa Yilma on his part said that the agreement will help to work together to provide quality information that assist development endeavors.
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2024
