N’DJAMENA, April 4, 2017 – The World Bank Group has approved a $12 million grant to the Chadian Government to strengthening the capacities of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED), which has already significantly increased the quality and frequency of collected data. This grant will enable further improvement in the data collection, processing, and dissemination.
In particular, this five-year project involves carrying out a series of new household surveys and providing support in the area of macroeconomic statistics, especially as regards the Consumer Price Index (CPI), national accounts, and monitoring of the economic environment.
“The World Bank needs to use high-quality social and economic data to implement effective, coordinated programs and policies, so as to meet both the country’s needs and external obligations. Achieving this goal is predicated on the frequent and reliable collection of data,” said Adama Coulibaly, World Bank Country Manager in Chad. This project is consistent with the objectives of the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) and the monitoring requirements of the national development strategy.
In order to build on the progress made in the fight against poverty and reverse the recent surge in inequality, the new CPF recommends that the management of public and private resources be improved to benefit poor rural communities, which represent 92 percent of the poorest segments of the population. Indeed, “the proposed project seeks to provide accurate, high-quality data that are necessary to enable the public sector to target and monitor its interventions, and can furnish the private sector with relevant information to effectively guide its investments,” explained Kristen Himelein, World Bank Task Team Leader of the Project.
As the national institution responsible for statistics, INSEED will be the main project beneficiary through a dual strengthening strategy. The first component of the project focuses on institutional and human capacities, while the second component focuses on the production of basic statistical data on well-being and the economy. In addition, an important aspect of the project involves helping qualified Chadian students pass entrance exams for regional statistics schools, and subsequently providing scholarships to the selected candidates. As part of this effort, improved representation of women is being encouraged at the national office of statistics. Female candidates who pass the entrance exam will also have priority access to the scholarship program.
