The demand for statistical information (including disaggregating by gender, region and economic status) on Southern Sudan and its people is enormous and growing each day because of the Government’s need to make informed decisions and interventions by Government and donors alike.

Reliable national socio-economic data is a pre-requisite for the Southern Sudan to receive the support of donors. Basic information on the economy, land and its people is needed to design developmental; strategies especially the Poverty Eradication Strategy (PES) and indicators are needed to monitor the implementation of such programmes.

The planned census will provide most of these data needed but surveys will be needed to cater for other data. Indeed, the census is taking most of the resources currently available for statistics production.

The SSCCSE carries two core functions of statistical development and M&E. Since its inception in 1995 and its subsequent legalization in 2004, the SSCCSE has collaborated with many donors and local statistics providers in a number of workshop discussions and in carrying out a number of Surveys intended to inform sector interventions by Government and donors. Through such numerous workshops and surveys, the Commission has collected and compiled some statistical information.

In an effort to build its capacity, and in response to the growing demands from various users, the SSCCSE held a stakeholders’ workshop in the first half of this year to develop and agree a Statistical Master Plan and prioritize its products. It is going to constitute a guiding framework in the work of the SSCCSE and in the co-ordination of the National Statistical System.