(CODI-III)
INFORMATION NOTE
Date: 10-17 May 2003
Theme: Information and Governance

What is CODI?
The Committee on Development Information (CODI) is one of the seven technical Committees
established by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Ministers during its
review of the Intergovernmental machinery of ECA at its twenty-third session in May 1997. This
committee took over the functions of the joint Conference of African Planners, Statisticians,
Population and Information specialists, and of the United Nations Regional Cartographic
Conference for Africa, and also ensures the implementation of the African Information Society
Initiative (AISI). Its terms of reference include:
•To promote the growth of an information society in Africa;
•To advise on measures to improve all aspects of statistical development of member States;
•To advise on the building, maintenance and dissemination of regional development
databases, including bibliographic, textual and spatial databases.

The Committee meets every two years in accordance with Resolution 826 (XXXII), adopted at the
aforementioned conference. CODI conducts its technical deliberations under three subcommittees,
namely:
•Sub-Committee on Information and Communications Technologies,
•Sub-Committee on Statistics, and
•Sub-Committee on Geoinformation.

Previous Meetings
The first meeting of CODI (CODI-I) was held in Addis Ababa from the 28 June to 2 July 1999
under the theme “Harnessing Information for Development”. The second meeting was also held in
Addis Ababa, from 4 to 7 September 2001 under the theme of “Development Information for
Decision Making”. Participants at these meetings included delegates from member States and
observers from United Nations agencies, Europe, Asia and North America, as well as sub-regional,
regional and international organizations, academic and research institutions, multi-national
corporations and small business enterprises.

CODI meetings usually include specialized technical working group sessions and workshops on
topics such as land information systems, strengthening statistical capacity for poverty monitoring,
the use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), spatial data infrastructures (SDIs),
monitoring and measuring good governance in Africa, knowledge management, and the African
Virtual Library and Information Network.


THE THIRD MEETING OF CODI (CODI-III)

The Theme
The development agenda of Africa, as set out in ECA’s work plan, the Millennium Development
Goals, NEPAD and other initiatives cannot be achieved without good governance. In recognition of
this, the theme “Information and Governance” has been chosen so that the attention of
practitioners in the various fields involved in development information will be focused on their role
and contribution in the on-going discourse on governance in Africa. Indeed, good governance
requires transparency and community participation in the decision process. Decision and policy
analyses require relevant information. It is therefore important that appropriate data are collected
and maintained, and that they are processed into information and made easily accessible by the
general citizenry. The importance of improving access to information for decision-making has long
been established. CODI-II, which included a working group session on monitoring and measuring
good governance, was on the theme of “Development Information for Decision Making” and
deliberated on providing information for decision making. This meeting therefore, will build on
outcomes of CODI-II, and will focus on harnessing information for good governance in Africa.

Objectives/Expectations of CODI-III
The overall objectives of CODI-III are:
1. To discuss and recommend strategies to member States and the Commission for providing
information for good governance.
2. To review the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of CODI-II.
The meeting is also expected to discuss and recommend strategies for sustained resourcing and
maintenance of information services, systems and institutions to make relevant information
available and accessible to decision makers and the general public in a form that is ready for use.

Format of the Meeting
The programme is structured to emphasize the synergies between the various fields and groups,
while providing for in depth treatment of very technical issues at the level of sub committees. There
will therefore be a mix of plenary sessions involving all participants, and parallel sub-committee
sessions devoted to discipline-specific topics. The main meeting will run from Monday to
Thursday, and pre-meeting and post-meeting workshops and seminars will take place on Saturday
and Sunday preceding the meeting and Friday and Saturday following the meeting.

The Keynote Address
A keynote speech on the subject of governance will set the tone for the meeting. To be given by an
expert on governance, the speech will elucidate the meaning of governance and present its
ramifications and vision for Africa. The speech will essentially present challenges for Africa on
such issues as effective public administration, a functioning legal framework, efficient and
predictable regulatory structures, and transparent systems for both financial and legal
accountability. Three discipline-specific panellists will then respond to the address and present the
contributions of the subcommittees in dealing with the challenges.

Participants
Every member Sate sends an official government delegation comprised of statisticians, information
and geo-information specialists and librarians. These are usually drawn from National Statistics
Offices, Population Agencies, National or University Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres, Information and Communications Agencies, National Mapping Agencies and other
geoinformation management organizations. There are also observers representing countries outside
Africa; United Nations agencies; sub-regional, regional and international inter-governmental and
non-governmental organizations; academic and research institutions; multinational corporations;
small and medium enterprises; civil society organizations and private practitioners. The workshop
and seminars are open to other invited stakeholders from various sectors of the society in Africa
who would benefit from them.

Funding
CODI is a statutory meeting of ECA. Therefore delegates and observers are expected to cover the
cost of their travel and subsistence for the duration of their stay in Addis Ababa. The funds for
organizing and supporting the main meeting come from the regular budget of ECA. The workshops
are usually organized in collaboration with partners, who may fund the costs associated with
bringing the experts and facilitators, and sometimes the travel and subsistence of invited
participants at the workshops.

Exhibitions and Posters
The United Nations Conference Centre has a large exhibition space, which will be made available
for displays of information material, products, services and posters. Exhibits will be on display
throughout the duration of the meeting. At least 200 delegates and observers representing
government officials, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academicians
and private practitioners in the fields of ICT, libraries, geoinformation and statistics are expected to
attend.

Contacts for Further Information

•General Enquiries & Geoinformation Specific:
Dozie Ezigbalike,
Email: ezigbalike.uneca@un.org
Phone: +251-1-44-45-69
Fax: +251-1-51-05-12

•General Enquiries & ICT Specific:
Betty Teshager
Email: bteshager@uneca.org
Phone: +251-1-44-54-17
Fax: +251-1-51-05-12

•Statistics Specific:
Oumar Sy
Email: moumar@uneca.org
Phone: +251-1-44-53-43
Fax: +251-1-51-03-89

•Statistics Specifics:
Mahdere-Mikael Kassa
Email:mmahdere@uneca.org
Phone: +251-1-44-52-49
Fax: +251-1-51-03-89

•Conference Coordination:
Rahel Menda
Email: rmenda@uneca.org
Phone: +251-1-44-52-62
Fax: +251-1-51-48-74