Addis ababa: Addressing Africa's challenges requires policymakers to make informed choices on where to invest limited resources and which programs deliver effective results based on evidence, Planning and Development Minister Fitsum Assefa noted today. Speaking at the opening of the 14th Africa Evidence Summit in Addis Ababa, the Minister emphasized the necessity of relying on real data, honest analysis, and strong collaboration between leaders, researchers, and communities.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the minister explained that the Ethiopian government is enhancing its evidence ecosystem through coordinated efforts among key institutions. The ministry offers policy guidance, prepares development plans, manages public investments, and supports climate policy. Simultaneously, the National Statistical Office generates official data, and the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) transforms this data into evidence to support policymaking.
The Minister highlighted that Ethiopia's eight-pillar Statistical Development Program is modernizing the statistical system by transitioning to digital data management. This strengthened system has facilitated significant data-generation initiatives, such as Ethiopia's first agricultural census in 23 years, the first-ever Economic Establishment Census, a comprehensive Demographic and Health Survey, and an Integrated Household Welfare Survey.
Fitsum Assefa called for stronger collaboration among governments, universities, think tanks, civil society organizations, and private sector actors to ensure research findings directly contribute to policy decisions and practical implementation. "There is no better time than now for researchers here and across the world, and of course our own Policy Studies Institute, to inform policy with quality and credible evidence," she stressed.
Network of Impact Evaluators in Africa Chairman, Amos Njuguna, also emphasized the ethical and inclusive deployment of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics, to improve people's lives. He noted that their mission extends beyond producing research to ensuring that evidence reaches decision-makers, informs public policy, and ultimately enhances people's lives.
At the summit, Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute (PSI) Director-General, Fekadu Tsega, highlighted the importance of strengthening connections between researchers and policymakers to ensure evidence contributes to practical development solutions. He stated that the institute aims to bridge the research and policymaking gap through multidisciplinary studies, policy engagement, and capacity building aligned with national development priorities.
He further asserted that research should actively engage with policy processes and contribute to real-world solutions, underscoring the necessity of collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Researchers provide analytical methods, scientific evidence, and new perspectives, while policymakers contribute practical knowledge, institutional experience, and understanding of implementation challenges.
The 14th Africa Evidence Summit, themed "Powering Policy with Innovative, Inclusive, and Transparent Data," has gathered over 400 policymakers, researchers, innovators, and development partners to discuss how evidence and technology can enhance decision-making across Africa.