Port Louis Hosts Workshop on Digital Trade Statistics

Building local capacity in data collection and management on the services sector was the focus of a workshop held from July 14 to 16 at Les Docks in Port Louis.

The event brought together representatives from several Mauritian institutions, including the Ministry of Information Technology, the University of Mauritius, Statistics Mauritius, and the Economic Development Board. This workshop was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC).

It is part of the African Trade Observatory (ATO) project, one of the tools of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Over three days, participants attended sessions led by Katerina Blanchard Joklova, an economist and trade in services specialist at ITC. The aim was to improve the way data is collected, analyzed and used, particularly in the areas of telecommunications, IT, information and travel services.

Discussions focused on several key points: how to harmonize data collection methods, how to improve the quality of statistics, and how to integrate different data sources. The lack of standards in the services sector makes this work essential to better understand trade in this area. The ATO project also enables African companies to identify business opportunities on the continent and helps governments monitor the progress of the AfCFTA.