SADC Hosts Regional Workshop to Enhance Labour Market Statistics
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), with support from the World Bank and technical assistance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), hosted a regional workshop on Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) and Data Modeling. Held from February 10 to 13, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa, the workshop aimed to strengthen Labour Market Information Systems (LMIS) in the region.
The initiative is a significant step in ensuring a seamless and standardized exchange of labour market data across SADC Member States. The workshop enhanced technical capacities in SDMX and data modeling, facilitating the development of the SADC Labour Market Observatory (LMO).
SADC has made notable progress in modernizing labour market statistics, with many Member States adopting the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) resolution on labour underutilisation and regularly conducting Labour Force Surveys. However, further harmonisation of data collection methods is necessary to improve data comparability across the region.
Discussions at the workshop emphasizedd the importance of reliable labour market data in shaping policies that drive economic growth, employment, and regional integration. The SADC LMO will play a crucial role in tracking employment trends, addressing skills mismatches, and fostering workforce development.
It will also support the implementation of key regional frameworks, including the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (SISR) 2015–2063.
The SADC region remains committed to collaborating with the World Bank, ILO, and other development partners to strengthen Member States’ statistical systems. Emphasis will be placed on targeted capacity building that aligns with each Member State’s data priorities and needs.
Following this workshop, SADC will continue efforts to advance the LMO’s development, focusing on data harmonisation and the finalisation of its data management systems. The observatory is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025, reinforcing SADC’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking.
The workshop brought together representatives from national statistical offices, labour ministries, and technical experts, reflecting a collective regional effort to enhance labour market statistics and improve socio-economic planning.
Source: SADC
