projects, activities andoperational mechanisms related tofacilitation oftraffic, maintenance anddevelopment oftransport andcommunications infrastructures with special emphasis oninter-State linksandtransit corridors, installation ofhuman -28- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Libraryresource management systems inalltransport andcommunications institutions, and development ofjointoperations oftransport andcommunications services, where practicable, inordertopromote regional co-operation inthatfield. TheECA secretariat willundertake studies andresearch ofspecific issuesinthefieldof transport andcommunications andtheirtrendsattheregional, sUbregional and national levels anddisseminate. therelated findings withintheregion. The activities concerning institution infrastructure willbereoriented fromthe establishment ofnewinstitutions tothestrengthening andtherationalization of theexisting ones. 30.122 Asregards tourism, thesecretariat willcontinue toassist memberStates through advisory services, organization ofworkshops andseminars, continuous survey andassessment oftourism potential, identification oftraining needs, and collection anddissemination oftourism information. Thesecretariat willalso continue topromote regional andsUbregional programmes fortheharmonization and standardization ofhotelmanagement methods, programmes fortraining inplanning andanalysis, theestablishment ofefficient vocational training systems, aswell asmachineries forconsultation amongtourism professionals inAfrica and assistance tomemberStatesintheestablishment ofinter-State circuits and machineries fortheireffective use. SUBPROGRAMME 18.STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT (a)Objectives 30.123 Thelegislative authority forthesubprogramme derives fromGeneral Assembly resolutions S-13/2 and44/169 andEconomic andSocialCouncil resolution 1989/3. 30.124 Statistical development inAfricaisstillunsatisfactory despite some improvement instatistical organization andproduction overthelasttwodecades. Fewcountries havewellco-ordinated plansforstatistical development andeven fewerfornational development plansthatincorporate statistical development. Thereisapersistent lackoftrained andexperienced statisticians inmanyAfrican countries. Anumberofstatistical personnel havebeentrained, butthe statistical braindrain,especially atthemanagement level, hascontinued. In spiteoftheadventofmoreefficient hardware andsoftware, thetimelagbetween thecollection ofdataandthepUblication ofresultsisstilltoolong.Thatis theresultofalackofstatisticians withmoderndataprocessing skills andof qualified dataprocessing specialists, aswellasaninsufficient levelof co-ordination between suchspecialists andcomputer personnel, particularly where largequantities ofdataneedtobeprocessed. Widerandmoreefficient micro-computer applications areneededforimproving thetimeliness andanalytical quality ofstatistics. 30.125 Thescope,quality andanalysis ofstatistics inAfricahardly meetthe elementary requirements ofplanning anddecision-making. Thosedeficiencies may translate intoenormous costsiffactors behind socio-economic andenvironmental crises remain unknown andthusunattended. Despite animprovement indemographic datacollection, Africastilllagsbehindintheavailability ofdetailed and timelydataregarding fertility, mortality andmigration, especially withrespect tothedeterminants andeffects oftrendsinthosefields, whiledatapertaining to environmental problems arealmostnon-existent. ManyAfrican countries donotas yethavebasicstatistics onagriculture, trade,industry, energy, transport, -29- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Librarycommunications orpricestatistics. National accounts havebeencompiled and processed fordifferent pe~iods oftimefornearlyallcountries oftheregion, but thebasicdataforcompiling theaccounts arelimited, inadequate, and,inmost cases,verygeneral, fixedparameter models havebeenusedtoevaluate quite
**Analysis**
The text appears to be focused on the development of infrastructure and services in Africa, specifically in the fields of transportation, communication, and statistics. It also touches on the importance of regional cooperation and capacity building in these areas. The text does not seem to be directly related to natural resources, environment, agriculture, or humanitarian aid.

**Category**
Transport and communication, Economic development