Regional Workshop on International Statistical Classifications
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- 5 - 7 May 2026
Overview
AU-STATAFRIC, UNCEISC, and ECA will jointly convene a Regional Training Workshop on International Statistical Classifications in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 5-7 May 2026.
This workshop will address specific questions that have arisen in implementation efforts in countries to provide conceptual guidance, in particular regarding recent revisions to the primary industry and product classifications, the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC Rev. 5) and the Central Product Classification (CPC Ver. 3.0). Updates to other classifications such as the Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (COICOP 2018), the Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG) and the Standard International Energy Products Classification (SIEC) will also be reviewed.
The objectives of this workshop include: 1) help participants acquire knowledge and skills to deepen their understanding on the principles and methodology on international classifications; 2) introduce new developments in international statistical systems; and 3) provide a forum that encourages participants engage in peer learning and share country experiences in the development and implementation of classifications, the main challenges and successes encountered by countries.
Programme
Day 1 - Tuesday, 5 May 2026
9:00am - 9:30am
- Registration of participants
Session 1: Opening
9:30am - 10:00am
- Welcome remarks
- ▪ Jose Alene, Ag. Head, Statistics System Coordination & Innovation, AU STATAFRIC
- ▪ Louis Kouakou, Manager, Economic and Social Statistics Division, AFDB
- ▪ William Muhwava, Chief of section, African Centre for Statistics, ECA
- ▪ Julian Chow, Statistician, UNSD
- Opening remarks
- ▪ Jemila Mehammed Hussen, Director General, Ethiopian Statistical Service
- Roundtable Introductions
- Adoption of the agenda
10:00am - 10:30am
Session 2: Introduction to Classifications
10:30am - 11:30am
- Classifications - African context
- ▪ Presentation of STG12 - Classification activities and the Action Plan Status, STG12 Bureau
- Presentation
- ▪ Presentation on the Development of the African revenue classification, Emmanuelle Modica, OECD
- Classifications - International context
- ▪ Introduction to Introduction to UN Committee of Experts on International Statistical Classifications (UNCEISC)
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD, on behalf of Andrew Hancock, Statistics New Zealand, UNECISC Chair
- Presentation
- Quiz
- ▪ STATAFRIC
Session 3: International Standard Industrial Classification, Revision 5 (ISIC Rev. 5): Introduction, implementation and use
11:30am - 1:00pm
- Introduction to ISIC Rev.5
- ▪ Franklin Assoumou Ndong, Chair of the Task Team on ISIC
- Practical cases on classifying activities in selected industries in ISIC
- ▪ Franklin Assoumou Ndong, Chair of the Task Team on ISIC
- Presentations
- ▪ Introduction to ISIC Rev. 5
- ▪ How to Classify Units with ISIC Rev. 5
- ▪ Pastoralism and Transhumant Livestock Systems
- ▪ Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining (ASM)
- ▪ Factoryless Goods Producers and Africa's Apparel Value Chains
- ▪ Cross-border Trade & Digital Marketplaces
- ▪ Mobile Money & Digital Financial Services
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Session 3 (Continued)
2:00pm - 3:30pm
- Q&A on ISIC Rev.5
- ISIC Rev.5 implementation plan
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD
- Presentation
- Regional experience - development of NAEMA
- ▪ Houssoube Fata, AFRISTAT
- Presentation
3:30pm - 3:45pm
Session 3 (Continued)
3:45pm - 5:00pm
- Country experiences - Use of ISIC
- ▪ Mauritius
- ▪ Gabon
- ▪ Morocco
- ▪ Cameroon
- ▪ Equatorial Guinea
Day 2 - Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Summary of discussion on Day 1
9:30am - 9:40am
- Summary of discussion on Day 1
- ▪ Alex Ailloud, STATAFRIC
Session 4: Central Product Classification, Version 3.0 (CPC Ver. 3.0): Introduction, implementation and use
9:40am - 10:45am
- Introduction to CPC Ver. 3.0
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD
- Presentation
- North American Product Classification System
- ▪ Franklin Assoumou Ndong, Chair of the Task Team on ISIC (TT-ISIC)
- Presentation
10:45am - 11:15am
Session 4 (Continued)
11:15am - 12:30pm
- Q & A on CPC Ver.3.0
- Country experiences - Use of CPC
12:30pm - 2:00pm
Session 5: Other economic classifications
2:00pm - 3:30pm
- Introduction to COFOG
- ▪ Pedro Farinas, UNSD
- Presentation
- Current initiative of the classification of revenue statistics in Africa
- ▪ Emmanuelle Modica, OECD
- Presentation
- Introduction to COICOP
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD
- Presentation
3:30pm - 3:45pm
Session 5 (Continued)
3:45pm - 4:15pm
- Introduction to SIEC
- ▪ Pedro Farinas, UNSD
- Presentation
Session 6: Dissemination of statistical classifications
4:15pm - 5:00pm
- Overview of the International Family of Classifications and Classification of Statistical Activities
- ▪ Julian Chow and Pedro Farinas, UNSD
- Presentations
- Strategic view on the future of statistical classifications
- ▪ Franklin Assoumou Ndong, TT-ISIC Chair
- Presentation
Day 3 - Thursday, 7 May 2026
Summary of discussion on Day 2
9:30am - 9:40am
- Summary of discussion on Day 2
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD
Session 7: Statistical classifications for Africa context
9:40am - 10:30am
- Survey of regional countries to gather insights on the current status and use of statistical classifications
- ▪ Ali Yedan, ECA
- Presentation
- Roundtable discussion on which international classifications to be used for African context linked to the international standard
- ▪ Moderated by Alex Ailloud, STATAFRIC
- ▪ Panel with countries
10:30am - 10:45am
Session 8: Next steps
10:45am - 11:15am
- Post-workshop quiz
- ▪ STATAFRIC
- Next steps in STG-12
- ▪ Alex Ailloud, STATAFRIC
- Presentation
- Next steps in UNCEISC
- ▪ Julian Chow, UNSD
- Presentation
Session 9: Drafting report
11:15am - 12:15pm
- Drafting report
Session 10: Closing
12:15pm - 1:30pm
- Conclusions and Recommendations
- ▪ STG-12 Bureau
- Closing remarks
- ▪ Jose Awong Alene, STATAFRIC; Louis Kouakou, AfDB; Julian Chow, UNSD; and Samuel Annim, ECA;
Background documents
Workshop materials and additional resources will be posted here as they become available.
- ▪ Plan d'action revu-Updated Action Plan
- ▪ Virtual Meeting Report STG Class - French
- ▪ Virtual Meeting_Report_STG Class- English
- ▪ Final Report STG Class - French - Final & Annexes
- ▪ Final Report STG Class - English - Final & Annexes
- ▪ ISIC Introduction, explanatory notes and structure (Rev. 5 and earlier)
- ▪ CPC introduction, explanatory notes and structure (Ver. 3.0 and earlier)
- ▪ COICOP introduction, structure and correspondence table
- ▪ Additional classifications and correspondence tables
- ▪ International Family of Classifications
- ▪ UNSD Classifications Registry