Africa Policymakers Require Evidence-Based Choices to Make Decisions: Minister

Addis Ababa, July 23, 2026 (ENA) —Addressing Africa's challenges require 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 that opened in Addis Ababa, the Minster said that "we cannot answer these questions on gut feeling alone. We need real data, honest analysis, and strong collaboration between leaders, researchers, and communities".

She highlighted that Ethiopia is strengthening its evidence ecosystem through coordinated efforts among key institutions.

According to her, the ministry provides policy guidance, prepares short, medium, and long-term development plans, manages public investments, and supports climate policy, while the National Statistical Office generates official data and the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) transforms data into evidence to support policymaking.

 

The Minister said the eight-pillar Statistical Development Program is modernizing Ethiopia's statistical system by moving toward digital data management.

She noted that the strengthened system has supported major data-generation initiatives, including 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 further called for stronger collaboration among governments, universities, think tanks, civil society organizations, and private sector actors to ensure research findings contribute directly 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," the Minister stressed.

For his part, Network of Impact Evaluators in Africa Chairman, Amos Njuguna, stressed that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics, should be deployed ethically and inclusively to improve people’s lives.

 

“Our mission goes beyond producing research to ensuring that evidence reaches the desks of decision-makers, informs public policy, and ultimately improves the lives of our people,” he noted.

At the summit, Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute (PSI) Director- General, Fekadu Tsega, emphasized the importance of strengthening links between researchers and policymakers to ensure evidence contributes to practical development solutions.

The Director-General said the institute works to bridge the gap between research and policymaking through multidisciplinary studies, policy engagement, and capacity building aimed at supporting national development priorities.

"Research should not remain confined to academic institutions or journals, but must actively engage with policy processes and contribute to real-world solutions," he said, underscoring the importance of collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

He added that 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, held under the theme "Powering Policy with Innovative, Inclusive, and Transparent Data," has brought together more than 400 policymakers, researchers, innovators, and development partners to discuss how evidence and technology can strengthen decision-making across Africa.