CRVS Third Core Group Meeting -17th November 2011
Minutes
Venue: - for Addis Abeba participants held at UNCC room no.E128
-for outside participants from their respective VC sites
Time: 10:30 am - 12:30pm
Participants:
Mr. Dimitri Sanga , African Centre for Statistics (ACS), UNECA - Chair
Mr. Raj Gautam Mitra, ACS, UNECA
Mr. Genene Bizuneh, AfDB/ACS-UNECA
Mr. Cornelius Williams, UNICEF – from Nairobi via audio
Ms. Metasebia Solomon , UNICEF- Addis Abeba
Mr. Richmond Tiemoko, UNFPA – from Johannesburg via audio
Mr. Kokil Beejaya, African Development Bank (AfDB) from Tunis via audio
Ms. Clara Kiesewetter, South Africa Embassy in Ethiopia- Addis Abeba
Ms. Meaza Bekele, ACS, UNECA
Statistics South Africa(Stat SA) 4 persons - via video
The meeting agenda items were the following:
1. Matters arising from the last meeting
2. ASSD preparation
-Draft Work programme
-Invitation
-Sponsorship and funding
3. Preparation for the 2nd Conference of African Ministers in August 2012 in South Africa
-Draft concept note
-Draft agenda
-Sponsorship and funding
4. Finalizing previously circulated draft documents
-Partnership agreement document
-Conference organization manual
5. Way forward
6. Closing
- Matters arising from the last meeting
Agenda 2 as per last meeting minutes
-UNHCR proposed to work on the Medium Term Plan (MTP) by incorporating appropriate texts in the document with regard to the human rights aspects
-HMN is yet to develop the M&E framework for the MTP. It was was decided to request HMN to take up this task
-The process of signing of MOU by the Core group institutions need to be speeded up
-On advocacy document UNICEF informed that they are in process of contracting a consultant for this work. The Secretariat informed that this advocacy document is expected to be circulated to ASSD meeting.
Agenda 3as per last meeting minutes
-The secretariat informed the group thatCRVS assessment questionnaires have been received from a number of countries (20 from English speaking, 12 from French speaking ones) and that data capturing has been completed so far for 18 English speaking and 9 French speaking countries. It has been further explained that the forms are being securitized based on a set of rules that has been developed and that communication with countries is underway to get more returns.
-It has been informed that it is planned to prepare preliminary report based on the questionnaires received that will be presented in ASSD meeting. The full report will be presented in the Ministerial conference in September 2012. An expert is already on board for data entry, and another consultant will be engaged for analysis and report preparation.
-The effort of UNFPA and UNICEF to get responses from countries was appreciated. These two agencies requested the secretariat to provide them with the pending list for their follow up.
-In relation to the preparation of supplementary questionnaire (utilization of ID),It has been decided that the secretariat will liaise.
Agenda 4as per last meeting minutes
-It has been informed that a table matrix has been prepared and is going to be circulated to finalize the draft.
Agenda 7as per last meeting minutes
-The group was reminded as to the huge initiative that it has embarked upon. The sheer size of the initiative is putting a lot of burden on the secretariat which is increasingly finding it difficult to cope up with the volume of work. It has been informed that there are only 2 persons working for the secretariat and that there aretwo short term consultants:two for manuals preparation, one for data base and tabulation and one for assessment/ analysis. The core group members were requested to provide staff support at least by way of secondment for specific items of work from time to time.
-AfDB informed that it can support withhiring of a consultant but only at the beginning of 2012. UNICEF has informed that it could give few month supports but need to get details on the time frame and the activities. UNFPA has informed that it should bring it to the management for a possible assistance in 2012. Stat SA has also informed that they will bring it to the attention of their principals.
-The Chair has explained that it is understandable that it is difficult to come up with resources at the end of the year. He has further informed that as there is a lot of assessment work to be done, support in technical assistance and the like is doable. As it will depend on each organization, for the time frame, it has been advised that each organization liaise with the secretariat in order to work together.
- ASSD preparation
-A general briefing on the preparation of the ASSD meeting has been given by the secretariat:. Invitation letters have been sent out since last week for National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Civil Registration Authorities (CRA). It was informed that so far very good response has been received. However, for some countries like Tunisia, Libya, Somalia and Rwanda, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria and Djibouti it has been further informed that email for CRAs are not working and it was planned to liaise with NSOs to get their responses.
-It was also informed that the secretariat will retain the list of all those that have confirmed for ASSD meeting so as to use it for the ministerial conference.
-The secretariat also informed that the list of core group members to be invited for ASSD will be sent to StatSA..
Draft Work programme
The draft work programme of the meeting was sent to all participants. The following decisions were taken with regard to the presentations
-Under session 4:the secretariat will present the APAI-CRVS conceptual framework
-under session 6: the secretariat will present the Legal Framework, UNFPA will present the Organization, Management and Operationsand UNICEF will make the presentation on Institutional and Human Infrastructure.
-It was further agreed that the secretariat will prepare a a draft outline for all the presentationa and will work together with partners to finalize them.
The partners were requested to volunteer for the breakaway sessions.
-Sponsorship and funding
-Stat SA has informed that they had not received any written confirmation of sponsorship from organizations.
-In relation to this UNFPA informed that it will sponsor two persons from the Civil Registration office, the chief of civil registration office itself and the technical in charge of the civil registration in that office. He mentioned that the letter from the regional director requesting the country offices to support the particiapation of these two persons is ready for signature and will soon be issued..
-AfDB also informed that it will support the participation of DGs of the NSO for 49 countries and 5 countries will be supported by Paris 21.
-It has also been confirmed that UNICEF and UNFPA will follow up with their country offices and where UNFPA can not support both, UNICEF will try.
-It was agreed that Stat SA will support the participation of the technical in-charge of the vital statistics office in the NSO.
Additional items onagenda from Stat SA
-Website: The group was informed that the website on ASSD is under creation and the contents has been listed (registration form, SA flight, Sponsorship address, background on SA, ASSD manual English/ French) and informed that the address is Sa-where:999/ASSD and that it will be launched before 15 December 2011.
-It was informed that an agreement has been made with SAA for booking and that the link is awaited.
- Preparation for the 2nd Conference of African Ministers in August 2012 in South Africa
-The secretariat informed that the Ministerial Conference will be held in September 2012 and not in August 2012.
-It was also informed that a South African delegation hadvisited the ECA last week for the first preparatory meeting for the Ministerial meeting.
-A zero draft agenda as well as concept note are ready, and will be circulated for comments
- Finalizing previously circulated draft documents
-The group was reminded that the partnership agreement had been sentlong agoby the secretariat and valuable comments have been received only from UNICEF and that inputs is expected from all.
- Way forward
-The chair has summarized the agreed expected accomplishments:
- The secretariat will have to follow up on issues raised
- UNICEF will liaise with the ASSD secretariat to identify item for its financial support
- Comments are awaited for draft concept note and draft agenda
- Agencies responsible for sponsorship have to follow up process and monitor closely and keep StatSA and the secretariat informed about the situation
- AoB
Accommodation
-Stat SA has raised the problem related to accommodation: the sponsor need to make the down payment.
-The chair has explained that this is well noted and that further discussions will be required on this. He mentioned that each agency should know the amount of down payment. He further indicated that a letter from Hotels will be needed for the request of down payments.
Side event for meeting of Core group
-It has been informed that there will be a side event meeting of the Core Group for the preparation of the 2nd Conference of African Ministers.
The meeting has finally ended at 12:30pm.