Addis Ababa, Oct 29 (IANS): High-quality disaster-related statistics are urgently needed as the African continent and the world at large are increasingly confronted with climate change-induced and other disasters, a senior official of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.

The statement was made by Oliver Chinganya, director of the African Center for Statistics at the UNECA, on Monday while addressing the opening session of the Fourth Global Expert Forum for Producers and Users of Disaster-Related Statistics, which is held from October 28 to November 1 at the UN Conference Center in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"Our world faces an increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, exacerbated by climate change, urbanisation, and other socio-economic factors. These events not only claim lives but also disrupt communities, economies, and the fabric of our societies," he said.

He emphasised that amid the worsening intensity of natural and man-made calamities in Africa and elsewhere across the globe, quality disaster-related statistics are crucial for effectively responding to and addressing both current and future shocks.

"The role of accurate, timely, and relevant disaster-related statistics has never been more critical. It is through these statistics that we can understand the scale of impacts, guide effective responses, and develop robust policies that enhance our resilience," Chinganya said.

The five-day gathering, jointly organised by the UNECA, African Union and other UN agencies, underscored the importance of reliable data for effective decision-making, response planning and resilience-building efforts.

"We need to work together to strengthen the data ecosystem for disaster risk management and toward building a safer, more resilient world," Chinganya told the participants, who are drawn from government agencies, academia, civil society, the private sector, and international organisations.

Noting that there is often a disconnect between data producers and the users, including policymakers and researchers, the UNECA said establishing a platform where producers and users can collaborate on improving the quality and accessibility of disaster-related statistics is essential.