National Statistics System (SEN)

The National Statistics System, abbreviated as SEN, was set up by Law nº. 7/96, of 5 July. By the SEN is understood the series of institutions and entities tasked with the exercise of official statistical activity.

The SEN has as its main objectives:

• To guarantee the gathering, processing, analysis and publication of the statistical information necessary to the country, to guide its socio-economic development at various levels; 
• To make the best use of human, technical, financial and material resources in the production of official statistics, and in the development of national statistical activity, avoiding duplication of efforts, and the consequent dilapidation of resources;
• To encourage the interest of the public, of public and private institutions, and of companies in national statistical activity, in order to further their participation and collaboration in the gathering of pertinent, reliable and timely statistical data;
• To promote the analysis and use of official statistical information by public and private institutions, and by the community in general, for better objective knowledge of national reality, as a fundamental instrument for taking decisions at all levels;
• To guarantee the functioning of a national system of economic, social and demographic information on a basis of official statistics, capable of satisfying the needs of the various users;
• To encourage and promote, on a permanent basis, the training and professional betterment of the staff allocated to official statistical activity..

The Bodies of the SEN are:

• The Higher Statistics Council (CSE);
• The National Statistics Institute (INE);
• The Bank of Mozambique (BM);
• The General Population Census Coordinating Council (CCRGP).

Higher Statistics Council

Under article 16 of Law nº 7/96, of 5 July, the Higher Statistics Council is the state body that guides and coordinates the SEN. 

1. The President of the CSE may invite other bodies, whenever necessary.

With the context of the SEN, the CSE shall:

a) define the general lines of national statistical activity and lay down the respective priorities;

b) analyse the INE’s plan of activities and the corresponding annual report;

c) promote and ensure coordination of the SEN by approving, on the INE’s proposal, concepts,
definitions, nomenclatures, and other technical statistical coordination instruments to be used obligatorily in the development of official statistical activities;

d) encourage the use of administrative acts for statistical purposes, formulating recommendations seeking the use, in administrative documents, of the statistical concepts, definitions and nomenclatures, as well as access to the respective data;

e) always give its opinion on bills or proposals that create statistical services, or contain any norms that affect the structure or functioning of the SEN;

f) insist on the observation of statistical secrecy, and decide on proposals for exemption from statistical secrecy under article 14, paragraph 3 of the present law;

g) give its opinion, at the government’s request, on the general norms and principles that should regulate the production of official statistical data;

h) give its opinion on bilateral and multilateral cooperation projects, in the field of statistics, undertaken in the county;

i) give its opinion on proposals to delegate powers of the INE to other services, as well as proposals for the cessation of this delegation;

j) approve its internal regulations.

 

National Statistics Institute

1. The National Statistics Institute is the central executive body of the SEN, whose task is the notation, ascertaining, coordination and publicising of the country’s official statistical information, and it is subordinate to the Council of Ministers.

2. It is the INE’s task to undertake the country’s official statistical activity. Its other powers, as well as its mode of operation, shall be defined in its statutes and regulations.

Bank of Mozambique

It is the duty of the Bank of Mozambique, under Law nº 1/92, of 3 January, to ensure the centralisation and compilation of the monetary and exchange statistics that it deems necessary for the pursuit of an efficient policy in those fields.

General Population Census Coordinating Council

1. The General Population Census Coordinating Council (CCRGP) is the body of the SEN responsible for managing the Census.

2. The composition and mode of operation of the CCRGP are regulated in a separate law.

»» See more ...