Zambia and the African Union (AU) on Tuesday signed an agreement which allows the southern African nation to host the 5th International Conference for African Ministers responsible for civil registration and vital statistics.

The conference will take place from 14th to 18th October, under the theme of “Innovation Civil Registration ad Vital Statistics System: Foundation for Legal Identity Management.”

Emanuel Mwamba, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the AU and ambassador to Ethiopia, who signed on behalf of Zambia, said the management of civil registration was an important pre-requisite towards achieving the free movement of goods and services in Africa.

Zambia, he said, was privileged to host such an important international conference and was committed to ensuring the success of the event, according to a release.

According to him, it would be difficult to achieve the goals set out in the AU Agenda 2063 and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area without countries having people with legal identity, proper and adequate statistics on trade and economics.

Victor Harrison, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, who signed on behalf of the continental body, said no country could develop without adequate and correct statistical information.

He said Zambia’s hosting of the forthcoming international conference was a testimony of the importance that the continental boy attaches to capturing correct data as a tool for national development.

The conference is being organized by the AU in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , the African Development Bank and the Zambian government.

Civil registration system registers all births and deaths, issues birth and death certificates, and compiles and disseminates vital statistics including cause of death. It can also record marriages and divorce.