Capacity Building: From Data to Action – How Statistics Drive Change in Ghana

Ghana, with a population of nearly 34 million distributed across 16 regions and 261 districts, has long faced challenges in collecting and disseminating timely and accessible data for decision-makers. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has historically faced challenges in providing timely data that effectively supports the development of adaptable and evidence-based policies.

In response to these challenges, a project with Statistics Denmark supported GSS in launching a national statistics database, the Stats Bank, to improve data accessibility. One of the project’s major achievements was the publication of the 261 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) reports, which identified key socio-economic challenges across all districts in Ghana. These insights laid the groundwork for targeted policy interventions and marked the fastest report publication in GSS history.

The project also played a critical role in strengthening the technical capacity of GSS through training programs in R-automation and Python. More than 30 GSS staff is trained in R and R-automation through the project, around 10% of GSS staff. These programs facilitated automation in data processing and visualization, thereby enhancing the institution's ability to support evidence-based policymaking. A key takeaway from the program’s implementation was the value of using a Training of Trainers (ToT) model to build broader institutional capacity and ensure the long-term sustainability of the skills developed.
By reinforcing Ghana’s statistical infrastructure and promoting data-informed governance, the project has contributed to more effective public administration, increased trust in state institutions, and better-targeted interventions for vulnerable populations. For instance, in Ada-West, a new water well was installed, reducing water-fetching time for the 40% of residents who previously walked over 59 minutes for access. In Afigya Kwabre North, the proportion of citizens registered with the national health insurance scheme rose significantly from an initial uptake of 56%.

These outcomes demonstrate how improved capacity building can translate into tangible improvements in access to essential services and overall quality of life at the local level.

The interaction between the Danish state and Danish municipalities inspires digitalization in Brazil

In a country with 27 states, 5,571 municipalities, and dramatic regional disparities in development, creating a joint public digitalization strategy is no easy task. Nevertheless, the Brazilian Secretariat for Digital Government (SGD) has done exactly that—drawing strong inspiration from Denmark’s two decades of experience in this field. The ongoing implementation of the strategy, which was launched in 2024, also draws on Danish institutional ideas through intergovernmental cooperation. One example is the creation of municipal digitalization communities modeled after KOMBIT, which can accelerate digital innovation and offer market-shaping prices for public digital solutions by coordinating and aggregating municipalities in public tenders. This enables cheaper and better digitalization, which can be rolled out more quickly and reach more of Brazil’s 220 million citizens with user-friendly public services. 

Strengthening Economic Diplomacy: Supporting Bangladesh’s Sustainable Transition Through the Garment Value Chain

To support Bangladesh in its transition from the least developed country (LDC) category, the interaction between the SSC on work environment and the embassy's economic diplomacy has been strengthened. With its LDC-status, Bangladesh has had duty-free access to the EU, which has particularly benefited the textile industry. 

After graduation in 2026, Bangladesh’s duty-free access will depend even more on compliance with human rights and labour rights according to the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) requirements. The embassy has therefore established an integrated value chain advisory team that promotes social and environmental sustainability in the garment industry's value chain. The team advises Danish companies and their Bangladeshi suppliers based on the SSC and the Trade Council's commercial instruments. The focus is on improving working conditions in factories in Bangladesh and on sustainable business - but also on how commercial investments in energy and logistics can make the value chain greener and more efficient.