African Ministers Mobilize Greater Efforts To Close Digital Divide and Disparities

Posted by on
(Photo Credit: au.int)

In a landmark event at the just concluded 5th Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Communication and ICT, ministers responsible for the Communication and Information Communication Technology (ICT) sectors have set forth a series of decisive measures aimed at advancing Africa’s Digital Transformation. The objective is clear: to enhance socio-economic development, foster job creation, and improve the lives of people across the continent.

One of the key highlights of the committee's decisions is the ambitious commitment to promote the interconnections among digitalization, climate change, infrastructure, and energy, ultimately aiming to maximize the benefits of digital solutions. At the upcoming African Union Summit in 2024, these ministers will fervently advocate for the acceptance and implementation of the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa and its Implementation Framework, intending for it to serve as a flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063.

In a bid to address the viability of the media industry amidst the burgeoning technological growth, the ministers have prioritized strategies to ensure that the media sector fully capitalizes on the ongoing technological advancements. Furthermore, they have emphasized the crucial need to safeguard press freedoms and establish an enabling environment that encourages the media to reshape the African narrative with solutions-oriented perspectives.


Shop With Us: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SokoMalls

The ministers' commitments extend to a range of actions, including but not limited to:

  • Supporting the implementation of Continental Digital Strategies and Frameworks endorsed by AU Policy Organs.
  • Propelling increased ratifications of the AU Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection, which recently came into effect on 8th June 2023.
  • Utilizing the Digital Transformation Strategy performance and reporting dashboard to provide regular updates, and adopting the Self-Capacity Assessment Tool for technical support to develop national data policies and systems in alignment with the Continental Data Policy Framework.
  • Spearheading the development of National Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policies in line with the continental policy framework.
  • Incorporating clauses concerning data flows in the negotiations of AfCFTA protocols on Digital Trade.
  • Strengthening collaboration among national communication and ICT regulatory authorities in Africa to collectively tackle emerging challenges stemming from the increased convergence of services. This will also involve enhancing capacity-building programs on ICTs and cybersecurity across the continent.
  • Pursuing policy and regulatory reforms of the postal sector at national, regional, and continental levels.
  • Bridging the gap between urban and rural digital access and working to eliminate gender disparities, ensuring an inclusive digital society and economy.
  • Advocating for policies that promote equitable sharing of revenues by Tech Giants, ensuring the sustainability and viability of African media and content creators.
  • Fostering a culture of reading in Africa, investing in libraries within educational institutions and local communities, and integrating the promotion of Africa’s Agenda 2063 into national curricula, while heightening awareness and adoption among the youth.
  • Encouraging the use of African-sourced data for measuring the state of media and journalists on the continent and promoting access to information through the establishment of Information Commissions within member states.
  • Calling for a 10-year review and update of the 2013 African Model Law on Access to Information by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, ensuring compliance with the 2019 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, especially to adapt it for the digital age.
  • Mobilizing and allocating more domestic financial and technical resources for the preparation and implementation of PIDA-PAP 2 projects, in addition to creating an enabling environment for private sector and public-private partnerships, building institutional capacities, and implementing necessary policies and regulatory frameworks to facilitate the projects.
  • Scaling up startup investments across the continent to further bolster the growth of tech entrepreneurs, including the development of the African Green Digital Transformation Pact by the AU Commission, which promotes data-driven solutions.


In order to boost investments in startups across Africa and support the growth of tech entrepreneurs, the AU Commission will create the African Green Digital Transformation Pact. This pact will focus on promoting data-driven technology projects and initiatives that contribute to environmental improvement, climate action, energy efficiency, and resilience, while also encouraging citizen engagement. The Pact will play a role in the discussions of the upcoming Global Digital Compact in 2024.

H.E. Léon Juste Ibombo, Congo’s Minister of Post, Telecommunication and Digital Economy of Rep of Congo, and Outgoing Chair of the STC-CICT, stressed the importance of increasing investment in digital infrastructure, improving access to affordable devices and internet tariffs, and implementing policies that support digital literacy and entrepreneurship.

H.E. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, highlighted the potential for digitalization to drive economic transformation towards green, resilient, and inclusive growth in Africa. She emphasized the connection between digital transformation, climate action, food security, and energy, and called for greater efforts to expand access to climate-smart digital technologies and data-driven services across all sectors.


Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, emphasized the need for universal connectivity to create an inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem. She stressed the importance of connectivity for economic development and access to education and called for a collaborative approach involving government, private sector, academia, development partners, and citizens to drive digital transformation.

Amb. Riccardo Mosca, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to the African Union, highlighted the impact of collaboration in implementing digital transformation strategies in areas such as education, health, and agriculture. The EU committed to supporting Africa in implementing policies and strategies related to the Single Digital Market, human-centric artificial intelligence, internet governance, and cybersecurity.

The energy sector stands to benefit from digitalization by improving operational efficiency and customer experience. Digitalization can also enhance transport infrastructure systems and smart urban mobility solutions. Additionally, embracing smart technologies can improve security measures and passenger processing at African airports.




SOURCE:


Comments

Post a Comment