African Ministers and Stakeholders to Drive Strategic Actions to Bridge Digital Divide and Inequalities on the Continent

Source: Africa News Space

In a statement released by the African Union Commission (AUC), following the conclusion of the 5th Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Communication and Information Communication Technology (ICT), the ministers responsible for overseeing the communication and Information communication technology sectors have pledged to advance the interconnection between digitalisation, climate action, infrastructure, and energy. Their goal is to optimise the advantages of digital solutions and take proactive steps to hasten Africa’s digital transformation to advance Africa’s socio-economic progress.

Furthermore, at the upcoming African Union Summit 2024, the ministers will advocate for adopting the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa and its Implementation Framework as a flagship project of the Africa Union (AU) Agenda 2063. In addition, the ministers prioritised advancing the media sector, focusing on strategies to ensure it benefits from the advantages of rapid technological advancement. They also emphasised the significance of upholding press freedoms and the necessity for an environment conducive to the media’s ability to reshape the African narrative through solution-focused viewpoints.

At the STC, the ministers pledged to drive further various actions, including but not limited to:

1. Support the implementation of Continental Digital Strategies and Frameworks adopted by AU Policy Organs;
2. Pursue more ratifications of the AU Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection, which entered into force on 8 June 2023;
3. Provide regular reports using the digital transformation strategy performance and reporting dashboard and implement the self-capacity assessment tool for technical support to develop national data policies and systems aligned to the Continental Data Policy Framework;
4. Develop a National Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy per the continental policy framework;
5. Include provisions on data flows in the negotiations of AfCFTA protocols on Digital Trade;
6. Strengthen cooperation between national communication and ICT regulatory authorities in Africa to collectively respond to new challenges emanating from the increased convergence of services. This will also enhance capacity-building programs on ICTs and cybersecurity in the continent;
7. Pursue the policy and regulatory reforms of the postal sector at national, regional and continental levels; 
8. Connect the unconnected to bridge the urban-rural digital divide and close the gender gaps to ensure an inclusive digital society and economy.;
9. Champion implementing policies that pursue equitable sharing of revenues by Tech Giants to ensure African media and content creators’ sustainability and viability;
10. Promote the culture of reading in Africa, invest in libraries in educational institutions and local communities, and promote inclusion in national curricula, information about the African Union, its mandates and programmes, and popularise awareness and adoption of Africa’s Agenda 2063 with youth;
11. Encourage the use of African-sourced data to measure the state of media and journalists on the continent and promote access to Information through the establishment of Information Commissions within member states;
12. For the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to undertake a 10-year review and update of the 2013 African Model Law on Access to Information to ensure compliance with the 2019 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa and mainly to make it fit for purpose in the digital age; 
13. Continue to mobilise and allocate domestic financial and technical resources for the preparation and implementation of Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA-PAP) 2 projects and create an enabling environment for the private sector and public-private partnerships, build institutional capacities and implement the necessary policies and regulatory frameworks to facilitate the implementation of PIDA-PAP 2 projects.

To scale up startup investments across the continent to continue growing tech entrepreneurs, the AU Commission will develop the African Green Digital Transformation Pact that promotes data-driven technology projects and initiatives that support environmental quality improvement, climate action, and energy efficiency and bolster resilience while promoting citizens’ engagement. The pact will inform the deliberations of the Global Digital Compact scheduled for 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, emphasised the importance of increased investments in digital infrastructure, facilitating more accessible and affordable devices and internet tariffs, and formulating policies that encourage digital literacy and entrepreneurship. “While progress has been made in expanding internet access and promoting digital skills, we need to scale up our efforts to tap into the opportunities of digitalisation.”

H.E. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, noted that as Africa continues to endure the global crisis, digitalisation offers numerous opportunities for economic transformation towards a green, resilient, and inclusive growth path. She emphasised the interconnectedness between digital transformation, climate, food, and energy, advocating for intensified endeavours to expand the availability of climate-smart digital technologies and related data-driven services across various sectors. “For example, with only 40% of the continent’s population using the internet, 64% of which are urban and 23% rural users, the nexus between energy and digitalisation needs to be given more attention as part of the efforts to bridge the urban-rural digital divide as lack of access to electricity in rural areas contributes to this divide. The African Union is implementing various initiatives to accelerate energy access, contributing to higher levels of digital services, among other benefits.”

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), called for universal connectivity to realise an inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem. “Connectivity is an important policy goal, enabling economic development and access to education. Digital transformation affects all sectors and aspects of our lives. These past few years, we have seen a need for the government to drive digital transformation in partnership with the private sector, academia, development, partners, and all the African citizenry. We will continue to provide extensive guidance in developing digital policies and strategies, regulatory environments, global standards, and best practices to drive innovation and increase access to digital services by all.”

Ambassador Riccardo Mosca, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to the AU, highlighted the impact of collaboration in implementing the digital transformation Strategy, including the sectoral strategies on education, health, and agriculture. He emphasised the EU’s support as Africa implements the policies and strategy in single digital markets, human-centric artificial intelligence and Internet governance, and cyber security.

The energy industry can significantly benefit from digitalisation, increasing operational efficiency within energy systems. In addition, facilitating access to modernised and integrated transport infrastructure systems through digitalisation is also critical, underscoring the need for digitalisation to improve the effectiveness and functionality of transportation systems. This includes the development of innovative urban mobility solutions in cities to cope with the increasing traffic growth and promoting innovative, intelligent systems for road transport.  By embracing innovative technologies and adopting best practices, African airports can enhance security measures, optimise passenger processing, and contribute to the growth of the aviation industry.