Smart Africa Hosts Fourth Meeting of the Council of Ministers of ICT

Twenty-three countries attend the 4th meeting of the council of Ministers of ICT of the Smart Africa Alliance to build on Africa's digital transformation.

KIGALI, Rwanda, 2021-May-17 — /EPR Network/ — Smart Africa hosted the 4th meeting of its Council of Ministers of ICT (CMICT) do discuss ongoing initiatives in Smart Africa member states.

The meeting was attended by Ministers and delegated representatives from 23 countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, RDC, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Guinee , Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde. The Council was chaired by the President of the Council of Ministers of ICT (CMICT), Honourable Said Oumar Koulibaly, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy for the Republic of Guinée.

“We have made significant strides in our projects with several of them now at a pilot phase in many of our member countries. This demonstrates the leadership and commitment of the Ministers of the Alliance who have ushered the flagship projects into actions that are moving us closer to a Single Digital Market,” said Mr. Lacina Koné, Director General / CEO of Smart Africa.

The Ministers discussed updates on key digital initiatives across Africa which include; The One Africa Network (OAN) which seeks to eliminate roaming charges across Africa; the Smart Cites initiative, Initiatives to counter COVID-19 and future pandemics; the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA); the BLOC Smart Africa Fund which is raising $100 million to fund early stage start-ups in Africa and the Bulk Capacity Purchase initiative aimed at reducing the cost of connectivity in Africa by as much as 50%.

Hon. Leon Juste Ibombo, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy of the Republic of the Congo was elected as President of the Council Taking over from Minister Said Oumar Koulibaly of Guinée and Hon. Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful of Ghana succeded Hon. Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams as the Deputy President of the Council.

About Smart Africa

Smart Africa is an alliance of 31 African countries, international organisations and global private sector players tasked with Africa’s digital agenda. The alliance is empowered by a bold and innovative commitment by African Heads of State to accelerate sustainable socioeconomic development on the continent and usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and use of ICTs. With a vision to create a single digital market in Africa by 2030, the Smart Africa Alliance brings together Heads of State who seek to accelerate the digitalization of the continent and create a common market. Launched in 2013 by seven (7) African Heads of State, the Alliance now has 31 member countries, representing over 750 million people and over 40 Private Sector members committed to the vision and the advancement of Africa.

 

For more information, contact:

Smart Africa Secretariat

E-mail: comms@smartafrica.org

Website: www.smartafrica.org

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