IGF 2023 Open Forum #124 National digital transformation strategies in Africa

    Time
    Wednesday, 11th October, 2023 (02:30 UTC) - Wednesday, 11th October, 2023 (03:30 UTC)
    Room
    WS 7 – Room K
    Issue(s)

    Governing Digital Economy

    Round Table - 90 Min

    Description

    The session will be facilitated by UNECA and UNU-EGOV and will focus on the latest developments, challenges and opportunities in Africa’s digital transformation journey and will feature case study examples in the adoption of Digital Transformation Strategies and Roadmaps in select African countries.

    Focus will be placed on approaches that employ digital assessments and diagnostics to identify gaps and challenges that inform strategy development.

    Furthermore, the session will explore how the AU Digital Transformation Strategy (2020-2030), co-developed with the ECA, provides an excellent framework for prioritizing digital infrastructure and accessibility as a prerequisite to achieving digital transformation and prosperity in line with SDGs and Agenda 2063 and can have substantial impact on regional cooperation and integration in Africa.

    The discussion will also focus on the importance of digitalizing Africa’s governance system and the digital transformation of the governance sector on the continent. The session will discuss the importance of institutional foundations for a digital government ecosystem and contribute to identifying, through a co-creation and collective intelligence approach (coconstruction workshops) some concrete proposals to seize the digital transformation of the public sector and lay the foundations for the development of digital government roadmaps

    Organizers

    UN ECA - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
    UNU EGOV - United Nation University - Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance 

    Speakers

    • Hon. Ousman A. BAH, Minister, Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, Gambia – VIRTUAL

    • João CRUZ, National Director of State Modernization, Ministry for Modernization of the State and Public Administration, Cabo Verde – VIRTUAL

    • Rose MOSERO MAINA, Deputy Data Commissioner at Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, Kenya – VIRTUAL

    • Mactar SECK, Chief of section, innovation and technology, UNECA

    • Luis BARBOSA, Deputy Director, UNU-EGOV

    Onsite Moderator

    • Morten MEYERHOFF NIELSEN, EGOV Adviser, UNU-EGOV

    Online Moderator

    • Hilda Mwakatumbula, Digital Development Expert, UNECA

    Rapporteur

    • Sorene ASSEFA, Internet Governance and Cybersecurity Expert -UNECA

    SDGs

    16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    17. Partnerships for the Goals

    Targets: Directly linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals), the project supports the use of ICT in the public sector.