The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Google have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to propel and expedite digital transformation across Africa.
The agreement was made on the sidelines of the Africa Business Forum 2024, held on Monday 19th February at the UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The forum, themed, “Boosting Africa’s transformation through education, science, technology, and innovation,” aims to promote an ongoing dialogue between Africa’s private and the public sectors to accelerate collective efforts towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063.
This partnership capitalises on the strengths of both entities, aligning with the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030) and Google’s Digital Sprinters Framework. The intent is to harness the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to drive Africa’s digital economy forward.
The MoU covers:
Digital Skills Development: With Africa’s rising youthful population, it’s important to enhance digital skills. The partnership aims to empower Africa’s youth through targeted initiatives focusing on digital literacy, startup support, and AI policy research.
Startup Development: Google commits to partnering with ECA to nurture a thriving startup ecosystem in Africa. The goal is to enable a million startups to generate $100 billion in revenue by 2033. Through mentorship and support, tech startups addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) will receive a boost.
Computer Science Education: Bridging the digital divide requires investing in education. The collaboration will see over 5,000 young African students and 200 teachers equipped with computer science and robotics skills. This initiative aims to bolster Africa’s representation in global tech competitions like the World Robot Olympiad.
Cybersecurity: ECA and Google will join forces to promote digital security awareness, conduct training workshops, and facilitate dialogue with policymakers. Collaborative research will explore the intersection of cybersecurity and sustainable development goals.
ECA’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Claver Gatete, was optimistic about the partnership, saying it held “the potential to produce significant and influential outcomes in tackling digital challenges and narrowing the digital divide across the African continent.”
Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Emerging Markets, Doron Avni, also noted that “with advanced technologies like AI, the most profound transformation is yet to come. Collaboration will be essential if Africa is to realize this opportunity and ensure no-one is left behind.” He finished by saying Google was “excited to collaborate with the ECA to work towards this shared objective.”
With Africa’s digital transformation journey gaining momentum, this strategic alliance between ECA and Google signals a concerted effort to harness technology for sustainable development, leaving no one behind.
Source: APO Group
By Derrick Kafui Deti – Digital Economy Magazine
