Dr Hamadoun Touré, the former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union, has been appointed as the executive director of Smart Africa.

The Smart Africa alliance comprises a number of African countries and institutions committed to promote information communication and technology as a driver for social economic growth.

Toure’s appointment was agreed upon by the alliance’s board at a meeting held on the sidelines of the just-concluded Transform Africa 2015 Summit in Kigali, according to a statement issued by the Government of Rwanda.

President Paul Kagame is the chair of the board.

The Malian will be based in Kigali where the Smart Africa secretariat will be founded. His three-year term takes effect January 1.

Rwanda was selected to host the continental alliance secretariat having portrayed commitment as a leader in ICT promotion.

The Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, on Wednesday announced that Rwanda has availed $1 million for the secretariat.

The board meeting also took note of the progress reported by the alliance’s Steering Committee and endorsed its decisions on the operationalisation of the Smart Africa Scholarship Fund, the establishment of a secretariat in Kigali, membership framework and the establishment of One Africa Network.

At the meeting, African Development Bank announced a grant for the establishment of the secretariat and technical assistance to Smart Africa programmes.

The World Bank also pledged to mobilise financial support to support the implementation of the Smart Africa flagships.

The board consists of the Presidents of Burkina Faso Gabon, Mali, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Ivory Coast, South Sudan and Chad, as well as the Commissioner of Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission and the Secretary General of ITU.

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