Smart Africa alliance to raise $300bn for ICT infrastructure

Rwanda and eight other nations comprising the Smart Africa Alliance Initiative have set a target to raise $300 billion by 2020 to deliver key ICT infrastructure with the objective of achieving total connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries involved in the alliance include; Burkina Faso, Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Chad and Uganda. In a meeting held on the sidelines of the ongoing ITU (International Telecommunications Union) Telecom World 2014 conference in Doha, Qatar, the alliance of nations together with partners in ICT resolved to unlock the potential of ICT to enable their countries achieve sustainable development. The alliance borne, during last year’s Transform Africa summit in Kigali, brings together African governments, the private sector and international organisations. A joint statement by East African Community ministers of ICT noted that the region had experienced transformation through the use of ICTs. “It is, therefore, our goal to empower users, enrich people’s lifestyle and livelihoods, and help boost the economy as a whole. As the world puts the ‘Future in Focus’ at the 2014 ITU Telecom World, Africa is enjoined as it defines its ICT priorities to help accelerate sustainable socio-economic development across an entire continent through Smart Africa,” the statement read in part. Speaking on the sidelines of the conference at an ITU press interview, Rwanda’s Minister for Youth and ICT Jean Philbert Nsengimana, said private-public partnerships would be important in achieving the targets as they would make necessary investments possible. “While governments are creating the necessary environment to build knowledge based economies, there is need to fill it with necessary investments as well as foster regional cooperation,” Nsengimana said. The alliance also agreed that Rwanda will host the next Transform Africa Summit, scheduled for October 29, 2015, with Nsengimana describing it as an “agenda setting summit.” Earlier this year, in October during the Smart Rwanda conference, the Alliance put in place mechanisms to establish a scholarship fund dubbed, Smart Africa Scholarship Fund, and a caretaker secretariat.

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Smart Africa alliance to raise $300bn for ICT infrastructure