No Result
View All Result
Sunday, August 31, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

The Role of Digitalization in the Decade of Action for Africa

bySami Zaptia
September 11, 2020
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
The Role of Digitalization in the Decade of Action for Africa

(UNECA).

By Vera Songwe.

(UNECA).

11 September 2020:

It is widely recognized that digitalization is one of the most powerful tools for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Digital applications are already driving socio-economic transformation, increasing efficient production and distribution of goods and services, opening-up new opportunities for income generation for millions of poor people, enhancing connectivity between people, societies, government, and organizations.

In the last fifteen years, the growth of digital technology, mainly driven by the mobile revolution and associated innovations has been one of the bright spots for Africa’s development. This progress has also raised hope that we can truly accelerate the implementation of the SDGs.

RELATED POSTS

Libya to launch digital transformation project: Finance Minister Mabrouk

Aldabaiba proposes new Road Map for holding elections, loans and land for youth and money for healthcare for war wounded

Today, more than 80 per cent of Africa’s population has a mobile phone subscription. In several African countries, the digital economy is becoming one of the main drivers of growth, accounting for more than 5 per cent of GDP.

New and emerging mobile-enabled platforms across the region partly stimulated by the exponential growth of mobile telephony have disrupted traditional value chains in different sectors of the economy across the region.

Similarly, digital trade is rapidly growing, and Fintech services have become a powerful lever for growth and financial inclusion by providing large numbers of services to people excluded from basic financial services. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology has become an important tool more than at any other time before to facilitate and enable work, business and life across the continent.

However, Africa is still the least connected region compared to other regions of the world with about 28,2 per cent internet coverage and 34 per cent to mobile broadband. Few citizens have digital IDs, businesses adopting digital technologies remain the exception rather than the norm, and few governments are investing strategically in developing digital infrastructure, services, skills, and entrepreneurship.

There is also a need to adapt and harmonize legislations on technology, including intellectual property and data privacy, to truly unleash Africa’s digital potential.

To tackle these challenges, ECA, through its Centre of Excellence for Digital Identity, Trade and Economy, established in 2018, is providing the necessary support to Member States to use digitalization, as catalyst for inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa, contributing significantly to the attainment of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Together with the African Union Commission, we have developed and started to implement the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030) as a blueprint and master plan for transforming the continent’s economy and societies.

ECA in collaboration with the World Bank and others UN System Agencies is also undertaking country level engagement to support the design and implementation of digital ID programmes, including exploiting linkages with the broader digital economy for achieving SDGs.

Over 60 per cent of men and 75 per cent of women are engaged in informal economic activity in Africa and providing support to this majority has challenged all African Governments in this era of COVID19. The ‘digital identity’ goal for all of Africa can help to ensure that development touches everyone and that no one is left behind.

ECA has also sought to ensure that African countries can leverage the digital space to respond to the COVID19 crisis more quickly and robustly.

ECA, in collaboration with several telecommunications companies operating on the continent (MTN, Orange, Airtel, Vodafone, etc.) has developed and launched an Africa-wide COVID-19 digital platform to support member States to enhance their ability to analyse the situation, implement the necessary responses, and direct resources to mitigate and curb the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

Digitalisation is also a critical component to unlock the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Reinforcing the capacity of African firms and entrepreneurs to trade easily within Africa’s borders and reach a global marketplace requires significant progress in Africa’s digital infrastructure, as well as a focus on regulations that protect and enhance digital trade.

Investments in digitalisation can also be developed through public private partnerships, recognising the multiplier downstream benefits that this investment will bring. Digitalisation, leveraging the AfCFTA, can be a tool for reducing inequality significantly, as it can facilitate reaching even the most marginalised and vulnerable.

Finally, our ability to convene and unite around common causes is ever more necessary – even if the reality of the pandemic makes it hard to do so. ECA has aimed to increase spaces for exchange and promotion of knowledge through multi-stakeholder platforms and a series of regional meetings.

ECA has held its annual Africa World Summit on Information Society Regional Review as a key forum for positioning ICTs as a means of implementation of the SDGs, and this has directly contributed to the agenda of the High Level Political Forum for follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.

The latter has included the Africa Science Technology and Innovation Forum, an initiative of the ECA, designed to support member States to leverage science, technology and innovation (STI) for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs.

We have used this forum to also build capacity among young people of our continent, by bringing them together in the format of bootcamps to introduce them to opportunities for design and innovation, and to harness the entrepreneurial opportunities associated with digitalisation.

By giving these tools to our young people we are equipping ourselves for sustainability and ensuring that we can emerge stronger and more resilient from the global shock of this pandemic.

 

Vera Songwe is Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

This article was originally published on www.unctad.org

Tags: digitalisation digitalizationfeaturedSDGs

Related Posts

Adopting Libya’s National Strategy for the Communications and Informatics Sector 2023-2027
Libya

Libya’s Emergency Telecoms Management Plan to enhance crisis preparedness, effective response and early warning system – is launched

August 29, 2025
Largest-ever Libyan government delegation to visit Washington first week of September
Libya

Largest-ever Libyan government delegation to visit Washington first week of September

August 29, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

Aldabaiba and Shakshak discuss use of international auditors to enhance transparency and accountability in public institutions

August 28, 2025
Visiting Jordanian specialists perform 18 infertility and delayed childbearing operations in Zintan Hospital
Libya

Ministry of Health to launch National System for Dispensing and Monitoring Insulin‎

August 28, 2025
Adopting Libya’s National Strategy for the Communications and Informatics Sector 2023-2027
Libya

General Authority for Telecommunications and Informatics launches 2025 Frequency Allocation Plan

August 27, 2025
Major effort by the Ministry of Economy to bring back Chinese companies
Libya

Libyans still need visas to travel to China

August 27, 2025
Next Post

Exchange of fire at Sharara oilfield, death and injury reported, assets stolen: NOC

British business urged to seek opportunities 'in billions' in Libyan oil and gas sector

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Largest-ever Libyan government delegation to visit Washington first week of September

    Largest-ever Libyan government delegation to visit Washington first week of September

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Medsky to launch new direct flights between Libya and Athens soon

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NOC discusses exploration and production with US oil giant Chevron in its 4 billion reserves, 18 bn barrels of shale oil and 123 trillion cubic ft of natural gas

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Qatari shipping line Milaha begins its Libya operations from Misrata Free Zone

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Libyan German discussions include resumption of flights, opening of German Embassy’s visa section and economic and investment cooperation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

Libya Africa Investment Portfolio considering funding its Libya projects through Islamic bonds

Libya’s Emergency Telecoms Management Plan to enhance crisis preparedness, effective response and early warning system – is launched

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.