• Congo signs digital economy deal with China’s Genew Technologies
• Partnership targets infrastructure, AI training, and youth skills
• Tied to $148M World Bank–EIB-backed Digital Transformation Project

The Republic of Congo announced on Thursday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese technology company Genew Technologies. The partnership aims to develop the digital economy, strengthen critical infrastructure, and train young people in AI.

Léon Juste Ibombo, the country's Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy, signed the agreement on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit on the New Industrial Revolution in China. He described Genew Technologies as a new partner and investor in the government's vision to make the digital sector the fifth pillar of the 2022-2026 National Development Plan. The government intends to use information and communication technologies to drive the country's socioeconomic development.

While the Congolese government's statement did not specify which digital projects the collaboration will cover, We Are Tech Africa reports that the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (DTAP) is the country's flagship initiative. The project is backed by $100 million from the World Bank and approximately $48.7 million from the European Investment Bank.

According to the World Bank, the program focuses on the productive use of broadband to deliver public digital services. It plans to fund connectivity in isolated areas, establish a secure government intranet, develop a single portal for citizen-facing online services, and create multiple information systems to improve the management of public services.

In a June 2022 press release, the Bretton Woods institution stated that the project was expected to increase 3G mobile broadband availability for an additional 404,000 people. It would also provide 3,000 people with the opportunity to acquire certified digital skills and enable 75,000 people per day to access project-supported digital services.