• Dakar and Baku sign two agreements on digital transformation

• Cooperation targets cybersecurity, skills, startups, and e-government

• Partnership aligns with Senegal’s New Deal technologique strategy

Senegal’s Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy said on December 24 that it had signed cooperation agreements with the Republic of Azerbaijan following an official Azerbaijani delegation’s visit to Dakar on December 22 and 23. The two memorandums of understanding, concluded with Sénégal Numérique SA (SENUM) and the Commission for the Evaluation, Support, and Coordination of Startups (CEAC), focus on skills transfer and joint initiatives to accelerate the digital transformation of Senegal’s public administration.

Under the cooperation framework, joint committees will be set up to work on several priority areas, including cybersecurity, training, talent attraction and retention, collaboration between startups and the state through public innovation models, and the digitalization of administrative processes to improve the efficiency of public action.

The partnership is part of a broader international cooperation dynamic, following a series of exchanges launched in November 2025 between Dakar and Baku on their respective ambitions to modernize public systems and develop the digital economy. For Senegal, the agreement comes as part of the rollout of the New Deal technologique, the national strategy launched in February 2025 to accelerate administrative digitalization, strengthen digital sovereignty, and support the emergence of a competitive and innovative startup ecosystem.

Azerbaijan brings recognized experience in e-government, notably through the deployment of integrated public platforms and digital identity solutions. These initiatives have helped position the country among the top performers in the United Nations E-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.7607 out of 1.

Implementation of the partnership is expected to lead to a joint roadmap defining the stages, responsibilities, and timelines of the cooperation. Authorities in both countries expect tangible gains in administrative performance, digital trust, talent development, and the growth of Senegalese and Azerbaijani technology ecosystems.

Samira Njoya