The African Union envisions a continent where all regions are interconnected. This goal is part of its digital strategy, and to achieve it, the organization has partnered with technical and financial supporters, including the World Bank.
The East African Community (EAC) is preparing to launch the East Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The news was announced in a press release from the EAC on September 11.
The project aims to enhance digital connectivity and integration across the East African region. With funding of $310 million from the World Bank, this initiative will help create a more interconnected, inclusive, and prosperous region.
“This project will create a more interconnected, inclusive, and prosperous region. We are laying the foundation for a thriving digital economy that will benefit businesses and citizens alike (…)“It will also ensure that no one is left behind as we transition to a more digital and interconnected future," said Annette Ssemuwemba, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade, and Monetary Affairs.
This initiative follows the West Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (WARDIP), which was launched a few months earlier. Both efforts are part of the African Union's Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030), which aims to build a single digital market by 2030.
According to the World Bank, EARDIP is based on five key components: developing and integrating the connectivity market, the data market, and the online market; managing and supporting the project’s implementation; and responding to emergencies.
In the long run, this project will boost regional and cross-border broadband connectivity, data flow, and digital trade across the region, while strengthening the environment for cross-border digital services.
• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...
• Investors seem to keep focusing on yields, which are high for the moment• New Leadership might see...
• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...
• ECOWAS Bank funds 47.7-km stretch of strategic 700-km road project• Lagos-Calabar highway seen boo...
• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...
As work on the first phase of the Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport expansion continues, Guinean authorities have announced their intention to move...
• Loulo-Gounkoto mine remains shut as Mali’s administrator seeks to restart it by selling stored gold• Barrick halted operations in January over export...
Hive Coega has officially entered its construction phase, with tenders now out for its core infrastructure. This milestone comes four years after the...
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer, has set an ambitious target: to process 100% of its cocoa crop at the first stage by 2030. While the...
Located about 40 kilometers from Cape Town’s city center, Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is one of the Cape Peninsula’s most iconic destinations. This...
The Gerewol tradition is a fascinating ritual celebrated by the Bororo Fulani, a nomadic community primarily located in Chad and Niger. This annual...