Rwanda hosts Transform Africa Summit 2015

From Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 October 2015, Rwanda is hosting the second edition of Transform Africa Summit.

Themed “Accelerating Digital Innovation,” the Summit brings together over 2,500 participants including: Heads of State from Smart Africa member countries, Members of the UN broadband commission on Digital Innovation, top academics on the different summit topics, policy makers, and CEOs of leading technology companies worldwide.

Throughout the three days, participants will share experiences and renew their commitment towards accelerating and sustaining Africa’s on-going digital innovation.

Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana says that the topics to be discusses will be centred on tracking the progress of Smart Africa, an initiative that was born from Transform Africa 2013. Since then, Smart Africa has already made tremendous strides, notably by winning the endorsement of the African Union and the International Telecommunications Union Plenipotentiary Conference in 2014.
“Transform Africa 2013 gave birth to the Smart Africa initiative that is governing ICT in Africa. This time, we want to assess progress made since the initiative was adopted, learn from our different experiences and discuss ways to accelerate the continent’s digitization. We are gathered to shape Africa’s digital transformation agenda.”

Exponential technologies powered by broadband connectivity such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Big Data, Analytics, Social Media, UAV (Drones) are creating unprecedented new challenges and opportunities across the world, both in private and public sectors. Combined with an impressive growth in mobility, a revolution in financial services and a tech savvy youthful population, these technologies have the potential of ushering Africa into the global digital economy.

This digital revolution necessitates however home grown, innovative and win-win partnerships that Transform Africa 2013 sought to institutionalise with the Smart Africa Initiative.

Transform Africa 2015 focuses on devising new ways to deliver on Smart Africa promise of raising $300 Billion in ICT investments in Africa by 2020.The format of the event will foster dialogue on critical issues affecting growth of the industry and catalyse business to government networking and deal making.

Chaired by President Paul Kagame, the Summit will feature a number of key events: Leaders’ Summit, Smart Africa Conference, High-level policy dialogue, Smart Africa board and Steering Committee Meetings, YouthConnekt Africa, and an International ICT Exhibition.

During Transform Africa 2015, the Government of Rwanda will officially launch Irembo, the one-stop portal for e-Government services. The platform provides online government services with ease, efficiency and reliability.

The summit is co-organised by the Government of Rwanda and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), with the support of the World Bank.

UM– USEKE.RW