Benin’s ambition in the digital field is great. To this end, the Government has entered into a partnership with Estonia, a pioneer in e-services. President Kersti Kaljulaid set out the path her country followed to achieve this impressive result during a panel held as part of her official visit to Benin on Wednesday 5 December 2018 in Cotonou.
“Digital technology in the development of a nation” was the theme of the panel led by the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, and members of the Government at Sèmè City. The exercise allowed Benin’s guest to explain the digital achievements of Estonia, a country highly developed in e-services, with 100% of schools and the administration connected to the internet and banking transactions carried out online. She pointed out that many sectors have evolved significantly thanks to digital technology, which accounts for 5% of GDP in Estonia. It is therefore a source of satisfaction for her to know that Benin is already developing strategies to achieve its ambition of becoming a digital hub within a few years.
The Minister of Planning and Development then explained how important digital technology is for Benin and why the Government is striving to place it at the heart of its activities. Minister Abdoulaye Bio Tchané stated that Benin is a country with a very open and well-structured economy, with 22% of GDP coming from the primary sector, 22% from the secondary sector and 54% from services. These statistics show that Benin does indeed need digital technology to boost its services. Abdoulaye Bio Tchané indicated that Benin is relying mainly on four major areas for its transformation: agriculture, tourism, the knowledge economy and, above all, the digital economy. “The digital economy is one of our sectoral priorities, but at the same time a cross-cutting priority,” he said, adding that the Government intends to use the digital economy to boost the other development sectors.
Following him, the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication stated that Benin is currently undergoing a profound digital transformation that deserves everyone’s support. For her, digital technology is a genuine tool for social inclusion and economic recovery. In this regard, she stressed that political commitment is important, as are public support and awareness. In this emerging partnership with Estonia, Adam Soulé Zoumarou noted that some ground has already been covered, with the Head of State’s visit in December 2016, which led to a memorandum of understanding in the field of the digital economy, and several other visits by Estonian delegations to Benin and by Beninese officials to Estonia to define the areas of intervention.
Two partnership agreements were signed between the Government and the e-Governance Academy Foundation. The first concerns a strategic partnership in the field of e-governance and cybersecurity, and the second technical cooperation on e-governance for the benefit of civil servants.
Benin’s efforts in the digital economy: the President of Estonia impressed During her official visit to Benin from Tuesday 4 to Thursday 6 December 2018, the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, visited the premises of the EtriLabs tech hub on Wednesday 5 December. The visit gave her an idea of Benin’s progress in the digital economy.
“What these young people are doing is impressive,” said President Kersti Kaljulaid at the end of her visit to the premises of EtriLabs, a tech hub founded by Sénam Béhéton that works in new information and communication technologies, and more specifically in digital marketing, web programming and web design.
This start-up incubator is also involved in knowledge and innovation through various programmes that enable it to train entrepreneurs and help them accelerate their growth.
Kersti Kaljulaid said she was surprised by Benin’s efforts in the digital field, which she observed through the activities of EtriLabs. She said that what she saw in Benin is exactly what her country did some 15 years ago to become one of the world’s leading countries in e-services today. This amply demonstrates that Benin is on the right track in its ambition to develop through digital technology. This assessment reassures the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication, in that Benin, like Estonia some ten years ago, is on its way to achieving the digital economy it is aiming for.
“Today, Estonian companies interested in what is being done in Benin can come and contribute their expertise and work together with these start-ups, and that is our wish,” said Aurelie Adam Soulé Zoumarou. Ayéfemi Faozane Oro of EtriLabs considers it a good partnership that Benin is building with Estonia, which is today the most e-connected country in the world, with an electronic identity card, electronic prescriptions and many other online services. “Our ambition at EtriLabs is to sell African know-how to the world. We have excellence and skills to spare,” he said.
In this respect, he strongly hopes that the partnership with Estonian companies working in the field will materialise, so that young Beninese companies can also make their mark at continental and global level. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who was present, was amazed by what is being done in this centre of excellence; he said he had seen such a centre in Rwanda but had not known that young Beninese people were innovating in the same way in Benin. “It is an honour for these young people, and it confirms for them that they are on the right track,” he said.
All news“Digital technology in the development of a nation” was the theme of the panel led by the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, and members of the Government at Sèmè City. The exercise allowed Benin’s guest to explain the digital achievements of Estonia, a country highly developed in e-services, with 100% of schools and the administration connected to the internet and banking transactions carried out online. She pointed out that many sectors have evolved significantly thanks to digital technology, which accounts for 5% of GDP in Estonia. It is therefore a source of satisfaction for her to know that Benin is already developing strategies to achieve its ambition of becoming a digital hub within a few years.
The Minister of Planning and Development then explained how important digital technology is for Benin and why the Government is striving to place it at the heart of its activities. Minister Abdoulaye Bio Tchané stated that Benin is a country with a very open and well-structured economy, with 22% of GDP coming from the primary sector, 22% from the secondary sector and 54% from services. These statistics show that Benin does indeed need digital technology to boost its services. Abdoulaye Bio Tchané indicated that Benin is relying mainly on four major areas for its transformation: agriculture, tourism, the knowledge economy and, above all, the digital economy. “The digital economy is one of our sectoral priorities, but at the same time a cross-cutting priority,” he said, adding that the Government intends to use the digital economy to boost the other development sectors.
Following him, the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication stated that Benin is currently undergoing a profound digital transformation that deserves everyone’s support. For her, digital technology is a genuine tool for social inclusion and economic recovery. In this regard, she stressed that political commitment is important, as are public support and awareness. In this emerging partnership with Estonia, Adam Soulé Zoumarou noted that some ground has already been covered, with the Head of State’s visit in December 2016, which led to a memorandum of understanding in the field of the digital economy, and several other visits by Estonian delegations to Benin and by Beninese officials to Estonia to define the areas of intervention.
Two partnership agreements were signed between the Government and the e-Governance Academy Foundation. The first concerns a strategic partnership in the field of e-governance and cybersecurity, and the second technical cooperation on e-governance for the benefit of civil servants.
Benin’s efforts in the digital economy: the President of Estonia impressed During her official visit to Benin from Tuesday 4 to Thursday 6 December 2018, the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, visited the premises of the EtriLabs tech hub on Wednesday 5 December. The visit gave her an idea of Benin’s progress in the digital economy.
“What these young people are doing is impressive,” said President Kersti Kaljulaid at the end of her visit to the premises of EtriLabs, a tech hub founded by Sénam Béhéton that works in new information and communication technologies, and more specifically in digital marketing, web programming and web design.
This start-up incubator is also involved in knowledge and innovation through various programmes that enable it to train entrepreneurs and help them accelerate their growth.
Kersti Kaljulaid said she was surprised by Benin’s efforts in the digital field, which she observed through the activities of EtriLabs. She said that what she saw in Benin is exactly what her country did some 15 years ago to become one of the world’s leading countries in e-services today. This amply demonstrates that Benin is on the right track in its ambition to develop through digital technology. This assessment reassures the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication, in that Benin, like Estonia some ten years ago, is on its way to achieving the digital economy it is aiming for.
“Today, Estonian companies interested in what is being done in Benin can come and contribute their expertise and work together with these start-ups, and that is our wish,” said Aurelie Adam Soulé Zoumarou. Ayéfemi Faozane Oro of EtriLabs considers it a good partnership that Benin is building with Estonia, which is today the most e-connected country in the world, with an electronic identity card, electronic prescriptions and many other online services. “Our ambition at EtriLabs is to sell African know-how to the world. We have excellence and skills to spare,” he said.
In this respect, he strongly hopes that the partnership with Estonian companies working in the field will materialise, so that young Beninese companies can also make their mark at continental and global level. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who was present, was amazed by what is being done in this centre of excellence; he said he had seen such a centre in Rwanda but had not known that young Beninese people were innovating in the same way in Benin. “It is an honour for these young people, and it confirms for them that they are on the right track,” he said.