On Friday 04 October 2024, Cotonou hosted the 19th meeting of the ministers in charge of Telecommunications, ICT, the Digital Economy and Posts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
On Friday 04 October 2024, Cotonou hosted the 19th meeting of the ministers in charge of Telecommunications, ICT, the Digital Economy and Posts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The meeting, which brought together ministers, telecommunications experts, ICT operators and service providers, as well as civil society actors and development partners, was chaired by Benin's Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation, Ms Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU.
The meeting, which followed a preparatory meeting of experts on 2 and 3 October, enabled participants to take several major decisions:
The approval of the Digital Sector Development Strategy for the period 2024-2029;
The adoption of a report on the implementation of the ECOWAS regulation;
A draft recommendation on cybersecurity for the region; and
The adoption of other recommendations for the development of the regional digital market.
“The approval of the ECOWAS Digital Sector Development Strategy for the period 2024-2029 is in keeping with the Treaty of Lagos as revised in 1993,” stated Ms Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU, Benin's Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation.
Faruk Yabo Yusuf, representing the President of the ECOWAS Commission, stressed that the telecommunications, ICT and digital economy sector is transforming the socio-economic landscape as a vector of integration, sustainable growth and financial and social inclusion.
The strategy adopted aims to create community-wide synergy around crucial issues such as cybersecurity, the fight against cybercrime, cross-border infrastructure and the digitisation of public services, in line with the vision of the region's Heads of State.