On Thursday 8 September 2022, the Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation, Ms Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU, and the Director General of the Smart Africa Alliance, Mr Lacina KONE, signed a memorandum of understanding marking the official launch of the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) in Benin.
In line with its vision of transforming Africa into a single digital market by 2030, the Smart Africa Alliance, of which Benin is an active member, has developed the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) initiative. The SADA initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of Africans to benefit from digital transformation. Through this project, the Smart Africa Alliance intends to work with member States and partners to set up National Digital Academies or to support existing initiatives.
According to Minister Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU, this vision, which is consistent with that of Benin's digital sector strategy, will make it possible to take new initiatives and strengthen existing ones in the field of digital skills development. Benin already has several initiatives, such as the School of Digital Professions, the ICDL training of 1,500 civil servants of the public administration, the LeARN programme, etc. “SADA Benin is here to support the agenda of placing digital skills at the heart of Africa's current and future socio-economic development,” added the Director General of Smart Africa, Mr Lacina KONE.
The first SADA training courses in Benin have begun and cover the themes of cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.
The SADA project targets five strategic areas of intervention, namely:
Introduction to ICT for all;
Promotion of S.T.E.A.M.;
Specialisation in computer science;
Advanced training in computer science;
Capacity building for policymakers and decision-makers.