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· Speech
Address by the Minister at the launch of the Francophone Network of Ministers in Charge of the Digital Economy
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation, o Madam Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), o Distinguished representatives of partner institutions and associations for the development of the digital economy in the French-speaking world; o Ladies and Gentlemen, members of delegations, o Distinguished guests, o Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a pleasure and a privilege for me to speak on behalf of my country, Benin, on this solemn and historic occasion of the launch of the Francophone Network of Ministers in Charge of the Digital Economy. Our network is taking shape in an international context in which the world is beset by multiple divisions and multifaceted challenges, which make our peoples feel ever more keenly the need to live together in peace and solidarity, sharing humanist values while respecting diversity. By placing the 17th Summit of La Francophonie under this banner of harmony, the Heads of State and Government certainly wished to send a strong signal about the decisive role of La Francophonie which, as the Secretary-General of the OIF recently stressed, “is a true laboratory, where we can bear witness to the state of the world, where we generate appropriate, coherent and concerted solutions that we pool together.” In this perspective, digital technology is proving to be a powerful vehicle not only for bringing peoples closer together and enabling them to flourish, but above all for economic and scientific development. This shows how much the initiative to create our Network deserves to be applauded, and my country reiterates its pride in having supported it and in continuing to work effectively for its success. Ladies and Gentlemen, You will recall that as early as 2010 in Montreux, our Heads of State and Government had already expressed their wish to create synergy within the French-speaking world. This wish became a reality in 2012 in Kinshasa, with the adoption of a strategy centred on four (04) priorities: Supporting digital innovation for the integration of developing countries into the global digital economy; Building open, transparent and democratic information societies; Developing digital intelligence in the service of diversity and sharing; Producing, disseminating and protecting Francophone digital commons. The implementation of this strategy, to which Benin fully subscribes, requires all of us to act in synergy and coordinate our efforts. The institutional framework that our Network will represent will thus be a catalyst for our actions and an accelerator of collective success. Moreover, beyond being a lever for implementing this strategy, the Network will be a platform for cooperation and exchange for the countries of the French-speaking community, giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience and to find innovative solutions to the many challenges posed by digital governance and development. --- Today, no one doubts that digital technologies have contributed fully in recent years to the qualitative transformation of our societies because, as President Patrice Talon has stated, “in the 21st century, the real bridges connecting people and societies are increasingly technological.” These technologies have indeed had a remarkable impact on health, education, finance and agriculture. It was therefore quite rightly that, last July, the 2018 edition of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development recognised that 65% of the SDGs are positively correlated with digital access. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Republic of Benin, under the leadership of President Patrice Talon, is revealing itself to the world. In Benin, the digital economy is one of the three priority sectors identified to drive economic growth (the other two being agriculture and tourism). The strong political commitment to developing this sector is a major lever for implementing digital projects relating to e-government, the development of the digital ecosystem and digital content, and the widespread use of digital technology through education and training. Furthermore, because we have understood that integrating digital technology into everyday practices cannot be limited to mere cosmetic adjustments, we have embarked on far-reaching reforms without which the Beninese people could not reap the full benefits of the opportunities offered by digital technology. One of the successes of these reforms materialised in April 2018 with the promulgation of the Digital Code, which has given Benin a comprehensive legislative framework capable of reassuring potential investors and strengthening digital trust. This is also the occasion to acknowledge the fruitful partnership established with the OIF around our projects and reforms, among which --- Benin, as a leading player in La Francophonie from its earliest days, remains committed to the influence of our common institution, and in particular to that of the Francophone Network of Ministers in Charge of the Digital Economy, which is coming into being thanks to the support of several member states whom I would like to thank here. This project, led by Benin and Armenia with the technical support of the OIF, thus strengthens the multilateral digital cooperation so dear to La Francophonie. Setting up this network will enable the countries of the French-speaking community to work actively together and to carry weight in shaping public policies and international regulations on the digital economy. Mobilising expertise, consultation and the exchange of good practices are all tools that we will have at our collective disposal to tackle together current issues and challenges such as new digital uses, big data, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, to name but a few. That is why it is essential that the Network’s Permanent Secretariat be run by proven experts and guided by the principles of solidarity and sharing, while maintaining the pluralism that is the strength of the French-speaking community. Ladies and Gentlemen, At this moment, as the Francophone network of ministers in charge of the digital economy is being set up, an initiative we have championed with commitment and conviction at the highest political level, Benin proposes, if you agree, to take on its chairmanship and, through my humble person, to work for the development of the network’s activities and for its success. In my role as Minister of Digital Economy of Benin, I would be honoured to place my skills as a digital sector professional at the service of the network. Furthermore, as the Secretary-General of the OIF indicated in her address to the Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie, I would like to confirm that Benin will make premises available to house the permanent secretariat. This offer is of course accompanied by all the usual facilities for staff. As regards the Permanent Secretary, Benin suggests that this person be recruited through a call for applications open to all member states, given the highly technical nature of the position on the one hand and the need to involve all member states on the other. We also propose that this Permanent Secretariat be placed under the authority of a bureau comprising the ministers representing the various regions of our community. Thank you for your kind attention.
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