Addis Ababa, September 03, 2022 (FBC) – Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia held discussions to enable them to implement the East African Regional Digital Economy Coordination Project, announced the Ministry of Innovation and Technology – Ethiopia (MoIT).
The discussion focused on identifying the level of the three countries to enter the next process, and preparations the countries are expected to carry out accordingly.
“This regional project is part of the Horn of Africa Connectivity Initiative and the first pillar of regional infrastructure development, declared the Ministry,” stated on the occassion.
Acording to MoIT, the main objective of the project is to support the development of the region by filling the broadband infrastructure gap in the Horn of Africa and increase free movement of digital services and realizing the local digital market connection.
This World Bank-backed project is implemented at every level, such as countrywide and the the Horn of Africa, which is also planned to be implemented as part of the digital transformation program in Ethiopia to expand the country’s broadband access to the deep sea fiber network, which is a link to the global Internet.
Minister of State for Innovation and Technology, Huria Ali, said that when the project is made operational, it will not only create a digital market link between the countries, but also help Ethiopia get more internet access option in addition to the existing line through Djibouti.
She underlined that the provision of fast internet service is one of the goals that has been given attention in the Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy.
Somalia’s Minister of the Post and Telecommunications, Jama Hassan Khalif, South Sudan’s Deputy Minister of Information Communication Technology and Postal Services, Jacob Maiju (PhD) and project officials participated in the discussion.
In addition to the Minister of Innovation and Technology – Ethiopia, the heads of the Ethiopian Communications Authority and the officials of the Horn of Africa Coordination Initiative Project of the Ministry of Finance were present on behalf of Ethiopia, as per the MoIT.