Senegal celebrates global recognition at WSIS 2025 for excellence in digital innovation
Date: 2025-10-21
Senegal has received international recognition for its outstanding participation and achievements at the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held from July 7 to 11 in Geneva, Switzerland. The country’s delegation, representing the public, private, civil society, and regulatory sectors under the WSIS National Committee, actively contributed to global discussions on the role of ICT in sustainable development alongside more than 60 digital ministers from around the world.
Senegal’s
remarkable performance at the summit was further underscored by its success at
the WSIS Prizes and the AI for Good Summit. The country earned six nominations,
three finalist prizes, and one prestigious Champion Prize, highlighting its
growing influence in the global digital innovation ecosystem.
Among
the winners were Serigne Bassirou Thiane and the team of Hussein Dembel Sow and
Papa Oumar Diagne for their films “I Am the Archive” and “Thiaroye 44,” which
were featured in the AI for Good Film Festival. The I-Wanga start-up received
recognition in the ICT Trust and Security category, while Yello, Jangalma, and
Edutic were finalists in the E-Learning category. Wutiko was celebrated in the
E-Employment category, and Appsaya Senegal was recognized for International and
Regional Cooperation. Photographer Ameth Ives Gaye won three of the 43 global
finalist prizes in the WSIS Photo Contest.
The
Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs (MCTN)
received the WSIS Champion Prize for its Gender and ICT project, recognized
under Category 7 – E-Employment. This award reflects Senegal’s ongoing
commitment to inclusive digital transformation and the empowerment of women in
the ICT sector.
The
laureates’ participation in the summit was supported by the MCTN, the
Telecommunications and Universal Service Development Fund (FDSUT), GIZ, and YAS
Senegal, with additional gift vouchers presented to Ameth Ives Gaye and Appsaya
Senegal, who were unable to attend the ceremony.
On
October 17, 2025, Minister Alioune Sall hosted a special reception to honour
all the awardees, celebrating the recognition bestowed upon Senegal by the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
By:
Robert Annor
