By: Kanto Kai Okanta
The
Ministry of Innovation and Technology has attributed the progress recorded
under the Digital Ethiopia 2025 agenda to the introduction and implementation
of key policy and legal frameworks that support the country’s digital economy.
Speaking
on the initiative, Senior Advisor to the Minister, Dr. Abiot Bayou, said one of
the core pillars of Digital Ethiopia 2025 is the development of comprehensive
legal and policy instruments to accelerate digital transformation and economic
growth. He noted that these frameworks were developed through extensive
stakeholder consultations and subsequently enacted into law and policy.
According
to Dr. Bayou, the legal instruments introduced include the Personal Data
Protection Proclamation, the Start-Up Proclamation, the Digital ID
Proclamation, amendments to the Digital Signature framework, the Cyber Security
Policy, and the Artificial Intelligence Policy. He explained that these
measures have created an enabling legal environment for digital services,
strengthened institutional accountability, and improved public trust in digital
systems.
He
further stated that the approval and enforcement of these frameworks have
provided a solid foundation for the growth of Ethiopia’s digital economy by
ensuring regulatory clarity and safeguarding citizens’ rights in the digital
space.
Looking
ahead, Dr. Bayou disclosed that the Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy will build
on these achievements by introducing additional legal and regulatory
frameworks. These will focus on strengthening data protection, supporting
ongoing telecommunications reforms, and promoting the broader adoption of
artificial intelligence across sectors.
The
Ministry said the continued development of sound legal and policy frameworks
remains central to Ethiopia’s ambition to build a resilient, inclusive and
innovation-driven digital economy.
