MWC25 Kigali: ITU Secretary-General calls for greater investment in digital infrastructure, skills, and innovation
Date: 2025-10-23
Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, has called for increased investment in digital infrastructure, inclusion, and homegrown innovation to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
Speaking
at the opening of MWC Africa 2025
in Kigali, themed “Converge. Connect. Create,” Ms. Bogdan-Martin
emphasized that bridging the continent’s digital divide requires a holistic
approach that ensures affordability, accessibility, and empowerment for all
Africans.
“To
accelerate Africa’s digital leap, we must invest in three critical areas:
digital infrastructure, devices and services that every African can afford;
inclusion through digital skills; and homegrown digital innovation,” she said.
Echoing
remarks made by H.E. President Paul
Kagame, she added, “The most important conversation we
should have is about people, and how digital skills and tools can reach
everyone.”
Ms.
Bogdan-Martin joined H.E. Minister
Paula Ingabire, Vivek
Badrinath, Hon. Chief
Fortune Zephania Charumbira, Nikos Angelopoulos, and Hon. Ahmed Shakeel Shabbir during the Ministerial Programme Opening, where
discussions focused on shaping Africa’s future through digital transformation
and artificial intelligence.
She
also announced ITU’s partnership in the African
Task Force on Child Online Protection, alongside GSMA, UNICEF, and other organizations. The
initiative supports the African Union
Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy, aimed at creating a
safe and inclusive digital environment for Africa’s youth.
The
ITU Secretary-General reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to connecting
the unconnected and ensuring that Africa’s digital future is built on
inclusivity, innovation, and sustainability.
By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
