Your Honour, William Kabogo Gitau, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Mr David Mugonyi, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Communications Authority of Kenya, Mr John Omo, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union, Eng. John Tanui, MBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for ICT & the Digital Economy, Ministry of Information, Communications & the Digital Economy, Hon. Allan Chesang, Chairman, Senate standing Committee on Information, Communication & Technology
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour to welcome you to the Regional Development Forum for the Africa Region.
I would like to start by expressing my sincere gratitude to the Communications Authority of Kenya for hosting this important Forum and by thanking you all for being here.
This past year, world leaders signed the Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations.
In doing so, they affirmed that our common future is digital.
Even as we mark the 160th anniversary of the ITU, we know our work is more relevant than ever.
Our organisation is still evolving to meet new challenges like natural disasters and climate change as well as new opportunities like artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things but great things are happening all in line with our slogan in the Development Bureau: “BDT for impact” which means a positive impact on people's lives and communities.
Tomorrow, we will meet at the Regional Preparatory Meeting ahead of the World Telecommunication Development Conference in November and I am pleased to say we are quite advanced in our overall preparations for the WTDC thanks to TDAG and its four Working Groups on various topics at WTDC-25.
WTDC-22 agreed on five priorities for the ITU-D Sector: Affordable connectivity; Digital transformation; Enabling policy and regulatory environment; Resource mobilization and international cooperation; Inclusive and secure telecommunications/ICTs for sustainable development.
The Conference also agreed on Regional Initiatives. I am pleased to report to you that we have made real impact through the implementation of projects under each of the regional initiatives adopted at WTDC-22.
Namely: supporting digital transformation; expanding broadband infrastructures, connectivity and the use of emerging technologies; building trust, safety and security in the use of ICTs; and fostering the innovation ecosystems that will ensure sustainability and scale.
At this point, I want to inform you that we have done a lot in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. You will get more on this.
I want to also thank the ATU Secretary General with whom we have worked closely to run the innovation challenges in the region.
I was on the panel, and I can tell you that your young people have talent.
The ATU Africa Innovation Challenge is an exciting platform for identifying and nurturing young African innovators.
The focus of the fourth edition is on AI and, for the first time, the winners will benefit from a four-day, in-person training programme at Strathmore University’s iLabAfrica this week.
It is a great boost for budding innovators.
On this note, I also congratulate Kenya for the recent launch of the Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030.
Ladies and gentlemen, through multistakeholder collaboration, we have driven innovation and digital transformation, prioritizing developing countries, least developed countries, small island developing states, and landlocked developing countries and, in particular, youth and women in underserved areas.
During the past two years we have raised a record of funds to the tune of 60 million CHF. We have admitted over 40 new ITU D- Sector Members with whom we are driving the digital agenda forward. We have launched a record number of projects for impact.
We have developed enabling policy and regulatory environments, with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while our support for affordable connectivity strategies has included assistance to small operators and community networks.
In total, we are implementing around 27 million Swiss francs in projects for the Africa Region.
We have been developing National Emergency Telecommunications Plans for many countries, including Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Seychelles, Cabo Verde, the Gambia and Guinea Bissau.
We designed a model National Emergency Telecommunications Plan for the SADC region and last November, we also organized a capacity building workshop on National Emergency Telecommunications Plans situational analysis for West African countries and came up with a model, deploying interoperable systems for early warning and communication through the Early Warning for All initiative, has been going on.
We are developing national Digital Innovation Profiles, notably in Mozambique, and providing skills development for women in cyber.
Our work is making the region safer and more inclusive, as we support the growth of nations’ capacity for digital development.
Last week I officially kicked-off the ‘Africa Broadband Maps Project’, based on a co-financing arrangement with the European Union who are contributing funds to the tune of €15 million in funds over the years 2024–2027. This will be implemented initially in 11 countries on the continent.
That brings me to the Status of Digital Development and Trends report which I am launching today. The key takeaway is that Africa’s digital transformation remains at an early stage.
Just 38% of its people were estimated to be online in 2024, the lowest rate among ITU regions.
Although adoption has increased, millions remain offline, due to high service costs, digital illiteracy, and a lack of reliable connectivity, particularly in rural areas.
If we take into account that 26 out of the 46 LDCs are in Africa, and that the majority of LLDCs are in Africa, the continent is not doing badly.
Of the online population in 2024, 31% are female, while 43% are men. Here is the good news. Africa is home to the youngest population. More youth on the continent are connected than ever before, at 53% in 2024.
We know that globally, those between the ages of 15-24 are the most connected, as they are digital natives. So, the future is bright for the continent.
Mobile ownership stands at 66%, so below the global average of 80%, but it is clear that mobile networks are the backbone of internet access in Africa.
The priority now must be universal and meaningful connectivity, addressing the urban-rural and gender divides, and more reliable data on ICT use in order to guide progress.
Of course, there remains some challenges, particularly in the form of the various digital divides.
That is why it is so important that we forge ahead with the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, ITU’s global multistakeholder coalition to mobilize resources toward universal and meaningful connectivity.
Currently 355 pledges have been made for Sub Saharan Africa, with an estimated value of over USD 38 billion, out of the current 73 billion pledged so far.
At this RDF, we have organized match-making roundtables to attract new pledges, but also, to transform pledges into concrete action, and projects to address both country and regional needs.
For those who will be here for the Regional Preparatory Meeting, we are going to present a detailed report on the implementation of WTDC-22 outcomes by the BDT and report on the state of preparations for WTDC-25, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 17 to 28 November 2025.
Meanwhile I welcome once again all the stakeholders to this RDF and thank our hosts, the Communications Authority of Kenya.
I want to thank all our partners, together we are making the BDT impact come true.
Thank you.
