President William Ruto inaugurated the inaugural Connected Africa Summit 2024, emphasizing the pivotal role of African youth in driving the continent’s digital transformation. He underscored their contribution to various sectors such as Fintech, agri-tech, renewable energy, and digital services, positioning Africa as a hub of technological innovation on the global stage. Through their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, they are shaping a digitally-enabled society that addresses pressing challenges and drives economic growth.
The President highlighted the importance of connectivity in achieving sustainable development goals and the AU’s Agenda 2063. Despite Africa’s potential, he noted that the continent still faces challenges in internet penetration, with only 36 percent connectivity. He stressed the need to bridge the digital divide and enhance broadband access to spur economic transformation and job creation, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative.
President Ruto emphasized the urgency of addressing the digital infrastructure gap, pointing out that transformative interventions are within reach. He called for decisive actions to increase access to broadband services, improve service quality, and enhance affordability to drive GDP growth and poverty reduction across the continent. The Connected Africa Summit 2024 aims to shape Africa’s digital economic landscape by fostering collaboration and innovation among key stakeholders to unlock growth beyond connectivity.
The week-long summit, themed “Shaping the Future of a Connected Africa: Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity,” brings together top African policymakers and decision-makers to champion innovative ideas and partnerships. It builds on the success of previous Connected Summits in convening global ICT leaders to drive technological advancements and harness the potential of digitalization for Africa’s socio-economic development.
