In 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, public services were seriously disrupted in several African countries. To protect both citizens and their governments against such occurrences, most countries are now accelerating their digital transformation projects. 

Congo-Brazzaville and the European Union signed Thursday (May 19), a €15 million grant agreement to boost the digitization of public administration. The agreement was signed by Congo’s Finance Minister Rigobert Roger Andely (photo, right) and Giacomo Durazzo (photo, left), the EU ambassador to the country. 

The grant will help Congo improve its digital infrastructure, and up its assistance and governance of the sector. This will boost the quality of the public services provided to the population, enhance their efficiency by reducing delays and corruption and improve public governance. 

Digital transformation is the first “priority area” of the Multi-Annual Indicative Program (MIP) signed by the European Union and Congo-Brazzaville in December 2021. It is one of the first projects effectively financed by the EU under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), an instrument replacing the European Development Fund (EDF).

For Congo-Brazzaville, digital transformation is a key component of the national strategy for the development of the digital economy, “Congo Digital 2025.” The country is intent on successfully implementing the national strategy (unveiled in August 2019) given the development issues it addresses.  

Muriel Edjo