The Republic of Congo is working to create a more digitally advanced society. This requires modernizing essential sectors, particularly telecommunications. To this end, the country is strengthening partnerships to gain access to advanced technologies and expertise.

Congo's Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, Léon Juste Ibombo, met with Turkish Ambassador to Congo, Hilmi Ege Türemen, on Thursday to explore expanded cooperation in postal services, telecommunications, and the digital economy.

"We discussed ways of cooperation in the postal sector, where an agreement is already under negotiation. Turkey has quickly adapted to these negotiations to finalize this agreement within a very short timeframe. Cooperation with Turkey represents a major opportunity for our country to access cutting-edge expertise and technologies in the digital sector," Ibombo said following the meeting.

The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, following recent exchanges between Congolese President Denis Sassou N'Guesso and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Both nations agreed to focus future collaboration on modernizing the postal sector, enhancing technical and human capacities, and cooperating on emerging technologies. The Turkish ambassador also expressed his country's interest in hosting Congolese trainees in the telecommunications sector and facilitating technology transfer.

If the two countries finalize agreements, they are expected to accelerate Congo's digital transformation by improving access to modern infrastructure and technological solutions tailored to the country's challenges.

Turkey, which has made significant advancements in the digital sector, has heavily invested in e-commerce and postal service development.

In 2022, online transactions in Turkey reached approximately 800 billion Turkish lira ($21.86 billion), a 488% increase compared to 2019. This growth is attributed to high internet penetration. According to Datareportal, at the beginning of this year, 88.3% of Turkey's population used the internet, while 92.1% were connected via mobile devices.

Turkey ranks 27th globally in digital governance, according to the United Nations index, with a score of 0.8913 out of 1, reflecting advanced e-government services. The country also possesses expertise in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, fields in which it is prepared to share knowledge with Congo.

Samira Njoya