As it is known, economic dynamism in the world is shifting from developed countries to "developing countries", and relations and approaches are being redefined, especially considering the aging population and slowing economy of developed countries. We observe that the radical development policies implemented for the economic and social welfare of countries are disconnected from the reality on the ground and international institutions and organizations have begun to continue their existence as bureaucratic institutions. As our President emphasizes on every platform with the words "The world is bigger than five", a new international system has begun to form. It would not be wrong to say that the world's attention is shifting to Africa in this process. 1.3 billion people currently live in Africa. According to United Nations calculations, it is estimated that the continent's population will at least double by 2050. Future projections indicates, in hundred years one-third of the world population and half of the global youth population will be African. Urbanization and economic growth are also expected to increase rapidly. In this sense, it is estimated that the continent will reach an economic size of 5 trillion dollars by 2025. * (Serkan Kayalar- President of TIKA)
Africa’s population connected to digital technologies is growing rapidly. In 2020, almost half a billion Africans had access to mobile phones. A growing share of the continent is also connected to the internet, although often through mobile data networks that have limited bandwidth.
Expanding access to digital technologies opening up vast business opportunities in the continent. Digital technologies defeat the institutional failures that have long suffocated business growth and dynamism. Digital platforms that connect service providers with Africa’s consumers are particularly flourishing in sectors as diverse as banking, agriculture, transportation and other services.
In Africa, as in the rest of the world, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are set to transform society. This will deliver growth and prosperity based on greater inclusion, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.
New opportunities will emerge for people to collaborate, innovate and participate in ways that positively impact their lives and in turn the world.
Digital technology can boost job creation and increase productivity and innovation in Africa.
Digital technologies offer new avenues for economic growth in Africa by accelerating job creation, supporting access to public services and increasing productivity and innovation.
Government regulations are essential to facilitate greater use of digital services while reducing the risks. Regulations are needed to quickly respond to market developments, facilitating entry of new competitors for the benefit of consumers. In Kenya, collaboration between the competition authority, the central bank and the telecom regulator allowed digital financial service providers to access telecom services to offer mobile money services along mobile network operators.
Some African countries are already implementing agile regulation principles to address various issues. Ghana and South Africa responded swiftly to COVID pandemic demand for higher bandwidth by quickly adjusting current regulations and made it easy for companies to offer higher bandwidth to citizens. Kenya and Zimbabwe were quick to remove roadblocks and supported the roll-out of applications that allowed citizens to quickly access mobile money transfers and other financial apps. The African Union has consulted perspectives from businesses, civil society and academia to develop policy frameworks on data and on digital identities. This inclusive multi-stakeholder approach resulted in workable frameworks that encourage innovation through data sharing and cross-border data flows for African eCommerce while protecting rights of individuals. These African Union frameworks on data and on digital identities are important cornerstones to build an African Digital Single Market – the vision of the Smart Africa Alliance that is endorsed by all members of the African Union.
The African Union’s Agenda 2063 envisions a people-driven development for Africa, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth. That’s why digital skills are prioritized in the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2030, where the goal is to “build inclusive digital skills and human capacity across the digital sciences and technology policy & regulation”. African leaders recognize the pivotal role of policies and regulations in shaping societal and business practices and - if done correctly – how policies can support and encourage digital transformation.
The only way to permanently solve problem areas in the continent is technological investments which can transform the continent's problem into the continent's potential. If the money, time and safe environment required for the training of a teacher, doctor or engineer cannot be created or the stability of this process cannot be ensured, technology becomes the fastest and cheapest alternative to fill the gap created for humanity. Of course, filling the gap created for humans with machines and software does not mean an alternative order that will make humans and the human development process unnecessary, on the contrary, it is the only way to include humans in the technological transformation that is accelerating on a global scale, in other words, not to be left out. Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence technologies and robotics also offer an Africa where existing jobs can be done faster, more efficiently and safely. However, from this perspective, discussions about the future of Africa may stop focusing on catching up with the current development of the world and give way to looking beyond the horizon. Likewise, the technological world of the future weakens the importance of the concept of power based on population by replacing the mode of production based on human labor with a more efficient alternative. In other words, a population of four to five billion people, without development, may become a mere liability on behalf of the continental states in the future.
At this point Governments and decision makers shall focus on, How Africa can benefit from emerging technologies in order to maintain the correct and stable development of their population potential. Education of the population, access to health services and necessary development in the agricultural-industrial sector.
What will be the effects of the technological world will be on this issue and how these effects will be managed are vital for Africa, as it is for the rest of the world.
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