As a strong job-growth generator, the digital revolution will in coming decades have a considerable economic and sociocultural impact on Cameroon. In a global context marked by a shift to all things digital, Cameroon has undertaken significant reforms on the institutional, regulatory and infrastructural fronts that are expected to bring about its digital emergence by the year 2035.
As a strong job-growth generator, the digital revolution will in coming decades have a considerable economic and sociocultural impact on Cameroon. In a global context marked by a shift to all things digital, Cameroon has undertaken significant reforms on the institutional, regulatory and infrastructural fronts that are expected to bring about its digital emergence by the year 2035.
Over the past decade, the country has, all things considered, witnessed remarkable development in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, driven by a vision and by programs and projects designed to broaden the use of digital technology across varied fields such as teaching, public administration, health care and agriculture.
Despite major investment to date, however, use of ICT by Cameroonians and local businesses remains very limited. Its popularization, dissemination, adoption and appropriation in Cameroon remains insufficient as well.
As President Biya has stipulated, the challenge at hand for Cameroon is to bring up to speed its lagging digital economy, so it can serve as both a wellspring of employment and an accelerator of growth.
On the heels of this call to action by Cameroon’s Head of State, numerous initiatives have sprung up :
- The organization of videoconferences with young project bearers in the digital sector, with an eye toward providing them support, in February 2016;
- The first National Digital Economy Days, in March 2016;
- The Investing in Cameroon, Land of Attractiveness conference in May 2016;
- The creation of an interministerial committee to devise a strategy for the development of the digital economy;
- The drafting of a plan for the development of the digital economy, including priority actions to take.
The Forum on the Digital Economy is intended to focus, on the one hand, on the political will of the President to develop the digital economy, and on the other, on the Government’s commitment to being part of that process by facilitating, regulating and supporting such development.
Organized under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic under the theme “How does a country successfully transition to a digital economy? How can Cameroon do it?”, the Forum on the Digital Economy will be a showcase for the engagement of public authorities and a stage for the sector’s operators to stir up investment.
It is placed under the coordination of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic
- To highlight the political will of the President of the Republic and of the Government to resolutely promote the development of the digital economy, in order to boost investment in this sector and thus achieve a successful transition to a digital economy in Cameroon.
- To offer a genuine showcase for Cameroon’s digital economy;
- To outline the actions taken and to be taken (in the short, medium and long term) by the government to develop the digital economy, with respect to facilitation, regulation and support;
- To unveil the major orientations and priority actions of the government’s Strategic Plan;
- To introduce the various players (operators, regulators, etc.) contributing to the development of the digital economy;
- To persuade financial institutions to invest in Cameroon’s digital sector;
- To bring together Cameroon’s operators and project bearers with investors (national and international).
- The strengths and players of Cameroon’s digital economy, showcased;
- Unveiling of a government Strategic Plan for the development of the digital economy;
- Signing of agreements for the financing of government projects by lenders and financial institutions;
- Business partnerships between ICT project bearers and investors.