The curtains fell on the first edition of the CyFy Africa 2018 congress, which took place from 10 to 12 May in Tangiers (Morocco).
This international meeting allowed entrepreneurs, decision-makers, investors, operators and researchers to reach consensus on innovation and technology in Africa.
Indeed, according to participants, the black continent must ensure its digital integration, create an overall synergy to lead reflections in this direction and take advantage of the digital market to generate growth points.
After intense and fruitful debates through series of panels the actors were unanimous, this initiative of CyFy Africa must be perpetuated to widen the field of reflections in order to allow Africa to be in phase with the requirements of the market digital.
For example, in an interview with Financial Afrik, on the sidelines of the closing ceremony, Samir Saran, president of the Research and Studies Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, India, spoke about the fundamental reasons for the organization of the meeting in Africa.
According to the manager, three reasons pushed CyFy to organize this platform;
First, the continent must ensure its digital transition. Secondly, Africa will benefit from technology transfers, which are one of the essential elements to boost production and competitiveness, and Africa must forge partnerships between the other continents to be in tune with the digital age.
In addition, Samir Saran said that Africa faces a big challenge in innovation and technology. The continent must benefit from the new digital offer to promote job creation and strengthen the competitiveness of companies.
“Africa has not yet missed the 4th industrial revolution train. It is enough that the leaders apply good policies in this direction to succeed the challenge of industrialization, “he said.
According to Helen Hai, President and CEO of the “made in Africa” initiative, which also spoke on the sidelines of the closing ceremony “Africa will be the promised land of investments with a consumer market of 1.2 billion euros. inhabitants, mostly young people by 2025 “.
“Africa has a golden opportunity because the information technology market is not saturated and retains opportunities for growth,” said the Senior Adviser for South-South Cooperation of the Financial Corporation. International (IFC).
The development expert said Africa’s industrialization park is under way. Ms. Hai mentioned by way of example, Ethiopia of Rwanda and Senegal who are taking advantage of the offers of new technologies to sow their emergence.
Congress delegates agreed that Africa can gain market share in the digital revolution by exploiting these opportunities in order to benefit from technology transfers through large-scale projects.
Created in 2013 in New Delhi, CyFy has expanded its activities to become a global platform, able to reflect on the advancement of technology.