DIGITAfrica, Towards a comprehensive pan-African research infrastructure in Digital Sciences

The African Union's Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) positions science, technology, and innovation as fundamental drivers of Africa’s socio-economic development and growth.

It emphasizes the need to strengthen three main pillars: 1) Building/upgrading Research Infrastructures (RI), 2) Enhancing professional and technical competencies, and 3) Promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

It also highlights the importance of fostering collaboration among African countries and establishing partnerships with international stakeholders.ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) is identified as a critical priority sector.

Areas such as computer science, telecommunications, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, security, and IoT offer potential for creating new knowledge, research capacities, and industries that address African and global challenges.DIGITAfrica aims to lay the foundations of a pan-African comprehensive RI in Digital Sciences, which will have a transformative impact on AU-EU shared R&I, as well as innovative education and training.

DIGITAfrica will prepare the transformation of this partnership into a sustained research initiative in common strategic fields.Drawing from the expertise of partners across five AU countries, each with a strong background and representing diverse African contexts, alongside EU partners who coordinate the first two ESFRI DIGIT RIs dedicated to Digital Sciences, DIGITAfrica aims to exchange experiences, consult stakeholders, and foster dialogue to collaboratively develop a strategic approach.DIGITAfrica will serve as a catalyst for realizing the vision of a pan-African Digital RI and should become a cornerstone of Euro-African cooperation in R&I.

The impact of DIGITAfrica will contribute to digitally transforming the African continent for prosperity and inclusivity, and to move with Europe towards a shared twin green and digital transition agenda.