Digital Week Cameroon: Importance of Digital Transformation highlighted at Ministerial / Parliamentary Seminar

Citizens could have a better quality of life by fully engaging themselves in using digital transformation which could enable them manage their personal skills and engage in online businesses.

This was amongst major points discussed during the Ministerial and Parliamentary Seminar at Digital Week Cameroon this October 17, 2023.

Building Inclusive Societies, Key in the Digital Drive

Posts and Telecommunications Minister, Minette Libom Li Likeng, moderated the first session of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Seminar where she called on stake holders, to add their voices in building an inclusive society and dgitalization nations.

Panelists at the session included, Samuel Joseph, George Williams Thembo Nyombi, Ousman A. Bah, Bosun Tijani and Julia Clark.

The panelists highlighted the following major points:

– Education management systems should be put in place to assist teachers in their teaching process.

– Digital innovations lead to the creation of new technological values within a globalized economy, leading to the creation of bigger markets.

– Digital skills are very important because they facilitate online transactions with the use of emails.

Bottlenecks in the Digitilisation Race

The second session of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Seminar, had as moderator Jean-Jacque Massima, who emphasize on the need for policy and regulatory reforms in order technology could be used to build inclusive societies and digital economies.

This was in line with the topic of the session, “Challenges for Digital Transformation”.

Panelists on hand included: Ololade Shyllon, Christoph Stork, Nishtha Kapoor and Patrice Segura.

The major points raised include:

– Connectivity is important as it makes information to be easily shared, and helps in changing the life of citizens.

– Data protection in the digital world should encourage information while promoting privacy, as everyone has the right his or her data.

– Connectivity is possible anywhere around the globe, even in rural areas, with the use of satellites.

*People and the use of Technology*

The third session of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Seminar, had as Moderator, Jean Emmanuel Pondi who emphasized on the need to acquire skills which could be beneficial to the technological millieu.

The session had as panelists, Judith Yah Sunday Achidi, Mitwa Ng’ambi, Patrick Benon.

The topic of the session was, “People and Technology”.

Points raised centred on the role of telecommunucation operators in the digital transformation journey in Cameroon. The panelists highlighted the following:

– Digital transformation is not all about connecting devices, but rather connecting people.

-Operators should partner with educational ministries, to ensure they are shifting the curriculum so that upon graduation, students graduate with skills that are easily marketable.

– Ensure that children and youths emerging from the formal or informal system of education possess relevant skills that will expose them into the digital world.

The Ministerial and Parliamentary Seminar ended on a good note, leaving many reflecting on how to get engaged and be digitally inclusive.

Motangu Vanessa (Intern)