ADDIS ABABA- Results that have been registered in the realization of Digital Ethiopia 2025 in terms of electronic payments, digitizing government services and expanding the digital infrastructure are promising, an expert in the area said.
Following the First Digital Week Ethiopia, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MinT) held yesterday the electronic government strategy workshop.
Approached by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) at the event, a digital technology consultant Lishan Alem (PhD) stated that the work that has been done to expand digital infrastructure and digitize government services under the umbrella Ethiopia Digital 2025 program is encouraging. “Ethiopia is on the right path to achieve the target and its telecommunications sector deserves special recognition.”
The expert noted; however, that consolidated effort should be made to produce more skilled labor and implement emerging technologies including block chain, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Moreover, it is crucial to make the training to keep up with the speed of emerging technologies to get better results in the area.
Compared to other countries, Ethiopia is far behind in technological penetration and a lot of work is needed to equip the youth with digital technology knowledge. Universities are providing the training, but now they are ahead of the curve especially with digital technology, Lishan elaborated.
Meanwhile, MinT National Electronics Government Strategy Coordination Desk Head Biruhtesfa Taye said the next 5-year strategy for the electronic government service and the institutional structure of government institutions has been prepared and the inputs are collected. These activities are instrumental to the realization of Digital Ethiopia 2025 vision.
Biruhtesfa further highlighted that the strategy includes infrastructure construction, application and human resource development, structure and budget and sets the government’s digitization vision.
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 29 FEBRUARY 2024
