At Digital Sovereignty Day: CAMTEL rallies stakeholders to discuss boosting Cameroon’s digital sovereignty.

 The incumbent telecoms giant staged the CAMTEL Sovereignty Day in Yaounde Wednesday May 29. The occasion grouped stakeholders from public institutions, private sector and experts. Discussions touched on key issues with a goal to putting in place a new blueprint to enhance Cameroon’s digital sovereignty.

Yesterday’s event took place under the theme: “Digital Sovereignty: Strategic challenge in the transformation of the structure of Cameroon’s economy”. 

The General Manager, GM, of CAMTEL, Judith Yah Sunday Epse Achidi, chaired deliberations.

Addressing stakeholders, the CAMTEL GM restated her company’s determination to remain an active player in putting the country’s digital sovereignty at par with contemporary drifts in technology.

As a key actor in Cameroon’s development in several domains, Judith Achidi said peace, unity and prosperity are intertwined in a solid digital autonomy for every country.

Within the National Development Strategy, NDS30, scheme of the government, the CAMTEL GM said new horizons for development with digital economy being one of the key points, requires working on digital independence to protect institutions, data and privacy of citizens.

She enthused that bettering the country’s digital sovereignty will enhance the structural transformation of the economy, boost access to digital services and other basic amenities such as education, health among others. 

Judith Achidi was firm that it is urgent for stakeholders to work towards guaranteeing effective digital sovereignty. 

Given an ever-changing cyberspace with powerful multinationals, she said strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty is what the State cannot afford to joke with as it continues to carry out its missions.

Recommendations arrived at during yesterday’s meeting, she remarked, will move things forward in boosting the nation’s digital infrastructure.

CAMTEL & Cameroon’s digital sovereignty 

In an exchange with reporters on CAMTEL’s role in enabling Cameroon attain digital sovereignty, Judith Achidi, said: “CAMTEL being the hand of the government in terms of telecommunications, it is important that we sit down with all stakeholders and discuss on the relevant activities that Cameroon should put in place to secure the cyber space and internet governance in the country”.

The GM furthered that “with the presence of multinationals such as Google, Facebook and others, it is important that Cameroon should protect its cyberspace and make sure that citizen data concerning the population and the economy are safeguarded”. She restated the place of strategic thinking in protecting Cameroon’s data.

Resource person hails CAMTEL’s move 

Dr Denis Ngae, Head of Division for Projects, Studies, Prospection and Strategic Planning at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, lauded the push for digital sovereignty.

But achieving this, while striking a balance with sub regional integration, Dr Ngae cautioned, cannot be done in isolation given the global context.

He called for the putting in place of a strategy to take into consideration the objectives of neigbouring countries. Cameroon, Dr Ngae added, can also share its knowhow to also encourage other countries accept innovation.

Dr Ngae saluted the CAMTEL-led drive for digital sovereignty, indicating that it could result in the putting in place of a platform that will help other countries in the sub region have compatible solutions.

CAMTEL sustaining 25anniversary steam

Since the launch of its 25 anniversary celebrations on September 8, 2023, CAMTEL has continued to push for new horizons. Some other activities staged before that of yesterday have been: CAMTEL Digital Day; CAMTEL Decentralisation Day; CAMTEL Digital Infrastructure Day; CAMTEL Youth Day; CAMTEL Women’s Day; CAMTEL Diplomacy and Regional Integration Day; and CAMTEL Business Day.

Issues at fore on Digital Sovereignty Day

Sessions were organised on different themes in relation to digital sovereignty. The first session dwelled on the conceptual approach and contextual analysis of digital sovereignty. It was moderated by Prof Nguele Abada of the Prime Minister’s Office.

The first presentation during the session was on the stakes and challenges of digital sovereignty within the context of digital development and government’s National Development Strategy, SND30.

There was also another presentation from the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms on the topic: “Digitalisation of Public Administration Services in Cameroon; State of play and prospects”.

An official of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, in yet another lecture addressed issues relating to the building of sovereign and efficient digital public administration. It touched on challenges, international feedback and prospects. 

Meanwhile, the second session of  yesterday’s Digital Sovereignty Day dwelled on: “Fostering Cameroon’s Digital Sovereignty”. 

Participants looked at protecting the digital data of public administration. The Ministry of Finance, MINFI, through an envoy selected from the Directorate General of Taxation, situated the place of digital technology in enhancing the performance of public institutions. 

There was also a presentation on challenges within Cameroon’s public administration in developing sovereign cloud solutions and search engines appropriate to the local context.

Participants at yesterday’s event were also updated on what CAMTEL is offering today and for the future to improve digital sovereignty.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3127 of Friday May 31, 2024