Kenya has secured the opportunity to host the 2024 Transform Africa Summit (TAS), organized by the Smart Africa Alliance, a Pan-African organization focused on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The announcement was made by Ms Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), during the GSMA Mobile World Congress (MWC-24) in Barcelona, Spain.
The Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, expressed gratitude for Kenya’s win, seeing it as recognition of the country’s leadership in the ICT sector.
He emphasized Kenya’s commitment to leveraging ICTs for socio-economic development and announced preparations for the upcoming event.
Acknowledging the efforts of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Mr Owalo highlighted the humility and joy with which Kenya accepted the win. He noted the importance of the event in shaping conversations on sustainable digital economies in Africa.
‘‘We accept this win with utmost humility and joy, as it marks the beginning of a great journey ahead that will culminate in the hosting of the event in August this year,’’ the CS said.
CA Board Chairperson, Mary Mungai, emphasized that hosting the summit would allow the Authority to influence discussions on digital transformation in Africa.
She viewed it as an opportunity to collaborate across borders for a sustainable digital economy.
This marks the first time Kenya will host the event in the Smart Africa Alliance’s 10-year history.
On his part, CA Director General, David Mugonyi, highlighted the chance to exchange best practices with peers from the region to address emerging challenges in the ICT landscape.
The Transform Africa Summit serves as the premier platform for global and regional leaders to collaborate on Africa’s digital revolution. With over 5,000 delegates from Africa and beyond, the summit aims to shape the continent’s digital future.