DCO membership to accelerate collaboration between African digital economy ministers

The second General Assembly of the Digital Corporation Organisation (DCO) has seen an increased participation of African countries with Ghana and Gambia joining Nigeria and Rwanda as part of the new 13 members of the organisation.

During a press conference on Sunday three ministers from West Africa, Isa Ali Pantami (Nigeria), Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (Ghana), and Ousman A. Bah (Gambia) noted that the DCO collaboration is an indication of the need to bring sub-region as well as the entire continent to grow the digital economy and encourage cross-border trade between African countries.

The DCO which represents 13 countries and serves around 600 million people with a collective GDP of more than $2 billion, aims to enable digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy.

“We acknowledge the role of multilateralism as an enabler of digital inclusion and transformation and a facilitator for exchanging knowledge and active dialogues,” said Deemah AlYahya, general secretary of DCO. “We recognise the outcomes of the Bridging the Gap Report highlighting the importance of cooperation in driving sustainable and inclusive growth of the global digital economy.”

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Pantami, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy said while the increased participation from Africa was a welcomed development it opens the door for more collaboration between the participating countries. Pantami hosted Ministers of Digital Economy and other stakeholders from West Africa on January 31 to February 1 where he said a lot of initiatives were raised and a communique was sent to the countries represented to ensure compliance with the said initiatives.

Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communication, Ghana also said the participation would go a long way in accelerating the implementation of some of the digital economy goals such as the payment across borders enshrined in the new African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Some of those goals are already being implemented and are likely to see full implementation in 2023 and beyond.