AFRICA DIPLOMACY

AU Summit Calls for Unified African Digital Economy Agenda

African Union heads of state gathered in Addis Ababa this week, endorsing a landmark declaration to harmonise digital infrastructure policies across 55 member states. The five-day summit yielded consensus on cross-border data governance, a continental fintech regulatory sandbox, and a target of 80% internet penetration by 2030.

Key outcomes include a framework for mutual recognition of digital identities, which analysts say could unlock an estimated $180 billion in cross-border e-commerce. South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt were named co-chairs of the implementation task force.

Critics, however, warn that structural barriers — including unreliable electricity grids and undersea cable bottlenecks — remain unaddressed in the declaration. "We need fibre, not frameworks," said one technology minister who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This article was reported by the AfriDevMonitor editorial team. Additional reporting contributed by our correspondents in Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Cairo.