The President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, has urged African Governments to explore ways of maximising the positive effects of the digital revolution on their citizenry to ensure that Africa is not left behind. Dr Donkor made this remark while delivering a keynote address at the 7th Rebranding Africa Forum held in Brussels, Belgium, on the Theme, “How the Digital Revolution can shape Africa’s Future”. The annual forum, which attracted high level stakeholders including Government Officials and corporate institutions was also addressed by key dignitaries such as Mr. Tony Blair, Former UK Prime Minister, His Excellency Mamadou Issoufou, Ex-President of the Republic of Niger, His Excellency Pierre-Yves Dermangne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economy and Labour of the Kingdom of Belgium, among others.
According to Dr Donkor, the digital environment has enabled the creation of a single digital market, encouraged synergies and partnerships at all possible levels for greater efficiency which have offered enormous opportunities to increase trade and investments on the continent. He was of the view that such an opportunity could be leveraged to support the effective roll-out and facilitation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) necessary for deepening regional integration for achieving economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.
“While we work to optimise the gains of the digital revolution, we also need to remember that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is beckoning. The world will not wait for Africa; Africa needs to act with dispatch in embracing technology, while participating in advancing it”, he concluded.
