Rédaction Africa Links 24 with lexpress
Published on 2024-02-29 02:45:00
On the sidelines of the world digital fair, the MWC24, which is held in Barcelona, the Minister of Digital Development and Telecommunications, Tahina Razafindramalo, receives L’Express de Madagascar for this quick interview. He explains the relevance and stakes of Madagascar’s membership in the Strategic Alliance for Digital Africa (SATA).
L’Express de Madagascar: Mr. Minister, can you tell us what benefits Madagascar expects from joining SATA?
Tahiana Razafindramalo: The stakes of this integration for Madagascar are numerous. First of all, it involves accessing the African single market, which implies sharing data on a continental scale through technology. President Andry Rajoelina has clearly oriented the General Policy of the State towards the use of Malagasy human capital for the production of goods and services, in line with the first pillar of government policy, while emphasizing the adoption of new technologies to transform the country.
In this context, the establishment of the African digital market represents a challenge, but also an opportunity. The signed agreements, including SATA, create an environment conducive to working with confidence between the government and economic actors, thus facilitating the establishment of a regulatory framework allowing access to data. Of course, technical discussions are necessary, but the underlying goal is to promote the progress of private companies and the administration by allowing them to offer services to these markets with benefits such as the absence of taxes and export duties.
Will this integration attract new markets and foreign investments?
Access to African markets, such as Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, represents a new direction for Madagascar. While the country used to turn to Asia and Northern Europe, it is now time to focus on its African neighbors and actively participate in the African single market for goods and services. This integration will facilitate trade in both directions and strengthen economic ties between Madagascar and other nations on the continent.
What role can international companies such as Huawei play in improving and diversifying the training of our youth?
This question is particularly important given Madagascar’s status as a gateway between Asia and Africa. Huawei has been a long-time partner of the Malagasy government, particularly in initiatives such as modernizing the administration and training youth through ICT programs, which have allowed Madagascar to stand out in international competitions. Furthermore, the PRM recently launched an ambitious computer training program aiming to reach one million youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry in charge of Higher Education. It is therefore planned to introduce children to the basics of computer science from a young age, thereby enhancing their preparedness for future technological challenges.
Does Madagascar’s membership in SATA require any countermeasures?
Madagascar has been a member of Smart Africa since 2021. State commitments are crucial, with a strong emphasis on youth training to ensure skills and technology transfers. Agreements have been made with several African countries under this initiative, with the support of the World Bank, the African Union, and the International Finance Corporation to implement training programs. From a regulatory perspective, Madagascar is in the process of ratifying the convention on the protection of personal data, highlighting the importance of data protection in the digital age. A decree on the Malagasy Commission of Computing and Freedoms (CMIL) was promulgated in December 2023. Madagascar is fully committed to international cooperation, working in collaboration with its African counterparts. The legal and regulatory framework is in place, and the youth is there, the private sector has already begun exchanges with African countries, but the establishment of agreements, such as those within the African Union, further facilitates these exchanges. The state, by establishing trust with other nations, facilitates the business climate. The role of the state is to pave the way, while institutions like the EDBM and the Ministry of Industrialization and Commerce provide essential support to the private sector. Tomorrow, seeing this recognition of Madagascar within these institutions will accelerate trade. Once again, we need digital investors, who come to us, just as some countries need our digital skills to serve their markets. The market remains open in both directions.
Read the original article(French) on lexpress.mg
