Digital Transformation in Africa: The Role of International Cooperation and the Mattei Plan
Digital transformation is playing a growing role in development cooperation. Africa, expected to have 25 per cent of the world’s population by 2050, should be at the centre of the global digital transformation. Digitalisation could boost innovation and youth entrepreneurship on the continent, helping to create more jobs. Nevertheless, infrastructure gaps, regulatory fragmentation and social impact must be considered by digital cooperation together with unequal balance between the so-called Global North and South. Italy’s flagship initiative towards Africa, the Mattei Plan, has put a strong emphasis on digital cooperation. The success of the Mattei Plan will depend on its ability to foster effective private-sector partnerships and build a more coordinated approach with international and national actors, including civil society.
Paper produced in the framework of the project “Development and Digitalisation in Africa: Italy’s Cooperation Policy and Synergy with EU Plans”.
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Details
Rome, IAI, August 2025, 21 p. -
In:
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Issue
25|20 -
ISBN/ISSN/DOI:
978-88-9368-373-9
Introduction
1. Challenges of digitalisation in Africa
1.1 Infrastructures
1.2 Regulatory fragmentation
1.3 Internet use
2. International cooperation for Africa’s digitalisation
2.1 The G7, the EU and Italy
2.2 The EU, Global Gateway and D4D Hub
3. Digitalisation in Italy: The state of play
3.1 The Mattei Plan and synergies with Italy’s partners
3.2 Italian digital cooperation: What role for CSOs and academia
Conclusion
References