Gates Foundation fuels Senegal’s digital transformation with $10M

Senegal’s digital transformation strategy known by the coinage “New Deal Technologique” is getting a financial boost to the tune of $10 million from the Gates Foundation.

The announcement was made recently when the country’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had a meeting with Bill Gates on the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

During the New York meeting, Faye and Gates discussed elaborately on how the Foundation can give a push to the country in the implementation of its digital public infrastructure (DPI).

A statement from the Senegalese presidency said the partnership with the Gates Foundation will “enable the deployment of a universal digital identity, the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence hub to drive innovation in health and agriculture, and the creation of a Delivery Unit to ensure transparency and efficiency.”

It adds that the government sees in the deal “a new era” which will position the West African country as “an African hub of digital innovation and providing every citizen with tangible opportunities for an inclusive and prosperous future.” Senegal needs an estimated $1.7 billion to fund the strategy which covers the period 2025-2034.

The signing of this partnership caps many months of negotiations for the financial support including a meeting which both personalities had on the sidelines of the 79^th UN General Assembly last year.

The Gates Foundation is a major supporter of digital transformation projects globally with the entity leading a call to raise $500 million to support DPI development over the next five years. It is also supporting other initiatives such as the 50-in-5 campaign which seeks to support about 50 countries of the Global South to build safe, inclusive and interoperable DPI by 2028. In Africa, the Foundation is also working with countries like Nigeria and Kenya to strengthen their digital ID projects.

Key points about New Deal Technologique

The New Deal Technologique is a blueprint which puts Senegal’s digital transformation ambition in clear writing. Launched in February this year, the strategy which is an initiative of President Faye, details how the nation intends to modernize and digitize its public services as well as vitalize its digital security and create the enabling environment to drive up the country’s economy.

It is anchored on four major pillars which include ensuring the country’s digital sovereignty through the building of sufficient digital infrastructure, digitizing all public services, developing the digital economy and making the country a regional technology leader.

In practical terms, the strategy intends to made sure that by 2034, Senegal reaches at least 94 percent of low-cost connectivity, get all of its sensitive data hosted within its territory, accompany at leas 500 tech startups, create 150,000 digital economy jobs, and have at least 80 percent of all public services delivered digitally, among other goals.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Gates Foundation  |  New Deal Technologique  |  Senegal