Mozambique sets up agency to spearhead its digital transformation ambitions

A dedicated national agency is now in place to steer Mozambique’s digital transformation plan. It was approved following deliberations during a recent Council of Ministers meeting and will operate under the tutelage of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation.

The announcement was made by the Minister of State Administration and government spokesperson, Inocêncio Impissa, who addressed a press conference after the meeting.

According to Impissa, the Digital Transformation and Innovation Agency (ATDI) will have the responsibility to coordinate and advance the country’s digital transformation by overseeing actions aimed at modernizing public service delivery and creating a single, unified government database.

The government spokesperson explained that the creation of the new agency comes alongside a plan to launch a citizen portal that will facilitate digital service access and interoperability among public entities.

Apart from ATDI, the Council of Ministers also approved other agencies to support Mozambique’s digital transformation. They include the National Commission for Artificial Intelligence as well as the Multisectoral Technical Commission for Coordination and Implementation of Digital Transformation.

“The National Commission for Artificial Intelligence is a consultative and technical advisory body to the government on scientific matters, technological development, innovation, and information security in relation to artificial intelligence,” Impissa told journalists.

He added that the Multisectoral entity will be “a technical body for coordinating and implementing digital transformation aimed at supporting the modernization and digitalization of public administration.”

As part of Mozambique’s digital transformation, the government says it is banking on partnerships and innovation.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is one of the development partners involved in the country’s digital transformation and has led reflections aimed at deriving strategies on how best to execute the digital transformation plan. In one working session last year, participants proposed seven key areas that can effectively drive the country’s digital progress.

Identity is also an important aspect of Mozambique’s ongoing digital transformation drive. It is the focus of a five-year Digital Governance and Economy (EDGE) project, which is designed to expand access to civil registration and ID, enable access to public services, and buoy the digital economy through World Bank funding of $150 million.

The country also recently looked for contractors to upgrade its civil registration and identity infrastructure.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  government services  |  Mozambique  |  UNDP