The e-Central African Republic is one of the six countries in Africa that are in the low EGDI group. I refer to EGDI all the time, but for those who don’t know… What’s EGDI?
EGDI stands for E-Government Development Index, which measures the level of development of a country’s e-government services. It takes into account factors like online service availability, telecommunications infrastructure, and human capital. Essentially, it assesses how well a country is leveraging digital technologies to improve governance and deliver services to its citizens.
Now, according to the latest UN e-government survey in 2022, the e-Central African Republic’s ranking was quite low, coming in at 191st out of 193 countries assessed. This places it in the low EGDI group, indicating significant room for improvement in its digital governance efforts.
To put this into perspective, the country’s best ranking ever was back in 2003, when it held the 174th spot globally. So, there’s been a noticeable decline in its digital governance performance over the years.
I find this situation concerning yet indicative of the complexities inherent in fostering digital transformation, particularly in regions facing socioeconomic challenges.
Understanding the context in which the e-Central African Republic operates.
The country grapples with widespread insecurity and a lack of state authority, particularly outside the capital city of Bangui. This instability has persisted despite efforts to broker peace deals between the government and various armed groups.
As a result, according to Freedom House, civil liberties and political rights are limited in the Central African Republic. This turbulent environment significantly impedes the government’s ability to prioritise and implement digital governance initiatives.
Moreover… the absence of effective governance in many parts of the country means that access to digital services is severely limited for much of the population. Even if the government were to offer online services, many people simply wouldn’t have the means to access them.
What I find striking about this situation is the interconnectedness of political instability, economic collapse, and digital exclusion. Addressing one aspect alone won’t suffice; a holistic approach is needed to rebuild the foundations of society and then focus on digital progress.
One huge focus of the government has been digital finance.
There were 599.7 thousand internet users at the start of 2023, when internet penetration stood at 10.6% according to Datareportal of Digital Central African Republic.
For comparison purposes, in Cameroon (the larger and more stable economy in the sub-region) the internet penetration is 29%.
Also, in early 2023, 1.79 million cellular mobile connections were active in the Central African Republic, equivalent to 31.6%of the total population.
Under these conditions, the government’s approach toward digitalization is driven by a strong desire to address the challenges resulting from the conflict. The Central African Republic adopted the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as a legal tender, making it the second country to do so after El Salvador.
It is also adopting Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as legal tender, and it is even engaging in the tokenization of natural resources.
Going further, the National Assembly supported by the president’s office seeks to develop a national crypto token called Sango Coin, built on the Bitcoin network.
You can’t have digital finance without cybersecurity or digital skills.
Unfortunately, the Central African Republic does not have a national or sector-specific cybersecurity strategy nor a national governance roadmap for cybersecurity. In the 2020 Global Cybersecurity Index, the country ranked 176th, only ahead of 8 other countries.
Responsibility for cybersecurity falls under the Ministry of Posts and New Technologies, but the absence of a dedicated law enforcement division further compounds the issue. This means that cybercrimes may go unchecked, posing risks to the government, individuals and institutions.
What’s even more alarming…. is the lack of cybersecurity education and training within the country? With ICT literacy rates being low and cybersecurity skills not taught in schools, the majority of the population is ill-equipped to protect themselves and their digital assets.
The introduction of a national digital currency (Sango) further highlights the importance of digital skills development. BUT… the genesis paper of the project fails to address how consumers will acquire the necessary skills to use cryptocurrencies safely and effectively. This oversight could exacerbate existing cybersecurity challenges and widen the digital skills gap.
Final thoughts
With its digitalization strategy still in development, it is important that the right policies and considerations are taken to support (and protect) the e-Central African Republic’s digital economy.
It still has a long way to go.
Sources:
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/content/component/f2e7ffb6-en
https://www.itu.int/epublications/publication/D-STR-GCI.01-2021-HTM-E
