BUJUMBURA, January 15th (ABP) – The Minister of Communication, Information Technology and Media, Mrs. Leocadie Ndacayisaba, brought together on Monday, January 13, 2025 in Bujumbura, the operators of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
The purpose of the meeting was to make contact, discuss the problems that hamper this sector and the solutions to be provided for its development.
During the meeting, Minister Ndacayisaba indicated that this sector is very immense; hence operators and experts in this field must join forces and complement each other to develop the country and lead it towards the national vision of an emerging Burundi by 2040, and developed Burundi in 2060.
Mrs. Ndacayisaba called on those operators not to work solo, because, she recalled, unity is strength. She also said that the ICT sector plays a major role in the country’s economy and increases its GDP.
The Director of ICT Infrastructure within the said ministry, Salvator Nshimirimana, indicated that there is a disparity between very remote rural areas and cities in the use of ICT. Thus, he called on partners and operators in the sector to provide their support for the people living in the most remote areas of the country to have access to the use of ICT.
Mr. Nshimirimana further revealed that the ministry responsible for ICT plans to collaborate with other ministries for the development of the country via ICT.
The coordinator of the project to support the foundations of the digital economy (PAFEN BURUNDI), Bienvenu Irakoze, indicated that the government of Burundi set up the project to make ICT available to the people, particularly those living far from cities and on low incomes.
He added that this project also aims to collaborate with the various public sectors for the digitalization of their daily activities.
Mr. Irakoze said that the PAFEN project is built on 5 pillars, namely digital infrastructure; development of digital skills; digital platforms; digital financial services; and innovation and research in the digital sector.
The speakers in the meeting, for their part, requested the establishment of public Wi-Fi and easy access to computers because, according to them, university students working in Burundi do not have access to computers or sufficient means to connect to the internet, adding that it is difficult for them to carry out research without the internet.
The inclusion of new technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence in the PAFEN project was also requested, as well as questioning stakeholders to find out other needs to be met in this field.