Key takeaways as Connected Summit 2023 comes to a close

The curtains came down on the Kenya Connected Summit 2023 today with a number of major projects and proposals announced.

One of the key highlights of the forum was the Kenya National Digital Masterplan – 2022-2032, which identifies technology as a key pillar in the government’s transformation agenda anchored on agriculture, micro small and medium enterprises, healthcare, housing and settlements, digital superhighway, and the creative economy.

ICT and The Digital Economy Principal Secretary, Eng. John Tanui told the summit that the government seeks to join forces with the private sector, development partners, and international organizations to implement the Digital Masterplan.

“This ambitious plan calls for an investment of over KSh500 billion, which will be fueled by a comprehensive funding strategy blending public and private sources of capital,” Tanui said.

The summit, organised by the ICT and Digital Economy ministry, also unveiled plans to host an AI conference backed by UNESCO in June 2023, which will focus on promoting AI technology to improve public sector service delivery.

The government aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence to boost productivity in workplaces and create jobs in high-value areas.

Another key outcome of the event held at Diamonds Leisure Lodge in Diani, Kwale County was the establishment of a Resource Mobilization Committee, whose mission is to champion the financing of programs and projects sustainably, secure funding opportunities, and engage with relevant stakeholders such as development partners, private equity players, venture capitalists, financiers, and others.

ICT Authority chief executive Stanley Kamanguya said the idea of Resource Mobilization Committee was hatched at the summit by industry leaders at the summit.

“This powerful committee’s mission is to champion the financing of programs and projects in a sustainable manner, secure funding opportunities, and engage with relevant stakeholders, such as development partners, private equity players, venture capitalists, financiers, and others,” Kamanguya noted.

Other key proposals at the summit include bolstering Kenya’s stature as the regional hub for technology transfer in Africa, entrenching artificial intelligence, and waiving wayleave charges on ICT to incentivize the private sector to deploy fibre optic. Other measures include standardising systems and applications used by counties, and bridging the skill gap on cybersecurity in Kenya, among others.