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"There needs to be a multi-stakeholder participatory policy-making approach to create fit-for-purpose workable frameworks that encourage industrial innovation, interoperability, technology transfer, critical infrastructure investments, and support digital entrepreneurship through responsible data sharing and cross-border data flows." _Shamira Ahmed
The Inaugural African Union Commission Exporters Conference took place in December 2022.
In the session on "Data Governance, Digital Trade, and Digital Economy Development in Africa", our executive director, Shamira Ahmed highlighted that:
1) There needs to be a multi-stakeholder participatory policy-making approach to create fit-for-purpose workable frameworks that encourage industrial innovation, interoperability, technology transfer, critical infrastructure investments, and support digital entrepreneurship through responsible data sharing and cross-border data flows.
2) A continental crossborder data governance framework should be tailored to the complexities and realities of the multilateral trading system, grounded on the understanding of the data value chain, public data value cycle, and support the socioeconomic benefits of digitally delivered services and e-Commerce, while promoting data justice and sustainable digital development.
3)The cross-border data strategy adopted domestically will require different institutional capabilities, can only be effective based on the existing data ecosystem endowments, will influence how data value will be created or extracted within and between African countries, and will determine who will benefit most from the data value cycle at a domestic and regional level. Furthermore, “offline” factors such as physical road infrastructure, postal reliability, logistics and supply chain efficiency, amongst others, are crucial enablers that facilitate both digital trade and e-commerce.
4) She also highlighted that while the African Union framework on data (which she co-authored) is an important cornerstone to build on existing initiatives such as the African Digital Single Market (DSM), Boosting Intra-Africa Trade (BIAT) Action Plan, Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS), Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), amongst others. There needs to be: -Rigorous evidence-based research to inform cross-border data governance for digital trade, -Stronger partnerships for policy coherence & implementation, and -Participatory un-siloed policy-making processes to inform continental cross-border data governance that complements existing trade integration efforts. These should be specifically suited for the complexity of the multilateral trade system, with considerations of Africa's existing endowments, intersectional inequities, transnational market inefficiencies, and should not hamper inclusive and sustainable digital development.