Digital Economy:Development Plan Under Preparation

 By Victorine BIY, Cameroon Tribune

The interministerial committee in charge of the project held its first meeting in Yaounde on March 23,2016.

Members of the Interministerial Committee for the Development of Digital Economy in Cameroon have started laying the groundwork for the sustainable development of the concept. The committee met for the first time in Yaounde yesterday, March 23, 2016, to discuss on short and long-term

plans on boosting the development of digital economy in Cameroon.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng urged members of the committee to get down to work, given that they have barely two months to propose a short and long-term action plan to government that will serve as a development guideline for the sector. All government programmes must be aligned to the plan, with each ministry expected to forward strategic initiatives to the committee, based on the concept.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has been working on the concept. According to the Minister, the first National Digital Economy Days, organised in February 2016 offered the opportunity to lure and assemble contributions from the private sector and the civil society. The project of the Ministry to draw up a strategic plan for the development of the concept, coupled with recommendations from National Digital Economy Days, will serve as spring board for the committee and consequently, the development of digital economy in Cameroon.

The commitee has been tasked to come up with a state of affairs report on digital economy in Cameroon. It is also expected to identify obstacles to the development of the concept, define strategies for eventual implementation, propose an action plan, identify funding sources, study technical, socio-economic and legal aspects linked to its implementation and to identify sectors of activity involved. The committee has also been handed the mission to propose coordination between diverse public structures and identify sectoral indicators that will progressively measure the implementation of the concept.