The European Business Council for Africa

8 June 2023 from 14:00-15:30 PM CET
Webinar

On 8 June 2023 from 14:00-15:30 PM CET, at the backdrop of the commemoration of the 60th year anniversary of OAU/AU, ECDPM in partnership with the African Charter Project are hosting a webinar on digital transformation and political governance in Africa.

Information communication technologies (ICTs) have become imperative for governments to deliver basic services to their citizens. Access to online tools has provided alternatives to challenges of offline political mobilisation. While ICTs have facilitated access to information, digital technologies have also drastically transformed politics including political campaigns and electoral processes, with ambiguous impact.

Governments across Africa have set up very different responses to challenges around misinformation, hate speech, and data governance. But some of these legislative measures have also been used to clamp down on political opposition, journalists, and civil society organisations who challenge incumbents or specific government policies.

At the continental level, the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance (ACDEG), also known as the African Governance Charter, serves as a blueprint for Africa’s governance agenda. However, having been adopted in 2007, it doesn't address the prospects and challenges brought about by digitalisation.