UNDP Partners with cBrain to Drive Digital Transformation Across Africa

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Danish software company cBrain have established a partnership to accelerate digital transformation initiatives across Africa, focusing on digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion, and climate resilience.digital

The collaboration will establish a process library at the UNDP Resilience Hub in Nairobi to develop and scale governmental best practices across the region. This initiative comes at a crucial time when several African nations are working to integrate digital ID systems to strengthen their public infrastructure. The initiative aims to expand digital financial services access for underserved populations while integrating digital tools into climate resilience and disaster risk reduction efforts.

Ahunna Eziakonwa, UN Assistant-Secretary General and UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa Director, emphasized the initiative’s importance, stating, “Digital is the lifeline to opportunity in Africa, and it should not remain a luxury. With the right partners like Denmark and cBrain, we can expand critical access to information and education, and unlock innovation at scale.”

Danish Ambassador to Nairobi Stephan Schönemann highlighted cBrain’s role, noting, “cBrain is a leading Danish software company, promoting digitalization as a driver for good governance. Their collaboration with UNDP can help drive the sustainable development and digital transformation across the African continent.”

The partnership includes capacity-building programs to equip government officials and civil society organizations with digital skills. The initiative will particularly focus on Kenya, where recent developments in identity verification technology have already begun reaching the country’s 54.3 million residents. cBrain CEO Per Tejs Knudsen indicated the company will leverage its international experience, stating, “By re-using Danish experiences, we can accelerate the digital transformation in Africa.”

This initiative aligns with other digital transformation efforts in Africa, including the Italian Government’s Digital Flagship initiative supporting four African countries’ digital development, and Rwanda’s drone program for medical deliveries, which has reduced blood delivery times from three hours to 26 minutes. The project also complements broader international efforts to standardize digital infrastructure, similar to developments in the European Union’s digital identity wallet system.

Source: UNDP

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November 19, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team