Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), is participating in the launch ceremony of the second edition of Africa Innovation Challenge, organized by the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), online, on June 15.
This year’s Challenge runs under the theme “Best ecosystem practices in Africa enabling youth ICT Innovation,” and will be focused on promoting youth empowerment across Africa through ICT tools. This is based on the premise that the full potential of young Africans remains unrealized due to factors such as unemployment, lack of exposure and gender stereotypes. Additionally, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on communities, and the youth are among the most vulnerable with challenges such as socioeconomic and workforce inclusion.
The aim of the Challenge is to bring together innovators, who are looking to tackle such issues, with problem owners, solution owners and resource owners to scale up, exchange experiences and share success stories or good practices.
It is worth mentioning that the first Africa Innovation Challenge was organized last year, where 11 finalists across Africa who had developed mobile applications useful for benefiting the fight against COVID-19 and its effects were recognized and awarded.
Founded in 1977, ATU is a specialized agency of the African Union (AU) in the field of telecommunications. The Union provides a forum for stakeholders involved in ICT to formulate effective policies and strategies aimed at improving access to information infrastructure and ICT services.
