Data acquisition and technology implementation may seem impractical for low to middle-income countries (LMIC), it has been demonstrated through successful IT infrastructure projects such as DakNet, developed by MIT Media Lab researchers, that low-cost implementation of data and communication infrastructure can be both practical and profitable in LMICs. The emergence of affordable mobile computing devices in LMICs has had a positive impact on financial inclusion for the poor, healthcare, agriculture, and beyond. Studies by the International Telecommunications Union reveal that developing nations accounted for 67% of the world’s mobile subscription by the end of 2006, with positive projections on future growth potential. A recent study by GSMA revealed that by the end of 2020, 46% of the sub-Saharan African population (~495 million people), had subscribed to mobile services, further highlighting the rapid and successful market penetration of mobile digital devices in Africa.
The digital transformation in Africa poses many economic, technical and societal questions such as:
1. What impact will mobile devices have on the digitization of public goods?
2. How will the digitalization of African economies impact the cybersecurity landscape of citizens, especially those who may not be well versed in cybersecurity, but are nevertheless reliant on the digital technologies that play a critical role in their lives?
Conference Outcomes and Deliverables
The success of the conference will be measured by several outcomes and deliverables:
· A ranking of priority areas/action items focused on DPGs and cybersecurity in Africa
· The creation of a sustainable network of conference attendees/participants who will serve as advisors for future national initiatives
· A white paper that is developed as a result of input from conference attendees/participants
· The establishment of new research teams that will advance and submit proposals to federal agencies
· The broad dissemination of conference ideas and discussions to both the scientific community and society at large through social media networks and traditional news outlets.
Conference thrust on diversity and inclusion in DPGs and cybersecurity
This conference will motivate the need for diversity and inclusion in DPGs and cybersecurity research and practice in Africa. This conference will focus on bridging the gap in gender disparities in the DPG and cybersecurity spaces in Africa, given the importance of these domains in transforming the economic landscape in Africa by providing more economic opportunities for the poor.
17 Lumley Beach Rd, Freetown, Sierra Leone
SpeakerS
Dr. Ian Brooks
Director, Center for Health Informatics,
The WHO Collaborating Center on Information Systems for Health
Mary Chaney
Director, Information Security and Privacy, Esperion
CEO and President, Chairwoman
CEO and President, Minorities in Cybersecurity
Adjunct Professor, University of Cincinnati
Renee Forney
Deputy Chief Information Security Officer for Governance, Risk & Compliance-Fintech, Meta
Azure Hardware Systems & Infrastructure Security, Microsoft Corporation
Research External Advisory Council, University of Texas, San Antonio
Board of Advisors, Executive Women’s Forum
Adjunct Professor, Morehouse College
Aminata Amadou Garba
Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University – Africa
Christer Solheim Gundersen
CTO, The Global Digital Library; Senior Adviserat the
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mariama Yormah
ICT Manager at Ministry of Information and Communications,
National Cybersecurity Coordinator, Sierra Leona
Nyakeh Yormah
DDeputy Director of Communications & Head of
E-Government & Operations at Ministry of
Information and Communications, Sierra Leone
PANELISTS
Prof. Tegawendé F. Bissyande
Chief Scientist (Professor Category),
SnT at University of Luxembourg
Daniel Chaytor
Head of Department of Information Technology,
University of Sierra Leone
Alejandro Fernández-Cernuda
Director of Engagement, Internet Integrity Program,
Global Cyber Alliance
Prof. Assane Gueye
Assistant Teaching Professor
Carnegie Mellon University-Africa
Abdou Karim Jallow
Associate Professor of Information Systems, School
of Business, Slippery Rock University
Patricia Komeh Kormawa
Senior Technical Advisor,
Agricultural TVET,
Regional Coordinator West Africa,
Private Sector Engagement,
Creative Industry,
Orange Economy Advisor,
Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Keyzom Ngodup Massally
Senor Advisor & Digital Public Goods Lead, Chief Digital
Office, Head-Asia Pacific Region Better Than Cash Alliance
Alhaji N’jai
Senior Scientist, Infectious Diseases, Procter & Gamble
Associate Professor, COMAHS
Nanjira Sambuli
Fellow in the Technology
and International Affairs Program,
Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace
Max Schumann
Digital Innovation in Pandemic Control,
Deutsche Gesellschaft fϋr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Freda Yawson
Senior Manager for Infrastructure and Innovation at
The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET)
Veda Woods
Executive Director, Global Head CTIS Risk, Threat Intel &
Vulnerability Mgmt Oversight
Founder/CEO Protect Us Kids Foundation
Conference Organizers
Prof. Assane Gueye
Assistant Teaching Professor
Carnegie Mellon University - Africa
Dr. Paul McNamara
Professor, Agricultural & Consumer Economics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Agenda
ConFerence Sponsors
