Italy-Africa Digital Partnershipunder the Mattei Plan

By 2050, Africa’s population is expected to reach approximately 2.5billion. By the end of the 21st century, the continent will account for40.6 per cent of the world’s working age population, underscoringan urgent need to create at least twenty million new jobs annually.These demographic shifts present both opportunities and challengesfor Italy-Africa cooperation under the Mattei Plan, particularly in thedigital sector, as the technological and digital transformation has thepotential to drive innovation, spur economic growth, empower ruralcommunities, foster continental integration and accelerate progresstowards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At thesame time, Africa’s digital transformation has sparked concern overasymmetric power structures. With majority of digital infrastructure,platforms and services originating either in China, Europe or northAmerica, questions around technological dependency, lack oftransparency, data sovereignty and the risks of perpetuating “digitalcolonialism” have come to the fore.