Africa Needs at Least $100Bln to Create Connectivity Infrastructure by 2030, UN Official Says

Africa will need at least 100 billion dollars to build connectivity infrastructure for all 54 countries on the continent by 2030, the chief of the innovation and technology sector at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Moctar Seck, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, which is taking place in the Russian city of Sochi on November 9-10.

"I think we can start with 100 billion dollars to build the infrastructure for 54 countries by 2030. We can have all the African countries connected if you have 100 billion dollars," Seck said.

The UN commission is also working with African finance ministers to optimize taxes on the information and communications technology (ICT) sector to increase connectivity on the continent. A report on this topic will be presented at the next African summit in January, the official added.

"We are going to increase access to the broadband service, increase the contribution of the ICT to the GDP, and increase the number of jobs created in the end, direct and direct, in the sector," he noted.

Nevertheless, the UN official pointed out that he believes Africa should focus on domestic funding to increase its ICT sector.

"There are several means to get funds in Africa first, before we look at the outside. I think there is a need for African countries to better organize themselves, the private sector, to see how they can get funds to build the infrastructure, not looking for funds from the West or from elsewhere ... Because we need the sustainability of funding," the speaker explained.

The official believes such sustainability can be found in Africa, once "the right regulation" is put in place and the private sector is mobilized to build the necessary infrastructure.

"We need energy. It's very important. Because you can't develop infrastructure without energy. You need to connect the rural area, the city, everywhere. We need energy for digital technology. We industrialize manufacturing, everything," the official also said.