The African media outlet wearetech.africa has published the remarks of the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy of the Republic of the Congo, who outlined the key directions for digital cooperation with Russia — from training specialists to launching open-source IT solutions.
Léon Juste Ibombo, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy of the Republic of the Congo, advocated for strengthening cooperation between African countries and Russia. He emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange, digital technology development, and joint training. He presented his position during the session “Russia–Africa: Shared and Sustainable Digital Sovereignty,” held in early June in Nizhny Novgorod as part of the Global Digital Forum.
According to the minister, productive cooperation should focus on six areas: training specialists in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data management; creating data centers; launching joint open-source IT products adapted to African conditions; discussing taxation and traceability in the digital economy; conducting joint educational programs; and coordinating national positions at international digital platforms.
The minister’s speech coincided with the launch of several digital initiatives between Russia and a number of African states. In Zimbabwe, an e-governance system has been introduced to increase transparency in public administration. Angola signed a telecommunications agreement with Russia, which includes the AngoSat-2 project and protection of digital communication channels. Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Guinea have begun implementing MyOffice software solutions.
Russia is offering Africa alternatives that are independent of Western platforms. This includes experience in data protection, localized IT systems, and the development of digital infrastructure. Russia is also placing emphasis on training African specialists.
"Such cooperation helps African countries build their own digital environments — taking into account local conditions and human resources. A diverse range of partners enables the development of an independent and resilient digital system," writes Samira Njoya, author at wearetech.africa.
