Kenya has won the bid to host the 2024 Transform Africa Summit in August.
The announcement was made on Tuesday in Barcelona Spain by Smart Africa during the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC).
ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo was present during the momentous announcement made by Smart Africa, the coordinating Secretariat for ICT programmes and activities for the African continent.
He said the victory underscores Kenya’s global standing as an ICT powerhouse and a regional leader in driving transformative impact and advancing socio-economic development.
“This win is a testament to the confidence that Smart Africa Alliance places in Kenya and its leadership. It solidifies our nation’s tradition as a home for high-profile international conferences, an ICT investment destination of choice and highlights Kenya’s commitment to advancing the Digital Agenda in Africa,” Owalo said in his acceptance speech.
The Transform Africa is scheduled to take place in Nairobi from August 28-30 this year.
The bidding process for organising the annual summit was initiated in November last year through the Communication Authority (CA).
Transform Africa Summit, organised annually by the Smart Africa Alliance, is the foremost continental forum uniting global ICT leaders drawn from government, businesses and international organizations.
Director of communication in the ICT Ministry Mulei Muia said in a statement this collaboration aims to explore innovative approaches to shaping, accelerating, and sustaining Africa’s ongoing digital solution.
He said Kenya’s interest in bidding to host the summit reflected the country’s determination to showcase its capabilities on the global stage.
Present during the event in Spain included the African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitization Dr Amani Abu-Zeid and ITU secretary general Doreen Bogdan-Martin.
Communications Authority chairperson Mary Wambui and DG David Mugonyi and ICT ministers from various African countries including Zimbabwe, Ghana, Madagascar, Gabon, Rwanda and Burundi were also present.
At the commencement of the Mobile World Congress on February 25, CS Owalo said the strides made by Kenya on its Digital Transformation Agenda under President William Ruto’s leadership were getting recognised and appreciated on the global stage.
The CS said he had the pleasure to meet His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain at the Museum Nacional d’Art de Cataluna in Barcelona.