Building on presentations of the Digital Trust Chair’s main research outputs, these webinars discussed the challenges of digital technologies adoption and diffusion and the importance of digital trust for Africa’s emergence. Emphasis was placed on the potential of digital technology to facilitate access to information and reduce transaction costs, in order to develop production capacities and improve access to public services[1]. Several areas of impact were particularly considered, starting with human capital, in particular health, in ordinary times as in times of crisis. Webinar also addressed the role of digital technologies for improving financial inclusion, spurring entrepreneurship and youth employment.
These webinars should lead to recommendations on how to promote the transition to digital technologies scaling-up, and thereby, to trigger an endogenous development dynamic that will encourage emergence of Sub-Saharan Africa and its western part. The exchanges combined the contribution of recent academic knowledge on digital economics in the African context and the experience of both public and private practitioners.
[1] Broadly defined as the delivery of non-rival and non-excludable goods and services by the public or the private sector
French / English simultaneous translation
Moderator : Christophe Angely, Special Advisor - Ferdi
11h : Presentation of the Chair’s report #2 by Jenny Aker, Tuft University, Senior Fellow at FERDI.
Panellists :
12h05. Question and answer session.
Issues addressed :
Has the development of the Mobile Money and other Digital Financial Services actually led to greater financial inclusion and to reaching populations normally excluded from the banking system?
What is the 'optimal' ecosystem to foster financial inclusion? Roles and relationships between operators, banks, regulators, states?
Has the development of the MM and other DFSs actually led to greater financial inclusion and to reaching populations normally excluded from the banking system? From a banker's perspective, has the typology of clients changed significantly and what role does access to information play in this development?
What are the main benefits for citizens, businesses or the government?
What is the role to be played by regional economic communities to facilitate the development of digital financial services and financial inclusion?
Has the development of the MM and other DFSs really led to greater financial inclusion in Côte d'Ivoire and how is the ecosystem adapting to the various constraints?
