European Development Days. Brainstorming session. Digitalization and resilience to adverse shocks in a developing context.

Wednesday 22 June, 10.45 - 11.30
Brainstorming Room 1
Brussels Expo (Palais 7 and 11), 
Avenue De Miramar / Miramarlaan
B-1020 Brussels.

Moderator: Holy Ranaivozanany, Head of Outreach, Advocacy and Partnerships at the Africa-Europe Foundation

Speakers: 

Antonia Gleizes-Lacombe, Venture Partner Marketing, Impact & Partenariats, Janngo Capital  

Jenny C. Aker, Professor, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

Renée Chao-Beroff,  Chairman-Founder, Wi-Agri 

This session was aimed at discussing how such digital technologies have helped households, firms and administrations cope with the consequences of the pandemic, but also with other types of adverse shocks: 

• Discuss and explain how simple and scalable digital initiatives can improve access to markets, health services and welfare,
• Inform donors, policymakers and the private sector on public sector and market-based solutions in this space,
• Bring together representatives from the digital ecosystem and academia, exchange key insights-experiences-know-how to leverage digital innovations and build resilience to large-scale shocks to health and economic systems,
• Emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa, where one quarter of world mobile innovations are located and where obstacles to development are the greatest.