UNDP and China Launch Africa Digital Empowerment & Innovation Hub to Advance Inclusive Development
The launch marks a bold step toward harnessing technology, innovation, and inclusive ecosystems to drive sustainable growth across the continent.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) , in partnership with the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) , has launched the Africa Digital Empowerment & Innovation Hub, a transformative initiative designed to accelerate Africa’s digital and development future. The launch marks a bold step toward harnessing technology, innovation, and inclusive ecosystems to drive sustainable growth across the continent.
UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, who led the delegation, described the journey from earlier discussions in Changsha to formal agreements in Beijing as a strategic evolution.
“If Changsha was the spark, then Beijing was the blueprint. Here, our conversations turned to what’s next & how we make it real. At the heart of it: Africa’s digital and development future. One powered by innovation, anchored in equity, and scaled through smart, strategic partnerships.”
–Ahunna Eziakonwa, Regional Director for Africa, UNDP.
During the Beijing engagements, Eziakonwa and the UNDP team held high-level meetings with the African Ambassador Group, the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), Exim Bank, and UNDP China. The discussions centered on advancing a shared vision for Africa’s progress through concrete areas of collaboration, including blended finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), green infrastructure, resilient trade, and ethical, inclusive digital transformation. Special attention was also given to scaling youth innovation through dynamic platforms like timbuktoo.
At the Science and Technology Innovation Exhibition, Eziakonwa reflected on Africa’s innovation potential and global relevance.
“Africa does not need to catch up. With the right support, it can lead, setting global standards for inclusive, responsible development.”
–Ahunna Eziakonwa, Regional Director for Africa, UNDP.
Eziakonwa emphasized that true progress requires partnerships rooted in trust, shared value, and a long-term vision.
“What is needed is the right kind of partnership. UNDP will continue to be that bridge, connecting the bold with the possible.”
–Ahunna Eziakonwa, Regional Director for Africa, UNDP.
The newly established Hub is poised to be a catalytic force in shaping Africa’s digital landscape, enabling policy innovation, nurturing entrepreneurship, and ensuring that digital transformation leaves no one behind.
