International delegations visit City of Cape Town following Africa Tech | International delegations visit City of Cape Town following Africa Tech | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/Former%20Mayors%20Header.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <p>The City of Cape Town co-hosted this year’s Africa Tech Festival with the national Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, alongside Diamond Sponsor - Huawei Technologies and Platinum sponsor - Orange Middle East and Africa. Two high level delegations from Estonia and the USA were also present and met with City officials who included Corporate Services Mayoral Council Member Alderman Theresa Uys, Executive Director of Corporate Services Ernest Sass, Director: Strategy & Policy, Hugh Cole, and the City’s Digital Transformation Programme Manager Kelly Searle-Smith, on 15 November 2023. <br></p> | <p></p><span><p>The Africa Tech Festival was held at the Cape Town Convention Centre from 11 November to 14 November 2023. The festival was an opportunity for over 13 000 technology leaders, pioneers, service providers and entrepreneurs, to network, share their experiences, and be exposed to some of the finest experts in the digital and telecommunications field. </p><p><em> </em></p><p>While valuable discussions were taking place in panel sessions, the City of Cape Town hosted key delegates from across the globe, who had attended Africa Tech for the week. </p><p> </p><p>The Estonia City delegation included Sandra Särav, Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Daniel Schaer, Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Siisi Saetalu, Desk Officer, Business Diplomacy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and Joel Karubiu, Country Representative to Kenya, the Estonia Business and Innovation Agency, together with representatives of six digital companies who assisted and supported both Estonia and Kenya on their digital journeys. <br></p><p><br></p>
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<img src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/DSC_1718%20%28003%29.jpg" class="responsive" alt="" style="width:948px;" /> </figure></span><p>'The discussion with Estonia and the City of Cape Town focused on enabling an open digital platform for digital and technology players to be able to effectively partner and collaborate together with the City, as was effectively achieved in Estonia to successfully deliver their digital transformation, Tallinn in Estonia is deemed to be one of the most digital cities in the world. We further engaged on matters around policies, data sharing, data privacy, and cyber security. The City looks forward to continued engagements with Estonia going forward,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.</p><p> </p><p>The second delegation, from the USA, included: Daniel Jackson: Economic Officer, US Embassy Pretoria, Michael Gray, Economic Officer, US Consulate General Cape Town, Vanna Lavery, Digital Policy Coordinator for Africa and the Middle East, US Department of State, Kim Tuminaro, Deputy Director, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, US Department of State, Jennifer Bachus, US Official, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyberspace and Digital Policy.</p><p> </p><p>'The USA Engagement touched on how governments need to play catch-up in terms of offering the required policies and legislation around key topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Several similarities were identified and the opportunity to share more regarding data, cybersecurity and AI strategies, policies and governance framework was acknowledged. </p><p> </p><p>'There was also an appreciation for the progress that the City of Cape Town has already delivered through the City app that provides residents with an easy way to report potholes, electricity and water faults, and more, where this currently does not exist across the USA. It was reassuring hearing this feedback, knowing that in some areas, we are even ahead of other countries,' concluded Alderman Uys.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Caption:</strong> Alderman Theresa Uys (left) with Sandra Särav, Deputy Secretary General for Economy and Innovation, Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>End</strong></p><p><br></p> | 2023-11-28T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#f3223853-467d-44ec-a9b7-a222a9930e88;L0|#0f3223853-467d-44ec-a9b7-a222a9930e88|technological innovation;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |