N’Djamena, Chad, 21 May 2026 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of Administration of the Republic of Chad, and with the support of the European Union and GIZ-AU, has concluded a series of national engagements to support the development of Chad’s National Data Governance Strategy.
Held in N’Djamena from 13 to 21 May 2026, the activities brought together a broad range of stakeholders from government and other sectors, including the Office of the President and Prime Minister, the National Assembly, the Court of Auditors, sectoral ministries, and key digital governance institutions from the Office of the President of the Republic, the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Assembly, sectoral ministries, and key national institutions including telecommunications regulation, cybersecurity and electronic certification, ICT development, national statistics, and secure identity management, academia, and development organizations.
As part of the process, a national assessment mission conducted from 13 to 15 May reviewed Chad’s existing legal, institutional, and technical data governance landscape. This was followed by the Capacity Building Programme held from 18 to 20 May 2026, which convened 45 participants and focused on strengthening national capacities in key areas of data governance, including governance frameworks, data policy development, data protection, digital infrastructure, data sharing, and the public value of data.
As part of the broader partnership between the ECA and Google, the programme also featured the introduction of the Government AI Campus, a free learning platform aimed at equipping public officials with practical AI knowledge and skills. Participating officials further engaged in an AI Readiness Assessment exercise to help identify existing capacities, institutional gaps, and priority areas for future support and national-level AI capacity building for public servants.
To conclude the first phase of the national strategy development roadmap, a Stakeholder Engagement Workshop was held on 21 May 2026 to deliberate on the preliminary findings of the country assessment and contribute to the development of a coherent, inclusive, and sustainable data governance framework for Chad. Discussions focused on key national priorities, including strengthening governance frameworks, advancing secure and resilient digital infrastructure, and reinforcing data protection, interoperability, and institutional capacity.
The workshop was officially opened with remarks delivered by Agnès Kovacs, First Secretary of the European Union Delegation to Chad; Samir Felich, First Counsellor at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; Sonia Essobmadje, representing ECA; and Mahamat Saleh Brahim Salah, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of Administration.
Speaking on behalf of ECA, Sonia Essobmadje underscored the strategic importance of data governance in advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
“The stakeholder engagement workshop on data governance in Chad marks an important step forward in building a coherent, inclusive, and sustainable national data governance framework. It also reflects a collective commitment to positioning data as a strategic lever for digital transformation, public sector efficiency, and sustainable development,” stated Sonia Essobmadje.
ECA further emphasized that the series of engagements is designed to complement the strategy development roadmap, strengthening stakeholder readiness from inception through to validation and supporting the effective operationalization of Chad’s evolving data governance agenda.
This initiative marks an important milestone toward strengthening Chad’s digital sovereignty and promoting a secure, inclusive, and trusted digital ecosystem aligned with continental and global digital governance priorities.
For more information ECA Supporting Chad in Developing a National Data Governance Strategy to Advance the AU Data Policy Framework
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org