‘Every signature is the beginning of real action to get results’

  Founding Executive Director of SMART Africa Alliance, Hamadoun Touré, on norms that are discriminatory against women at workplaces and on barriers that are still invisible to us

‘Requiring ten or fifteen years of continuous experience was meant to eliminate men who had changed jobs and who haven’t had the continuous time in the same profession. But this was very discriminatory for a woman who has had a child and taken time off to take care of her child.

'That time-out should be doubled and added to her experience. So, I eliminated that. As a result, the first person I was able to hire at the highest level in the United Nations system requirement level in administration below the elected officials, was a lady who was a mother of triplets. She was the best person in that position that I ever had. Of course, she took time off, but she spent eight years in that position.

Sometimes, there are little things that may be discriminatory – you may not notice them – but it is important to eliminate them once we find them.

Main takeaway from these discussions:

‘With technology evolutions, many of the problems we have today will be history. Because very soon robots would be replacing us, doing the jobs for us, making our lives easy and then we will be taking care of our families.

'The political leaders need to make the necessary rules and regulations that should be in place for equal and fair treatment for everyone. Financing should be there from wherever the opportunities are arising.

'To the youth, the key is self-confidence. Believe in yourself. Believe that tomorrow you are going to be somebody. Look at yourself in the mirror and see the person you want to be. If you don’t see that person, it is not going to happen. Nobody is going to do it for you. Please go ahead and believe in yourself and make your life significant.

'We promised that Transform Africa 2018 would be bigger, better and smarter. Once again, all our expectations have been exceeded.

'Many conversations and agreements were reached by more than 600 organizations. Smart Africa alone signed seven co-operation agreements spanning from accelerating the ‘Smart City Movement’ to expanding and promoting ‘Youth Innovation’.

'And as usual, every signature is not an end but the beginning of the real action to get results. This gives me the confidence to stand in front of you and pledge that Transform Africa 2019 will be once again ‘bigger, better and smarter.’

‘Save the Date’ for Transform Africa 2019

'It is my great pleasure to proceed to a ‘Save the Date’ for Transform Africa 2019, which will take place in Kigali on May 8-9, 2019. I am also proud to announce that the theme of this event has been set by our board under the leadership of H.E. Paul Kagame, Rwanda President and Chairman of the Board. The theme for next year has been set as ‘Boosting Africa’s Digital Economy.'