Africa Newsletter Q2 2017: Our recent work in Africa

• Ivory Coast - Advised the National Agency for the Universal Service of Telecommunications (ANSUT) in the Ivory Coast. This ongoing work is for part of the procurement procedure for the award of the public service delegation for the operation and marketing of the National Broadband Network.
  
  
• Democratic Republic of the Congo - Advising the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications throughout the Public Private Partnership bidding procedure, which started in 2016 and is ongoing. This will lead to the selection of the economic operator responsible for the operation and promotion of the telecommunications network for the Central African Backbone project, in its implementation into the Congo region.
  
  
• Madagascar - Advising the Council of the Malagasy State on the framework of a procedure for the selection of four economic operators to design, finance, construct and operate four hydroelectric sites.
  
  
• Morocco - Working with the Council of the National Airports Authority of Morocco (ONDA) on the framework of a study to define the strategy of introducing the Public-Private Partnership into Morocco's airport sector.
  
  
• Africa IT and Telecom Forum: At the 7th edition of the Africa IT and Telecom forum took place in Abidjan titled "How does African administration handle digital time?", which welcomed 400 participants and featuring 15 sessions with more than 20 speakers, mainly from Western Africa, Bird & Bird Partner, Sophie Pignon, in a plenary session spoke about the institutional and regulatory framework as a necessary step for e-administration. She focussed on highlighting public-private partnerships’ contribution to optical fibre projects, following her work advising the ANSUT.
  
  
• Cartes Afrique: The 12^th edition of the Cartes Afrique conference, a must for all players in payment cards and technology, with hot topics such as innovative solutions and e-Government, took place in Marrakech, welcoming more than 800 professionals, and featuring 30 sessions with 40 speakers (including Ms Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon's Minister for Posts and Telecommunications in-charge of the region's digital economy). Bird & Bird Partner, Cathie-Rosalie Joly gave a keynote speech about the firm and spoke in two plenary sessions, entitled “In-housing or Outsourcing: which path for financial institutions” and “Blockchain technology and crypto money regulation”, as well as a keynote based on social media.
  
  
• Africa Banking Forum: The 9th edition of the Africa Banking Forum, held in Dakar, welcoming approximately 300 participants with 20 speakers and 15 sessions, featuring Oulimata Diop, (Currency and Credit Director, Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Planning, Senegal) and Thierno Seydou Nourou Sy, (Vice President of the African Banking and Lending Institution Club). At the forum, titled “Technological innovation for African banking”, Bird & Bird Partner, Cathie-Rosalie also gave a keynote speech on “Digital banking regulation in Africa: what kind of regulatory framework applies? Recommendations for electronic banking actors?”, as well as hosting a stand at the event as a bronze sponsor.