Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said the country’s national digital identification system (Fayda) has the potential to increase gross domestic product (GDP) by 7 per cent.

According to reports, Ahmed said Fayda will also safeguard data privacy and ensure economic sovereignty.

Ethiopia’s digital identification system forms the basis of the country’s transition to digital technologies.

It combines biometric and demographic data and assigns a unique identification number to every registered citizen.

It is noted that the aim of the digital identification system aligns with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and the long-term development strategy Agenda 2063 of the African Union.

The legal framework for launching the system in Ethiopia was established in 2023. Its roll-out is proceeding at a rapid pace.

Almost 50 million citizens have already been registered in the system, which has been integrated into more than 150 public and private institutions.

It is expected that this integration will enable the target of 115 million registered users to be reached by the 2027–2028 financial year.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched the third phase of the government-business partnership, aimed at creating one million jobs and raising annual economic growth in the country.

Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said the move would create jobs and raise annual economic growth to more than three per cent by 2030.

He said the government would provide policy certainty, efficient regulation, capable institutions and reliable public infrastructure, while improving the ease of doing business.

He added that the partnership would establish work streams across sectors in cooperation with business, with clear objectives, measurable targets, firm timelines, and accountable leaders.

“Where implementation falls behind, we must intervene rapidly. Where policies or regulations are holding back investment without serving a legitimate public purpose, they must be reviewed.

 “Where institutional capacity is weak, it must be strengthened. And where corruption or vested interests obstruct progress, they must be confronted,” Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa said businesses have an important role to play in investing, expanding production, opening new markets, developing local suppliers, and creating jobs.

He called on businesses to invest in skills, support small businesses, and pay suppliers on time, while stressing that the partnership should operate transparently and within the law without weakening the state’s regulatory responsibilities.

China and the United Nations (UN) have discussed strengthening cooperation to support Sierra Leone’s development priorities, with emphasis on agriculture, health, education, peacebuilding, and evidence-based policymaking.

The discussions took place during a courtesy call by UN Resident Coordinator Seraphine Wakana on Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yong in the capital Freetown.

Wakana congratulated Zhao on his appointment and commended China’s support to Sierra Leone, including during the country’s tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2024 to 2025.

She stressed the need for coordinated partnerships to advance Sierra Leone’s national development agenda, while highlighting constitutional reform, inclusive elections, youth and women’s empowerment and security, cross-border challenges.

Wakana also underscored the importance of strengthening national data systems to support evidence-based policymaking and development planning.

She presented the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2025-2030, aligned with Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024-2030, and called for stronger collaboration with China, particularly in agriculture.

Zhao reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone in partnership with the government and the UN, highlighting more than five decades of friendship between the two countries.

He said China’s development cooperation focuses on priorities under Sierra Leone’s “Big Five Game Changers,” particularly agriculture, health and education.

Zhao announced that the 15th batch of Chinese agricultural experts would soon arrive in Sierra Leone to support agricultural development and food security.

He also highlighted China’s deployment of three medical teams to Sierra Leone and its support for human capital development through training opportunities.

Both sides emphasised the value of closer coordination among Sierra Leone, the UN and China in advancing sustainable development, peace and national prosperity.