Barcelona: Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George has presented his letters of intent to the African Union (AU) expressing his interest in running for the chairmanship of the AU's Specialised Technical Committee on Communication and ICT (STC-CICT). The minister first got clearance from President John Dramani Mahama, who is himself set to become chair of the AU in 2027.
According to Ghana Web, this is a strategic move, as Sam George will get to drive ICT and digital trade policies of the AU during the term of the president as AU chair, putting him in a position to execute the president's vision in the sector more efficiently. The minister disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Techfocus24 at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2026, in Barcelona, Spain.
His bid is already gaining strong support across the continent, with South Africa rallying all the countries in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region to support his bid. 'Smart Africa has also expressed their intent to support our bid - Egypt is also working with us to rally north Africa and I am confident that my colleagues in the other regions will also come on board as we engage them going forward,' Sam George stated.
He expressed optimism about a consensus election, noting that he does not foresee any other country putting up a bid because of Ghana's strong position in digitalisation. Over the last 72 hours, he has reached out to his counterparts in all 54 African states, informing them of the benefits that Ghana's chairmanship of the AU and of the STC-CICT will bring for the continent and their individual countries.
Sam George explained that this is an opportunity to make President Mahama's chairmanship of the AU a period where the AU puts proper digital trade frameworks in place for AfCFTA (Africa Continental Free Trade Area) to ensure that seamless cross-border transfers, data flows, and logistic moves become a reality.
He emphasized the importance of regulatory harmonisation, stating that it should be practical while maintaining the sovereignties of African states, allowing for seamless data flow and regulatory approvals across borders. He asserted that leadership is what is needed, and Ghana intends to provide it at the level of the AUC STC-CICT.
Sam George believes that with President Mahama as AU Chairperson, it will be easier to get all heads of states to adopt digital trade frameworks and regulatory harmonisation protocols to free Africa from the influences of the west in cross-border transfers. He cited the recent moves by Europe to ensure cross-border transfers and settlements are contained within Europe, suggesting that Africa should follow this trend to ensure financial flows are initiated and settled within Africa.
He is confident that Ghana's leadership of the AU will lead to significant strides towards liberating Africa from the digital constraints imposed by the west.