The Cameroonian government intends to roll out digital centres and smart campuses nationally as part of efforts to digitise service delivery. The country plans to leverage its economic ties with South Korea to help with rollout.

Speaking during the Korea-Cameroon Digital Forum under the theme ‘Digital Governance for Administrative Transformation’, Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms Joseph Le said infrastructure to the value of CFA4-billion is part of a project to harmonise the data systems of different ministerial departments to improve data processing and management.

This will enable better access to public service and improve efficiency, according to the Minister.

Le said the smart campuses will be set up within the premises of the National Advanced School of Posts, Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (SUP’PTIC), National Advanced School of Engineering (ENSP) and National School of Administration and Magistracy, (ENAM); all located in the capital Yaounde.

The Minister added that 4,000 persons will receive training from these facilities each year.

The project will benefit from the technical and financial support of the government of South Korea through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Le acknowledged the South Korea government for its support in the construction and furnishing of the smart campuses. “This is only the beginning. Many more things could come in terms of capacity-building of public servants,” he said.

South Korea Ambassador to Cameroon Kim Jonghan noted that e-governance is a strategic sector of cooperation between his country and Cameroon.

He pledged his country’s support to Cameroon’s Vision 2035 to become an upper middle-income country leveraging the digital economy.

South Korea has previously supported Cameroon in designing the country’s e-government master plan and setting up electronic procurement and customs clearance systems.

The country has continued to facilitate trilateral cooperation on an e-government capacity-building plan between itself, Cameroon and Nigeria.