The ninth international conference of the African Network of Personal Data Protection Authorities (RAPDP) opened on Monday, May 18, 2026 in Abidjan, for a duration of four days. The event brings together more than thirty countries from Africa and Europe, including twenty-four African delegations, as well as international experts, representatives from the private sector, and specialized institutions. The opening ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation, Djibril Ouattara, marking the beginning of working sessions dedicated to the challenges related to artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and biometric data on the continent.
The central issue of this meeting lies in the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration 2026-2030, a strategic document aimed at setting the broad guidelines for digital governance in Africa, in parallel with the renewal of the network’s leadership. The President of RAPDP, Amadou Hiro, called for a collective mobilization to build a true digital sovereignty based on cooperation between states. For his part, the minister emphasized that the theme of the event, “Regulating without hindering innovation,” invites stakeholders to define the contours of balanced regulation, adapted to African realities, capable of protecting citizens while supporting technological development.
During the speeches, the President of the Regulatory Council of the Telecommunications/ICT Regulatory Authority (ARTCI), Roger Félix Adom, emphasized the human and security dimensions of data management. According to him, the protection of personal data goes beyond the technical or legal framework: it directly concerns privacy, dignity, freedom of citizens, and trust in the action of the state. He specified that regulation should not be a hindrance, but rather a protective framework fostering innovation within the digital ecosystem.
To illustrate the dynamics of compliance, authorities recalled the steps taken by Ivory Coast in this regulatory field. The national journey includes the adoption of the law of June 19, 2013 on personal data, the launch of awareness campaigns since 2015, compliance checks conducted in 2022, as well as the implementation of simplified standards. The year 2026 marks a new stage with the creation of the national file of correspondents responsible for data protection. This initiative is part of the African regulators’ willingness to speak with one voice in the face of global technological changes.
