Two ANINF Agents Win the Global Application Security Competition in New Delhi
Winners of the 2nd edition of the global application security competition, the Gabonese team from the National Agency for Digital Infrastructure and Frequencies (ANINF) was part of the delegation led by the Minister of Digital Economy and New Information Technologies, Brigadier General Bonjean Rodrigue MBANZA, in New Delhi, India. The event took place during the global symposium of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on standards. The Gabonese team from ANINF was declared the winner of the global competition for developing a new standard for securing sensitive applications without passwords using blockchain technology. The competition was organized by the Korean company CTO FNSValue, a partner of the ITU on application security issues. The competition highlighted “innovations in securing banking applications through blockchain.” The ANINF 305 team, composed of Orphée NVE HOUNKPONOU and Audrey MENGUE, both web developers, stood out among the 185 participants with their innovative solution aimed at securing mobile money users’ funds. Their approach is based on integrating the Blockchain Secure Authentication (BSA) system, an alternative to traditional password-based authentication methods. BSA protects access to critical features of a banking application by using the immutable and decentralized properties of blockchain. This technology is revolutionizing how users interact with sensitive digital services, particularly in the financial sector, where fraud and cybercrime are constant threats. Gabonese Innovation Serving Mobile Money Security The solution developed by the ANINF 305 team specifically addresses issues related to mobile money fraud, a significant challenge in many African countries. Thanks to their application, mobile money users can now benefit from enhanced protection for their transactions through the integration of blockchain in the authentication process. This technological advancement places Gabon at the forefront of digital innovation, highlighting the country’s commitment to adopting secure and modern solutions for financial services. The CTO of FNSValue praised the quality and originality of the Gabonese team’s proposal. This international recognition strengthens Gabon’s position as a key player in the development of new technologies and the securing of digital services. Participation in the ITUGSS 2024 and this achievement demonstrate the commitment and talent of ANINF teams in Gabon’s digital transformation.
eGabon-SIS project: COTECH 4 reviews activities progress
The 4th Technical Committee (COTECH 4) for eGabon-SIS project implementation, a strategic programme to digitise healthcare system in Gabon, met on Thursday 3 October 2024 at the Military Health Service Training School of Libreville (EASSL). The agenda focused on presenting project’s activities progress. After the opening speech by COTECH chairman, Mr Alberto Wenceslas MOUNGUENGUI MOUDOKI, General Manager of the National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frenquencies (ANINF), the project manager, Ms Fidéline Ursule BEKOGO BEKOGO, presented eGabon-SIS progress report. The presentation focused on two groups of activities: activities related to Health Information System acquisition (HIS), as defined in the contract known as the “HIS Contract” signed with the TICH CONSULTING-BS GABON-GLADIUS consortium, and related activities, important for the success of the main activity of acquiring the HIS in the twenty (20) health facilities in Greater Libreville. Activities related to SIS implementation can be summed up in two parts : infrastructures and applications. With regard to the former, the hosting, network and security infrastructures, as well as a server dedicated to data backup, were installed by ANINF engineers at Omar Bongo Ondimba Armed Training Hospital (HIAOBO). As for the application component, installation, configuration, integration and commissioning of solutions is effective in five (5) fields of expertise at HIAOBO. As part of data management and security component, same applications have also been commissioned on ANINF server. With regard to the digital patient file circuit, the integration of data collected in the SIS at laboratory level has been completed, in particular at HIAOBO and the Hospital for Egyptian-Gabonese Cooperation (HCEG). This should facilitate data exchanging and patients transfer between the two hospitals, as demonstrated at COTECH 3. User training began in September 2024 in the two hospitals mentioned above, with a Go live (operational launch) of the SIS at Hospital for Egyptian-Gabonese Cooperation (HCEG). During the discussions, COTECH members expressed their satisfaction with project progress. COTECH chairman took the opportunity to encourage everyone to provide data for algorithms creation. eGabon-SIS project objectives are to develop a health information system in Gabon that will help improve the speed and reliability of information to support the delivery and management of public health services; to promote the development and deployment of e-health services and applications, and information and communication technology services. The recommendations made at this COTECH will be the agenda items for COTECH5.
ANINF General Manager at the Gabon-US economic Forum
The President of the Republic of Gabon, Brice Clotaire OLIGUI NGUEMA, presided over the economic meeting between the United States of America and Gabon in Washington on October 1rst 2024. This business meeting focused on strengthening economic ties and investment in key sectors. The National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF) General Manager presence, underlines the digital technology importance in Gabon’s development. The United States of America and Gabon are looking to strengthen their economic ties through serial meetings focused on energy, agriculture and infrastructure, particularly in the digital sector. The meeting, organised by the National Agency for Investment Promotion of Gabon (ANPI-Gabon), was attended by the private sector and Gabonese government officials, including the ANINF General Manager, Mr Alberto Wenceslas MOUNGUENGUI MOUDOKI. This underlines the technology growing importance for Gabon’s economic development. The aim of these discussions was to establish an open and constructive dialogue on improving the investment climate in Gabon. US government agencies representatives and private sector actors raised specific concerns, particularly about the regulatory environment and reforms underway in Gabon. The meeting was an opportunity for Gabon to reaffirm its commitment to facilitating trade and encouraging foreign investment. One of the event highlights was the announcement of partnerships and the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) chaired by the President of the Transition, Brigadier General Brice Clotaire OLIGUI NGUEMA, aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations. These meetings are an opportunity for Gabon to present its investment guide, which highlights business opportunities in various sectors such as digital and technological innovation. These efforts also aim to foster lasting partnerships development and collaborative lines that could lead to new trade agreements. Gabon and United States are working hand in hand to stimulate the investment climate and seize opportunities for economic growth.
Gabon at the Bahrain Forum: Challenges and Opportunities for a Digital Transformation
Gabon was represented at the Digital Skills Forum in Manama, Bahrain, from 17th to 19th of September, led by the Minister for the Digital Economy and New Information Technologies, General Rodrigue Bonjean MBANDZA, accompanied by his staff, including Mr Alberto Wenceslas MOUNGUENGUI MOUDOKI, ANINF’s General Manager. The Forum focused on the challenges and opportunities of global digital transformation. Speaking on the first day, Gabon’s Minister for the Digital Economy highlighted national initiatives to modernise infrastructures and develop local talent, thereby helping to bridge the digital divide. He also outlined the government’s strategy for improving digital skills, with a particular focus on training and inclusion. On the second day, Mr Alberto Wenceslas MOUNGUENGUI MOUDOKI, The General Maganer of ANINF (a public institution at the heart of digital transformation in Gabon), took part in a panel discussion on the impact of digital transformation on employment. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities for Gabon, particularly in terms of developing digital skills among young people, women and ageing workers. His presentation focused on three main themes: recognising the value of your skills, continuously developing them, and understanding your ever-changing professional environment. These presentations were followed by recommendations for bridging the digital divide. In terms of education, there was a need to upgrade general skills to digital skills, which panellists said were the foundation of a bright future. To achieve this, the education system needs to evolve by developing targeted training to enable the transition to the green economy, which is expected to create more than 30 million jobs by 2030. They pointed out that by 2030, more than 90% of jobs will require digital skills. And 65% of young people are working in jobs that do not exist yet. Governments must therefore develop essential digital transformation strategies inclusive to all communities, in order to bridge the digital divide. After all, digital skills can be a solution to social inequalities and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to play a major role in the transformation of all sectors through automation. Cybersecurity was not left out. Solutions were proposed to combat growing cyberthreats, such as identity theft and cyberbullying, not to mention misinformation and online violence. The Forum highlighted a key ITU, UNDP and EU project to build decision-makers capacities to drive inclusive digital transformation.
Advanced training in digital collaboration tools: the Government calls on the National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF) expertise.
On Tuesday September 17th, the gabonese Prime Minister, Mr Raymond NDONG SIMA, accompanied by his staff, received training in advanced collaboration tools (Zoom and Microsoft Teams Professionals), from (ANINF) experts. Aware of the need to use modern technologies in the gabonese administration, the Prime Minister of the Transition, Head of Government, Mr Raymond NDONG SIMA, decided to use the state digital arm, to train his administration. ANINF’s large-scale deployment of this training underscores its central role in the administration digitisation thanks to its expertise. The aim is to promote a digital culture by integrating modern technologies into government activities. Focusing on the use of Zoom and Microsoft Teams Professionals, this training is designed to facilitate remote collaboration, ensure meetings smoothly runing, and increase administrative efficiency. Specific training objectives for Zoom and Microsoft Teams Professionals These training courses are designed to enable participants to master the advanced features of Zoom and Microsoft Teams Professionals, integrate technological innovations to improve collaboration and professional interaction, and raise awareness of digital security to protect confidential data and prevent leaks. As well as enhancing civil servants technical skills, this initiative strengthens online exchanges security and promotes fluid collaboration thanks to these essential digital tools. ANINF at the heart of the government’s digital transformation.
KEWA: An efficient and reliable platform
Developed by the National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF), KEWA platform, which has been visited by thousands of users over the past few hours, is proving to be an essential tool for announcing results during Gabonese exam period. This year (2024), statistics show a significant uptake of the platform during national exams. In the last 30 minutes, KEWA recorded a total of 3,4983 users. Demand has peaked at 7,022 users in the last five minutes, demonstrating student’s growing confidence in the platform. According to an analysis of traffic sources, 75.81% of users access KEWA via Google, or 8825 users. Direct access, search engines such as Bing and Yahoo, and other channels complete this diversified access picture, underlining KEWA’s visibility and relevance on the web. This year, despite high traffic peaks, the application did not experience any interruptions. This is a testament to its efficiency and reliability. By providing relevant resources and facilitating access to information, KEWA makes a significant contribution to improving academic results and applicants well-being during this crucial period.
African Cybersecurity Summit: ANINF active participation in the event
Smart Africa, the alliance of African countries responsible for Africa’s digital agenda, in partnership with GITEX Africa, Africa’s largest technology and startup event, organised the African Cyber Security Summit in Marrakech, Morocco, from 28th to 31rst of May 2024. The National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF) delegation, led by Applications Department Manager, Mrs Maryse Lydie MADIBA ILOUMBOU, in presence of Security and Information Department Manager, Mr Arnold Gildas Yann RAMONDET MBOUMBA and Mr Kevin Jessy NGANE, took an active part in the 4th meeting of the African group of Cybersecurity Authorities (ANCA) on several topics relating to digital transformation and cybersecurity in Africa. These included discussions on: Security by Design’, which aims to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen defense against cyber-attacks by integrating measures throughout the software development process; ‘Threat Hunting’, which is essential to protect an organisation’s data and complements other threat detection tools to effectively prevent intrusions; ‘Social Boss’, which enabled participants to be exposed to a variety of security scenarios, enhance their existing skills and acquire new skills for investigating and preventing security incidents; and ‘Internet Security’, which includes building a robust and secure network, as well as strategies for detecting and responding to cyber-attacks. E-Health was not left out, notably with the first Leaders’ Forum hold on Digital Health, whose mission is to explore the transformative power of technology in shaping healthcare future in Africa. This forum was an opportunity for ANINF to deepen its exchanges with its partners in charge of developing the eGabon-SIS project. This project involves the implementation of a health information system in Gabon, for which 40 ANINF engineers have been mobilized. ANINF delegation also participated in the preparatory meeting of ITU-T Study Group 17, which coordinates the security-related work of all ITU-T Study Groups.
ANINF participation in the Council of African Information Technology Agencies (CAITA)
The 3rd meeting of Smart’s Council of African IT Agencies (CAITA) was held in Morocco alongside GITEX Africa and was attended by ANINF delegation The Council of African IT Agencies (CAITA) is a Smart Africa body bringing together IT agencies of member states. It was set up to promote collaboration and cooperation in the field of information technology across the African continent. The Council serves as a platform for member states’ IT agencies to share knowledge, resources and best practices in IT development and implementation with the aim of advancing technology in Africa. By taking part in this important meeting, ANINF is further demonstrating its international commitment to cooperation and the exchange of best practice with other administrations operating in the same field. The Council provides a forum for member agencies to discuss and collaborate on IT-related policy, regulatory issues and to work together to develop solutions. CAITA will meet periodically to allow discussions and deliberations on issues relevant to the development of information technologies in Africa.
Gabon-France Forum: ANINF promotes Gabonese digital expertise in Paris
The National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF), an entity under the Gabonese Ministry for Digital Economy and New Information Technologies authority, will be taking an active part in the first Gabon-France Business Forum, to be held in Paris on 29th May. This economic event is an opportunity for ANINF to promote its expertise with a view to forging partnerships to strengthen Gabon’s digital sovereignty. Gabon and France are looking to strengthen their decades-old economic cooperation, at a forum organised by the Gabonese Ministry of Economy and Participations and French Business Confederation (MEDEF), under the theme “For a reinvigorated partnership”. French investment in Gabon has been declining for more than 10 years. The forum, which will bring together more than 300 decision-makers and industry leaders, including government representatives, companies, financial institutions, experts and businessmen, will be an opportunity to discuss investment opportunities and the challenges to be overcome in order to strengthen economic and trade relations between Gabon and France. The Paris meeting will be an opportunity for Gabon to showcase its digital expertise through ANINF. The aim will be to present e-government projects contributing to Gabon’s digital transformation to potential investors and partners, with a view to developing partnerships with MEDEF companies specialised in this field. Through these partnerships, ANINF intends to pursue its mission of digitising the Gabonese administration, in particular to improve administrative services offered to population. The meeting in French capital is therefore an important turning point for attracting investors and forging partnerships in cybersecurity, with the aim of building Gabon’s digital sovereignty.
Deployment of a public wifi zone: the Head of State notes the effectiveness of the work carried out by ANINF
As part of Pillar 2 of the National Transition Development Plan (PNDT) 2024-2026 in its digital component, the President of the Transition, President of the Republic, Head of State His Excellency Brigadier General Brice Clotaire OLIGUI NGUEMA instructed the Government to make the digital economy one of the pillars of economic diversification, social inclusion and national sovereigntý. As part of this social inclusion, the National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF), on behalf of the President of the Republic, has installed a large wireless broadband network (WIFI) on the new road between Montagne Sainte and Camp de police. Thanks to the Gabonese Administration Network (RAG), Agency’s engineers have connected the equipment needed for this connectivity. After a week of tireless work, the Head of State visited the site on Saturday 25 May 2024 and took the opportunity to see how effective wireless internet connectivity is for citizens. The responsiveness of teams and the work quality demonstrate the Agency’s expertise.