Digital, a vector for development in the DRC

In the digital age, our habits are changing, our way of consuming, paying, exchanging between different generations and sharing information. To understand how the DRC is benefiting from this digital revolution and how it can be a factor in economic and social development, the CCSC (Chambre de Commerce Suisse - R.D. Congo) organized an event around digital on March 28, 2019 in Geneva. A panel of experts in the field discussed the influence of digital on the transformation of businesses, the education and training system, as well as its impact on innovative payment methods.

To address these issues, Delphine Seitiée from our Alp ICT team presented the digitalization of SMEs in Western Switzerland. According to her, "digital transformation is a new way of creating value by rethinking one's business model in a digital context". She also spoke of the various impacts that digitalization has on generations, but also on companies and how they operate, hence the importance of including digital transformation in strategy, as all these new technologies force companies to rethink and adapt their strategies.

We continued with a presentation by Dieter Frank Wipf, Founder of Swiss Innovation & Consulting Ltd, who focused on e-money, the digital revolution in means of payment. We're used to the traditional currency of bills and coins. Now, through a brand-new project with Africunia Bank and Excoincial, the aim is to pay more attention to, and give greater weight to, crypto-currency as a means of facilitating transactions and payments. The aim is for your cell phone to become your ATM. Thanks to Mr. Wipf, we were able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method, while reflecting on possible solutions.

Discussions then continued with a presentation by Mr. Sébastien Piolat from Smartlink SA. He discussed the concept of "mobile money" in great detail: not only its uses and advantages, but also the efforts that countries need to make in terms of security and legislation.

Finally, the workshop ended with a presentation by Olivier Bueno, Executive Director of Multipay Congo SA. This project is the brainchild of four banks: BCDC, Equity Bank Congo, FBNBank RDC and Rawbank, and enables customers to use their local bank cards on the terminals of other banks in the network. The main aim is to further democratize electronic banking. The workshop concluded with a question-and-answer session moderated by CCSC Chairman Emile Osumba.

Source : Newsletter CCSC