search About the Program
In 2022 HSE University launched the e-Governance Knowledge Sharing Program, primarily focused on Africa and aimed at sharing the experience of developing and implementing e-Governance solutions between Russian and African institutions.
The knowledge sharing is to be carried out in the field of digital transformation of public administration, covering its theoretical aspect, regulatory framework, technologies and platforms, international rankings, trends, etc.
Program objectives
Contributing to Africa's sustainable development and digital transformation in accordance with Agenda 2063 and the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2020–2030;
Strengthening the digital sovereignty of African Governments;
Supporting dissemination of best practices and improving systems of public administration;
Promoting bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation and trade between Russia and African countries.
Digital development and digital transformation of public administration were suggested among the most promising avenues of knowledge-sharing on the first stage of the Program, with the focus on industry standards and strategies development promoting sustainability of institutions and quality of governance.
The format of knowledge sharing will allow the exchange of experience of development and deployment of e-governance platforms in the African countries. The participants will also get the opportunity to become acquainted with the state of the art solutions and their developers.
Under the Program HSE Center for African Studies launched the e-Governance Knowledge Hub for Africa with country profiles and challenges registry accompanied by the relevant solutions from various fields of e-governance.
The Program’s concept was first presented on April 13, 2022, at a roundtable at the XXIII Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development in the presence of distinguished diplomats and experts. Ambassadors and experts emphasized on the similarity of the challenges faced by their countries with those that have already been successfully addressed in Russia. They expressed their interest in gaining experience and sharing knowledge in state-building and their willingness to cooperate with HSE University within the framework of the Programme.
On December 15, 2022, at a roundtable Russia-Africa: digital transformation of public administration the reports on the prospects of cooperation with African countries in the digital markets were presented. The experts discussed suggestions regarding the contents of the knowledge sharing for e-Governance Programme.
In July 2023, the Program was presented at the Second Russia–Africa Summit, during the "Knowledge Sharing: Exchange of Experience in the Field of Digitalization of Public Administration" roundtable.
On December 18, 2023, the HSE Center for African Studies organized the Winter E-Governance Knowledge Sharing Week for African officials. It was launched in collaboration with the non-state development institute Innopraktika and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The week-long event welcomed 44 representatives from 23 African countries, international (UN Economic Commission for Africa) and regional organizations (IGAD, ECCAS) to share their experiences in digitalizing public administration and get acquainted with Russian experience and solutions in this field. During this, a handbook E-Governance in Africa 2024: Opportunities and Challenges was presented. Produced by an international team of experts and reviewed by Dr. Moctar Seck, Head of UNECA, this handbook served as a snapshot of e-governance in Africa and materials from the Hub. It inspired the participants of the School for further cooperation for the benefit of the African continent through harnessing the power of e-governance.
On May 29, 2024, a delegation of the Program attended the Pan-African tech show GITEX Africa 2024 in Marrakech where it held fruitful discussions with African partners: with representatives of the Republic of Mali, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the Union of the Comoros.
A historical event was in October, 2024, during the meeting between the Director Andrey Maslov and Seck Moctar, Head of Innovation and Technology Sector, UNECA. Parties signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) on cooperation in the field of education, science, and technologies to support the e-Governance Knowledge Sharing Programme and e-Governance Knowledge Hub, jointly review and amend its architecture. They also arranged to plan, prepare, and review the yearly handbook «E-Governance in Africa».
On November 9, 2024, the experts of the Center for African Studies took part in the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi. Together with Innopraktika, they organized the “Knowledge Sharing: Capacity Building in E-Governance” session with participants from Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, etc. During the Conference, the handbook “Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges” was also presented. This was the first in-depth Russian analytics targeted at African audience and aimed to contribute to the information agenda and eliminate the lack of expertise on African development. Its “African quest for Digital Sovereignty” chapter was prepared within the framework of the E-Governance Knowledge Sharing Program and offered a broader understanding of digital sovereignty in the context of the digitalization of African states.
On November-December, 2024, experts of the Program visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, twice, to discuss capacity building in e-governance. In November, they participated at the 13th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), hosted at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and also held a series of workshops "Investing in digitalization of public finance" in December. The last event was attended by not only African officials, but also Russian private companies (including Sber, Kaspersky Lab, Security Code, Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies, etc.).
On December 15, 2022, at a roundtable Russia-Africa: digital transformation of public administration the reports on the prospects of cooperation with African countries in the digital markets were presented. The experts discussed suggestions regarding the contents of the knowledge sharing for e-Governance Programme.
In July 2023, the Program was presented at the Second Russia–Africa Summit, during the "Knowledge Sharing: Exchange of Experience in the Field of Digitalization of Public Administration" roundtable.
On December 18, 2023, the HSE Center for African Studies organized the Winter E-Governance Knowledge Sharing Week for African officials. It was launched in collaboration with the non-state development institute Innopraktika and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The week-long event welcomed 44 representatives from 23 African countries, international (UN Economic Commission for Africa) and regional organizations (IGAD, ECCAS) to share their experiences in digitalizing public administration and get acquainted with Russian experience and solutions in this field. During this, a handbook E-Governance in Africa 2024: Opportunities and Challenges was presented. Produced by an international team of experts and reviewed by Dr. Moctar Seck, Head of UNECA, this handbook served as a snapshot of e-governance in Africa and materials from the Hub. It inspired the participants of the School for further cooperation for the benefit of the African continent through harnessing the power of e-governance.
On May 29, 2024, a delegation of the Program attended the Pan-African tech show GITEX Africa 2024 in Marrakech where it held fruitful discussions with African partners: with representatives of the Republic of Mali, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the Union of the Comoros.
A historical event was in October, 2024, during the meeting between the Director Andrey Maslov and Seck Moctar, Head of Innovation and Technology Sector, UNECA. Parties signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) on cooperation in the field of education, science, and technologies to support the e-Governance Knowledge Sharing Programme and e-Governance Knowledge Hub, jointly review and amend its architecture. They also arranged to plan, prepare, and review the yearly handbook «E-Governance in Africa».
On November 9, 2024, the experts of the Center for African Studies took part in the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi. Together with Innopraktika, they organized the “Knowledge Sharing: Capacity Building in E-Governance” session with participants from Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, etc. During the Conference, the handbook “Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges” was also presented. This was the first in-depth Russian analytics targeted at African audience and aimed to contribute to the information agenda and eliminate the lack of expertise on African development. Its “African quest for Digital Sovereignty” chapter was prepared within the framework of the E-Governance Knowledge Sharing Program and offered a broader understanding of digital sovereignty in the context of the digitalization of African states.
On November-December, 2024, experts of the Program visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, twice, to discuss capacity building in e-governance. In November, they participated at the 13th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), hosted at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and also held a series of workshops "Investing in digitalization of public finance" in December. The last event was attended by not only African officials, but also Russian private companies (including Sber, Kaspersky Lab, Security Code, Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies, etc.).
Partners
The Program is led by the HSE University Center for African Studies and is being implemented with the support of the Non-State Development Institute «Innopraktika». It is also supported by the Russian Government, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, and also by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Our Team
Andrey Maslov
Coordinator of E-Governance Knowledge Sharing Program, Director of the HSE Center for African Studies
Valentin Bianki
Deputy Coordinator of the Program, Leading Expert of the Center for African Studies, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Week
Philipp Grinin
Deputy Coordinator of the Program
Polina Slyusarchuk
Administrative Director of the Program, Deputy Director of the Center for African Studies
Vsevolod Sviridov
Deputy Director of the HSE Center for African Studies, Leading Expert for the Program and Coordinator of the E-Governance Knowledge Hub
Olesya Kalashnik
Editorial Coordinator of the E-Governance Knowledge Hub
Olga Suckhanovskaya
Manager for the Program and Hub
Angelina Pshenichnikova
Assistant Manager for the Program, Research fellow of the Center for African Studies
Sofia Alypova
Researcher for the Program and Hub
Nikolai Golovko
Researcher for the Program and Hub
Daria Sukhova
Researcher for the Program and Hub