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Kenya will be hosting the sixth International Open Data Conference (IODC), officials have announced Sunday as the biennial conference came to a close in Buenos Aires this weekend.
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According to Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto, the nation is committed to the development of an inclusive data ecosystem for the public and private sectors.
“We recognize that if Kenya is to move ahead, we must deliberately pursue collaboration between the government, academia, and entrepreneurs. It is no longer an issue of political will, but a matter of rational economic and political choice,” said Ruto in a statement.
The theme of the 2020 conference will be “Bridging Data Communities” and leaders from academia, civil society, and local communities, as well as innovative developers, will be involved in making the conference a success, the deputy president said.
Rudi Borrmann, undersecretary for public innovation and open government, said, “This will be an excellent opportunity to share lessons learned on hosting such an auspicious gathering with Kenya, but most importantly, a practical opportunity to strengthen the South-South Collaboration. We look forward to advising and working with the Government of Kenya in the successful hosting of IODC in 2020."
Top supporters making the international conference possible through contributions are the World Bank, the IDRC, the Open Data For Development (OD4D), and Google, among others.
The convention is expected to draw over 3,000 participants from more than 100 countries and parts of Nairobi. At least 50 international technology companies are rumored to be touring the international exhibition as well as invest in Africa’s blossoming frontier.
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