05-10-2023

CEO Valeria Sandei: "We are gradually strengthening our positioning in Africa, a continent that is increasingly receptive to innovation, in the area of strategic data management thanks to our skills, technologies and experience".

SisTer (Sistemi Territoriali), an Almawave Group company offering decision support system solutions, geospatial analytics and Big Data expertise in the Utilities and Government sectors, has been awarded the COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) tender to enhance the Africa Information Highway (AIH)’s Open Data Platform provided by the Bank to all African countries, regional and sub regional organizations.

Initiated by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the AIH includes in its components the Open Data Platform (ODP) which connects all African countries and regional organizations telematically, with the objective of significantly increasing public access to official statistics, while supporting African countries in improving the quality, transparency, management, dissemination and exchange of data.

Thanks to its expertise in Open Data - and in particular on the ISO standard SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange)1, for which SisTer is a recognised reference point - the company will use its consolidated experience to enhance the ODP with new functionalities that are developed and modern.

Valeria Sandei, Chief Executive Officer of Almawave: "The Group’s steadily expanding international presence stems from a strategy focusing on distinctive vertical competencies and technologies. In Africa - which is increasingly dynamic and receptive to technological innovation - we are gradually strengthening our position, as demonstrated by this deal with the African Development Bank. The contract covers an area - data management and related protocols - which is extremely sensitive and vital to the digital transformation of every country. I believe that, in an increasingly data-driven world, further opportunities may emerge”.

The tender forms part of a wider transaction carried out by the African Development Bank, in collaboration with global organizations such as the International Monetary Fund through the
e-GDDS (enhanced General Data Dissemination System): the AfDB is enhancing the Open Data Platform to make it fully SDMX compliant and native to improve the dissemination and reporting practices with modern automated methods based on SDMX standard.

The COMESA tender award follows major activities in Africa: the contract to automate transcripts and translations from the Judiciary of Tanzania, attendance at Gitex Africa in Morocco and the forthcoming participation in the Italian Trade Agency (ITA)’s Africa Business Lab Project. From October 4-6, Almawave will also be in Lusaka, Zambia, as part of the important Digital Government Africa 2023 event. This is the only pan-African summit that seeks to align national eGovernment plans across the continent.