Uganda hosts Blockchain Conference

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Government of Uganda through the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and Block chain Association of Uganda today hosted the Africa Blockchain Conference at Serena Hotel Conference Center from 23rd to 24th May 2018

The event drawing participants from 23 countries in Africa and others around the world was officially opened by H.E President Yoweri Museveni.

In his Keynote address on how Africa is ready for the digital age, President Yoweri Museveni said Blockchain technology removes opaqueness in business and replaces it with total transparency.

He further said Blockchain should not substitute goods and services but enable things to move faster through technology and systems. It should support the four sectors in the economy that produce goods and services such as Agriculture, manufacturing and processing Industry, Services sector and the ICT sector.

In her Keynote address on how Blockchain technology is being used in Africa, H.E President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the 6th President of Mauritius said the Government of Mauritius is using Blockchain technology to build databases to support developments of its Bio-genetic material and support innovation in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, crop & seed science.

While giving his introductory remarks, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon Frank Tumwebaze said the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance will appoint an advisory team to study and explore how Blockchain technology can be beneficial to Uganda.

While presenting a paper on Blockchain Task force, Dr Bitange Ndemo – Chairman, Kenyan Blockchain Task Force said Blockchain is a process of automating trust. He further said to develop Africa, governments need to open up data.

Uganda can harness the benefits of Blockchain Technology in its; Land registry to address duplication, Health sector to eliminate counterfeit medicines, Financial sector to ease financial transactions and support micro transactions such as buying a tomato of 2000 Ush which Mobile Money cannot support and in addressing the Identity crisis where people have to carry 5 or more identity cards from National ID, Driving permit to Financial cards.

On his Part, Nkwame Rugunda – the Chairman of Africa Blockchain conference, said Blockchain sits at the fourth stage of Industrial revolution and will significantly redefine our human and social progress because it addresses the critical underlying fabric that defines our human interactions which is Trust. 

Participants were taken through sessions on crypto investment opportunities in Africa in Blockchain technology, building Blockchain Infrastructure, Blockchain in Logistics & trade among others.