iv FOREWORD African countries realise the enormous potential of a robust digital economy to create new business opportunities, increase efficiency, contribute to sustainable development and reshape people’s lives. The explosive growth of data as a strategic asset and a key element of contemporary economy and society has played a central role in policymaking, innovation and job creation. Adopting the Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS) for Africa 2020-2030, along with the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), introduces huge opportunities for more interconnected and interoperable markets and offers avenues for tech start-ups and e-businesses to flourish. Against this background, the Commission developed the AU Data Policy Framework, which was endorsed by the AU Executive Council in February 2022. Furthermore, the AU Data Policy Framework represents a significant step toward creating a consolidated data environment and harmonised digital data governance systems to enable the free and secure flow of data across the continent while safeguarding human rights, upholding security and ensuring equitable access and sharing of benefits. This framework sets out a common vision, principles, strategic priorities and key recommendations to guide African countries in developing their national data systems and capabilities to effectively use and derive value from data. The endorsement of this continental policy document by African Union Organs shows the commitment and political will of African leaders to invest in data through strengthening cross sector collaboration and developing the related infrastructure to host, self-manage, process and use data being generated by people and industry to inform policy formulation and decision-making processes. Through this framework, African countries agree to put in place the needed mechanisms and regulations to cooperatively enable data to flow across Africa and pave the way to the achievement of the Digital Single Market. Our approach to data is inclusive, transformational and forward-looking. We aim to harness the potential of the data revolution to empower people, institutions and businesses, boost intra-Africa digital trade, contribute to economic integration efforts, raise citizens’ awareness on data protection and privacy issues, promote research and innovation, preserve states’ sovereignty and ownership, build trust in the data ecosystem, and reinforce Africa’s participation as a united front and a uniform stance in multilateral discussions on various data-based areas. The domestication of this framework by African countries and the implementation of its key recommendations and proposed policy interventions both at national, regional and continental levels, along with the development of the necessary human and institutional capacity, will position Africa as a strong partner and will enable African youth to participate and thrive in the global digital economy and society. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy