The United Nations (UN) believes that the African continent needs to invest in the digitalization of its institutions, and expects the results to be tangible within three years, especially in recovering from the impacts of covid-19.

This view was shared by the Secretary-General's advisor for Africa, Cristina Duarte, who said, however, that the continent must continue to invest in infrastructure such as bridges and roads.

The official believes that digitalization could accelerate activities to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Duarte, who was also Cape Verde's Minister, also spoke about the electronic customs system, launched by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD, in 2002.

Sydonia World allows customs officials and traders to conduct most of their transactions from declarations, shipments to transit documents over the Internet.

For the UN, such a system can have an immeasurable impact in terms of generating customs revenue, on budgets, and in the African fiscal space by digitizing customs administrations in Africa to combat illicit fruits.

Cristina Duarte reminds us that 65% of illicit goods in Africa come exactly from the customs ad- ministration.

"The solutions to Africa's challenges lie within the continent itself," he stressed.

This month, the office she leads at the UN launched the African Think Tank Network for the exchange of African experts.