The Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Summit, held in Cape Town from 4 to 6 November 2025, brought together heads of state, policymakers, technologists, and philanthropic organisations under the theme “Digital Public Infrastructure: Accelerating Africa’s Growth and Opportunity.” With Africa at the centre of the discussion, the Summit explored how DPI can support inclusive growth, improve public service delivery, and strengthen trust in digital systems.
South Africa’s MzansiXchange, currently in its pilot phase, featured in the broader dialogue on national data exchange systems. Participation in the Summit provided an important opportunity for the MzansiXchange team to engage with global peers, learn from international experience, and reflect on different governance, architectural, and implementation approaches to data exchange. These engagements also helped to build networks and communities of practice around DPI, both regionally and globally.
A key session, Governing Data Exchange Systems: A New Framework and Lessons from Implementation, brought together experts from South Africa’s National Treasury, University College London, Wadhwani AI Global, and the Digital Impact Alliance, and was moderated by Dr Emrys Schoemaker of Caribou Digital. Speakers emphasised that governance should be embedded from the outset and evolve alongside technical system design, rather than being treated as an afterthought.
The session also introduced a new governance assessment framework developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The framework provides a practical way for countries to assess whether the policy, legal, and institutional arrangements needed for trusted data sharing are in place. It emphasises the importance of building data exchange systems that are safe, inclusive, and transparent, with strong safeguards to protect people’s data and rights.
Building on these global discussions, the MzansiXchange team has been working closely with UNDP to align its pilot with emerging good practice in the governance of data exchange systems. As MzansiXchange progresses through its pilot phase, these safeguards provide a critical foundation for future scaling. By embedding clear governance arrangements and trusted data-sharing mechanisms from the start, the initiative is positioning itself to evolve into a secure and interoperable platform that delivers public value while maintaining public trust. These principles will continue to guide the pilot’s development, supporting an approach to digital infrastructure that is inclusive, resilient, and aligned with South Africa’s broader digital transformation objectives.
Governing Data Exchange Systems: A New Framework & Lessons from Implementation
Panel Discussion: Inclusive & Rights-based Data Sharing – Fair & Trusted Relationships with Stakeholders – Safe and Efficient Data Management