Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially has launched Ethiopia’s first-ever unmanned Smart Police Station System, marking a major step in the country’s digital transformation of law enforcement.

Ahmed said the technology-driven service will allow citizens to access police services more quickly and efficiently through digital platforms, noting that the smart police system will also enable law enforcement to respond rapidly to incidents, strengthen crime prevention efforts, and improve operational efficiency.

According to the Prime Minister, the initiative is part of broader reforms aimed at modernizing enforcement institutions and making them more competent and competitive under the Digital Ethiopia 2030 strategy.

“The launch of this service will enhance the effectiveness of the reform initiatives started to make law enforcement institutions competent and competitive under Digital Ethiopia 2030.”

It is a pilot project of what is being called a “smart” – or unmanned – police station in the Bole district of the capital, Addis Ababa, and it is the latest chapter in Ethiopia’s bid to catch up with the digital revolution.

The proportion of Ethiopians who have access to the internet remains quite low, not helped by conflict and political upheavals in recent years that have led to internet blackouts meaning that the country lagging after others on the continent in terms of digital transformation.