By Lungile Siziba
Technology is a development priority that must be embraced if the African continent is to transform, modernise and industrialise in a fast-changing global environment.
Further, rapid innovations in science, communications and computing technologies are opening up new opportunities for enhancing participation by all in the modern global economy.
This was said by President Mnangagwa while officially opening the Smart Africa Board meeting held in Victoria Falls recently.
The board meeting, which was held for the first-time outside Rwanda and for the first time in Zimbabwe, ran under the theme “Innovate-Connect-Transform”.
It was attended by Rwanda President Paul Kagame, Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, and His Majesty King Mswati III of Eswatini, and other high profile officials.
President Kagame is the Smart Africa Alliance chairman.
President Mnangagwa said African governments and stakeholders from the continent and beyond, have an obligation to usher Africa into a “knowledge-based economy anchored on the benefits of technology”.
“The onus is on all of us to facilitate the closure of gaps in living standards among African citizens, riding on ICTs. The peoples of Africa should not be left behind,” he said.
“In our collective quest to ‘Innovate-Connect-Transform’ we must, however, strike the intricate balance between the deployment of ICT and its responsible use for the benefit of our societies and economies.
“Issues of the Smart Africa strategy and challenges related to Internet Governance are critical in digitally transforming Africa, while guarding our continent’s sovereignty and digital policy space.”
President Mnangagwa said the need to protect African countries from cybercrime, terrorism and money laundering through the use of ICT, remains essential.
He added that the transition towards a digital single market as well as the promotion of the use of technology and innovation across the continent further requires strong partnerships and private sector participation.
“Establishment of the requisite ICT ecosystem, as well as infrastructure and regulatory frameworks is also essential to propel the digital agenda. “Increasing broadband and internet access at affordable cost along with the elimination of roaming barriers, require due attention,” said President Mnangagwa.
The prosperity of the continent and fate of the younger generation, he added, demands that Africa continues to take bold and decisive actions towards the success of the Smart Africa Initiative.
Africa’s industrialisation needs science, ICTs
Speaking at the official opening of the sixth edition of the Transform Africa Summit, President Mnangagwa said the modernisation and industrialisation of Africa urgently requires the adoption of science, technology and innovation.
He said the theme of the summit provides an apt synopsis of three critical elements, for Africa’s successful adaptation to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Partnerships are essential for Africa to leap forward and build capabilities in science and technology. Equally, we must seamlessly integrate the frontier of science and technology with the unique needs and strategic socio-economic development goals of the continent and our respective nations.
“The numerous innovations and start-ups by our talented youthful population require the support not only of our governments but also, from global capital. It is, therefore, pleasing that this summit has a broad array of participants from both the public and private sector, extending beyond the African continent.
“Collectively, let us leverage on this noble Transform Africa initiative to accelerate the achievement of Africa’s Agenda 2063, ICT aspirations and the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one and no place behind,” said the President.
The summit, he said, was being held at a time when lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic gave impetus for Africa to develop its own capabilities, across the social, economic and industrial spectrum.
President Mnangagwa said to realise the vision of transforming Africa through ICTs, young African innovators are challenged to deploy the continent’s abundant raw materials for the production of ICT-related hardware and gadgets.
Institutions of higher education and techno-preneurs should also be supported to design relevant software solutions that speak to the intricacies of African economies and communities.
“It is a misnomer that we continue to rely on generic off-the shelf software packages availed to us at exorbitant prices. The Smart Africa membership comprising renowned global technology firms must be leveraged to catapult our capabilities.
“More must be done in this respect. In our case as Zimbabwe, an assembly factory has enhanced the availability of ICT devices at affordable prices, especially for the youth. Similarly, the African Diaspora is urged to use existing networks and knowledge platforms to advance continental aspirations for cutting edge inventions, innovations and viable start-ups.
“In the case of Zimbabwe, the meeting is convening against a backdrop of notable achievements stemming from the adoption of the Education 5.0 philosophy among other policy interventions. Science and technology are becoming intertwined with our country’s social and economic development while innovative products and services are transforming the economy, meeting major national needs and improving people’s quality of life,” said the President.
Zim uses science, tech to boost food production
Zimbabwe continues taking deliberate steps towards food security and food sovereignty, riding on the rapid innovations in science, communication and digital technologies, which are encapsulated under the SMART Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, with emphasis on developing home grown solutions. Under the Smart Africa Alliance and Smart Agriculture Flagship programme, Zimbabwe is spearheading the development of the AgriTech Blueprint for Africa.
This has seen the Government adopting an Agritech Strategy and implementing an Integrated Agriculture Information Management System towards increasing agriculture productivity and value chain development as well as efficient land use and environmental management practices.
President Mnangagwa said overall, Zimbabwe is determined to boost agriculture and rural development through improved access to valuable ICT-based information that enable agriculture stakeholders to make best decisions.
“Enabling policies that support and strengthen the AgriTech ecosystem are being continually improved. These relate to ICT infrastructure, food production and processing, irrigation and water management, disaster management, telecommunication, transportation and financing, among others.
“The roll out of our Education 5.0 philosophy saw the broadened learning and deployment of science, technology and innovation. This has led to numerous start-ups, which are creating new products and services for use by our fast-growing economy and society in general. Notable among these is the launch of our maiden satellite code named ‘ZIMSAT-1’, in November 2022, by the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency.
“This satellite will enable a wide range of solutions in agriculture, energy, meteorology, civil protection, communication and technological outreach. In addition, the innovation hubs, established within tertiary institutions and universities, have led to other solutions presently used by local authorities as well as the energy and financial services sectors,” said the President.
Smart solutions boost public service delivery
President Mnangagwa said to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery, his Government continues to adopt smart solutions to bring public services closer to the citizens.
Some of the smart solutions include the e-Passport, e-VISA and Integrated Case Management Systems.
Community Information Centres, being rolled out by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), have improved access to digital platforms for the people at the grassroots level.
The President said growth in innovation and the envisaged transformation of the continent through expanded industrial enterprises, would undoubtedly translate to increased trade under the single digital market and the AfCTA.
“As such, capacity building around e-Commerce as well as development of the appropriate infrastructure and relevant policy frameworks for the envisaged electronic-payments system for Africa, remains critical,” he said.
Africa’s development has been delayed
In his remarks, President Chakwera said the continent’s development has been delayed and derailed throughout history.
At one time, he said, it was delayed by its detachment from the rest of the world, which deprived it of new ideas and innovations for economic progress.
“At other times, it has been delayed by superstitions that resist new inventions and solutions that threaten old ideas.
“For the longest time, it was also delayed by decades of colonial occupation, as foreign nations from the West scrambled for Africa’s resources and used them to develop their own industries while leaving Africa underdeveloped, the effects of which are still being felt today,” he said.
Wars mainly instigated by the West have also affected the continent’s development, added President Chakwera, while more recently, Africa’s progress was delayed by a new scramble for the continent between the West and the East.
“In any race, if you are too far behind your competitors who started the race long before you, the only way to have a fighting chance is to abandon the racing track and take a short cut.
“And so, when it comes to the socio-economic development of Africa, the only way for us to catch up is to take a short cut, and the only shortcut available to us now are technologies that allow us to go digital in every sector of our economy.
“Now, as to the question of how we take such a leap frogging shortcut, the only way is for us to work hard on lifting the obstacles to digitisation and to work together on connecting the whole continent digitally so that Africa becomes a single digital market. That is why I am excited to be here to represent Malawi as the newest member of the Smart Africa Alliance,” said President Chakwera. He praised President Kagame for his leadership in the drive to ensure the continent adopts technologies so as to boost their economies.
President Chakwera also thanked President Mnangagwa for hosting the summit “that is key to enabling us to leapfrog decades of development stages and catch up with the rest of the world”.
“As far as I am concerned, there should be more Heads of State here, because if we are going to rise as a continent and leapfrog into the 4th Industrial Revolution powered by digitisation, then we must rise through technology, we must rise together, and we must rise now,” said President Chakwera.
The summit, also called Transform Africa Summit, was attended by Mrs Doreen Bogdad-Martin, the secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union; Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, African Union Commissioner for infrastructure, energy and digitisation, ministers from various countries; Mr Wamkele Mene, the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area; and heads of international organisations, among others.