Story by Bruce Chahwanda
Cabinet has approved the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy Framework as government seeks to propel economic growth through industrialisation by adopting latest technologies.
With the world increasingly becoming more digital, government crafted the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy to promote the modernisation and industrialisation agenda.
The policy framework was announced by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere at a post-Cabinet media briefing this Tuesday.
”Cabinet wishes to advise that the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy is also aligned to the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, and is aimed at driving economic growth through industrialisation by promoting the adoption of AI technologies in key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and services. The Strategy focuses on modernising Zimbabwe’s economy and transitioning from a resource-based economy to one driven by technology and innovation. It emphasises on developing digital infrastructure, such as high-capacity fiber networks and 5G technologies, as these are essential for enabling AI adoption across various sectors of the economy,” said Dr Muswere.
Cabinet also approved the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Policy to ensure availability of physical infrastructure for the sector.
”The Policy is underpinned by six primary goals, as follows: utilization of innovative frameworks to accelerate tourism and hospitality industry development and promotion; strengthening human capacity development in the tourism and hospitality industry; developing a robust physical and digital infrastructure for the tourism and hospitality industry; strengthening a facilitatory legal and regulatory infrastructure for the tourism and hospitality industry; developing and utilising innovative and stable financing infrastructure for the tourism and hospitality industry; and fostering regional and international cooperation to grow the industry. The policy framework will be supported among others, by a robust institutional framework for coordination, monitoring and implementation modalities,” he said.
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbra Rwodzi said the policy is also meant to develop digital tourism and promote Destination Zimbabwe.
”The policy gives guidance to operators on what they should follow. We need more infrastructure because there is huge shortage hence the building of physical infrastructure. It’s also about aligning the policy to vision 2030,” she said.
Zimbabwe under the Second Republic has come up with a number of policies which dovetail with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of attaining an upper middle income society by 2030.
