Story by Wellington Makonese
The establishment of digital infrastructure and an innovation ecosystem has been cited as critical in the country’s endeavour to close the digital gap.
This Saturday saw one of the country’s leading ICT experts and Google’s Senior Vice President for Research Technology and Society, James Manyika engage with the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Tatenda Mavetera in Harare.
While acknowledging efforts being made to bridge the digital divide in the southern hemisphere, Mr Manyika noted that creating an innovation ecosystem is the gateway to adapt to the age of Artificial Intelligence.
He said establishing digital infrastructure, creating an innovation ecosystem and clubs enables young learners to explore.
Mr Manyika also emphasised the role of skills education from primary school and the need to reduce data costs, saying Africa has expensive data and devices, whose cost needs to be reduced.
Honourable Mavetera spoke of various policy interventions that seek to ensure inclusive uptake of ICTs in the country.
She also cited President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no oneans no place behind as key in fostering an inclusive ICTs drive in the country.
Zimbabwe’s national ICT policy promotes the idea of developing an ICT infrastructure including a local industry through an authority that promotes policy coherence and collaboration, particularly within government.
