APA-Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday called on African countries to strengthen cooperation as the continent moves towards creating a vibrant digital economy able to address the needs of its one billion-plus population.
Officially opening the 6th Transform Africa Summit (TAS) in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls resort town, Mnangagwa implored fellow African leaders to harness the vast potential presented by Africa youthful population in order to drive the continent’s modernisation and industrialisation drive.
“Partnerships are essential for Africa to leap forward and build capabilities and science and technology,” Mnangagwa told delegates who included Rwandan President Paul Kagame who chairs the board of Smart Africa, organisers of the summit.
He noted that the numerous innovations and start-ups by young Africans required “the support not only of our governments but also from the global capital.”
“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 jurisdictions.”
The Zimbabwean leader said Africa would be doing itself a disservice by continuing to rely on technologies produced by other regions and should look inwards first before looking for global support.
“It is a misnomer that we continue to rely on generic technologies,” he said.
Kagame called on Africa to urgently embrace artificial intelligence and take advantage of the production efficiencies that it brings.
“We should move quickly to embrace artificial intelligence and make it work for us,” Kagame said.
TAS 2023, which is running under the theme “Connect, Transform and Innovate”, has attracted more than 3,000 delegates from Africa and outside the continent, according to organisers.
Among those attending are President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi and President Hakainde Hichilema as well as King Mswati III of Eswatini and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Sinisa Mali.
Discussions during TAS 2023 are expected to focus on regulation and policy, digital infrastructure financing, capacity building and skills development, and digital continental trade, among other key issues.
TAS is the leading Africa technology and digital event organised by Smart Africa to engage on the digital transformation of the continent across multiple sectors.
This is the first time the summit is taking place outside Rwanda.
JN/APA