By Chisomo Phiri
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday delivered his impressive key note address at the Transform Africa Summit at Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria falls in Zimbabwe.
In his impressive key note address Chakwera said that Africa must go against the grain, if it is to be at par with big global players, on the ICT front.
President impressed that Africa is so far behind in terms of digital transformation that it will never catch up, if it does not use technology as a short cut, to ensuring the continent becomes a single digital market and “leapfrogs” into the next stage of economic development.
Said Chakwera:”In order to catch up with the First World trajectory of digital uptake, Africa must deploy multiple strategic investments to integrate all key sectors of the economy on a single digital platform.
“Our citizens should have affordable access to digital products and services, digital literacy and improved digital infrastructure.
“With these in place, we should be able to transition our economy to the digital space through e-Learning, e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Health and smart farming among other key components.”
He thanked President Paul Kagame of Rwanda for his leadership and his pursuit of excellence, through the summit particularly as chairperson of the Smart Africa board.
The Malawi leader also thanked the summit host President Emmerson Mnangagwa for hosting such an iconic and integral event, that seeks to compel Africa to leap frog into the digital excellence domain.
During the Opening Ceremony of the event,King Mswathi III and President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia also delivered their key note addresses.
The Transform Africa Summit is a platform through which global and regional leaders from government, private sector and international organizations consider new ways to shape, accelerate and sustain Africa’s on-going digital revolution.
The meeting is particularly important in light of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area whose benefits could be leveraged through the digital revolution.
