Transform Africa Summit Preps Gathers Momentum

By Senior Reporter.

Zimbabwe gears up for the 6th edition of the Transform Africa Summit (TAS) to be held in the City of Victoria Falls on April 26 to 28, 2023, Post On Sunday reports.

Minister of Information Communication Technology, Courier and Postal Service Minister (ICT), Jenfan Muswere addressed Journalist in Harare on Monday evening, updating on this ostentatious event, that said to attract over 3000 delegates from more than 100 countries, in and outside Africa.

The Transform Africa Summit is the leading Africa tech and digital event organised by Smart Africa which is chaired by the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.

Muswere told the media that this year’s event is the first outside Rwanda, where heads of states, ICT ministers across Africa engage on the digital transformation of the continent across multiple sectors aimed at making core decisions for Africa’s socio economic development through ICT.

The Postal Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) Director General, Gift Machengete, said this event will see a paradigm shift in the operations of players in the sector.

“This program is there to transform Africa, we are currently using ICTs from Europe, America and other continents, there is need for Africa to come up with its own ICT which are context relevant to Africa”.

“We are the one (Zimbabwe) with the Agriculture flagship, other countries have their own flagships, such as Rwanda, with Smart Cities and South Africa with artificial science and it will be at this event where we are going to learn and exchange notes on ICTs,” Machengete said.

Digital migration of all sectors of the economy require nations to adapt and embrace technology as fast as they can, as most countries are fast moving to the new world order.

The Summit is expected to host various government departments, member states and open to the public who wish to learn and exchange notes on this annual event where Zimbabwe is number 2 to host such an event.

Head of state, His Excellence President Emmerson Mnangagwa will officially open the Summit which will run under the theme; Connect, Transform and Innovate.

The focus is on regulation and policy, digital infrastructure financing, capacity building and skills development and digital continental trade among other key aspects.

Garikai Nhongo told the Post On Sunday Newspaper that the summit is not only focusing on tools of trade, but education and tourism included.

The City of Victoria Falls alone, is the the world most attractive destination in Zimbabwe.

Beyond the continental outreach, delegations from Estonia, Germany, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia among other nations are expected to attend the summit.

As a member of Smart Africa, Zimbabwe is committed to ensuring that technology can change the lives of citizens here in Zimbabwe and across the continent.

POTRAZ has since launched the hackathorn competition that is promoting youths in developing softwares and programs that speak to the needs of our local people and it is on this platform where they will improve their expertise.

One of the critical areas of concern, by women in this women month, is to look on the feminist policies, and advance on gender equality. Women are still lagging behind in embracing technology.

There is still a big gap, demographically, more men are connected than women. The call is to have equal opportunities for both men and women in Zimbabwe and globally in the digital space including the girl child.

The Transform Africa Summit embrace E-business, E-government and E-learning across the globe.

According to POTRAZ statistics, more women are in the rural areas, and 30% of the country, mostly rural areas don’t have  mobile and and data connectivity.

Madam Doreen Bogdan-Martin Secretary General of ITU (International Telecommunications Union), along with H.E. Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, Secretary General of the AFCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) and Deemah AlYahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) will be very important guests at the summit.