ITU Drives Digital Growth, Letamo’s Vision for Southern Africa’s ICT Future

By Shingirai Vambe

In a move set to bolster digital transformation in southern Africa, Halima Letamo, the newly-appointed International Telecommunication Union (ITU) representative for the region, paid a courtesy call on Gift Machengete, director-general of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz). Letamo, who will be based in Harare, Zimbabwe, will oversee ITU operations across southern Africa, focusing on strengthening collaboration between ITU and regional telecommunications regulatory bodies.

Machengete welcomed Letamo, expressing optimism about the future of ICT cooperation in the region. He emphasized the critical role ITU plays in shaping the telecommunications landscape and looked forward to working closely with Letamo to enhance ICT policies, digital inclusion, and capacity building initiatives in Zimbabwe and beyond.

Letamo reiterated her commitment to fostering regional ICT growth, highlighting the importance of regulatory cooperation and innovation. She noted that southern Africa has immense potential for digital transformation and that ITU remains committed to supporting governments and regulators in building resilient and inclusive ICT ecosystems.

Letamo’s appointment comes at a crucial time when Zimbabwe and other countries in the region are pushing for enhanced broadband access, improved digital literacy, and the development of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G networks. Industry experts believe Letamo’s experience will be invaluable in addressing challenges faced by ICT companies in southern Africa.

As ITU regional representative, Letamo will work closely with governments, regulatory bodies, and private sector players to enhance digital connectivity, bridge the digital divide, and promote ICT-driven economic development. Her engagement with Potraz marks the beginning of a dynamic collaboration aimed at positioning southern Africa as a leader in ICT innovation and regulation.

Meanwhile, the ITU Global Youth Summit, held in Varadero, Cuba, emphasized the need for young people to have better access to technology and skills development to play an active role in defining the world’s digital future. Participants identified key tech issues, including connectivity, digital inclusion, online safety, and ethical development and use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

The summit underscored the importance of youth involvement in discussions on shaping the future of the digital world and the global technology landscape. Key ideas presented at the summit included the need to formulate and implement regulatory frameworks, forge public-private partnerships, and promote youth entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital world.

As the world hurtles towards a digital future, Africa and Zimbabwe are poised to play a significant role in shaping this new landscape. The recent ITU Global Youth Summit in Varadero, Cuba, underscored the importance of youth involvement in driving digital transformation. With 79% of young people online globally, compared to 66% of the global population, Africa’s youth are critical to harnessing the potential of digital technologies.

In Zimbabwe, efforts are underway to leverage digital transformation for economic growth and social empowerment. The country hosted the sixth Transform Africa Summit in Victoria Falls, which brought together over 3000 delegates from more than 100 countries to discuss Africa’s digital transformation agenda. Zimbabwe is also leading the Smart Africa Alliance’s flagship program on Agri-tech, which aims to advance agriculture through digital transformation.

The World Bank’s Zimbabwe Digital Economy Diagnostic report highlights the country’s strengths in digital financial services, with 96% of all transactions conducted digitally. However, the report also notes that meaningful connectivity remains a challenge in low-income countries, with only 43% of young people online.

To address these challenges, key stakeholders, including governments, regional organizations, companies, and academia, must collaborate to formulate and implement regulatory frameworks that boost connectivity and ensure confidence and trust in technologies. Public-private partnerships are also crucial in expanding affordable connectivity solutions and infrastructure projects.

Moreover, fostering digital education and employment through the use of technologies is essential. This can be achieved by promoting youth entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital world, as well as strengthening digital skills for all youth to cope with the rapidly evolving technological landscape.

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