ICT no longer a luxury: Minister

Blessings Chidakwa
Herald Reporter
Covid-19 has shown that to better lives of citizens, broadband connectivity and Information Communication Technology access are no longer luxuries, but a right, Information Communication Technology, Courier and Postal Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, has said.

He said this on Thursday during the Fourth Industrial Revolution summit, which ran under the theme, “Towards a developed economy through 4IR”.

“This discussion is quite timely as digital transformation has been pivoted as a strategy in not only adapting to the global pandemic and its effects, but in taking advantage of the new opportunities it presents in our journey to transform Zimbabwe into a digitally enabled society by the year 2030,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the Government identified a digital economy as one of the national priorities for the achievement of an upper middle income status by 2030.

“In alignment with the National Development Strategy (NDS1), the Government envisages a digital economy, digital Government and an increasingly digital society,” he said.

“As the country moves towards becoming an upper middle income society by 2030, we need to adopt a completely new approach and exploit the potential of ICTs by developing appropriate and cost-effective applications that can improve the country’s productivity and competitiveness.”

Minister Muswere said the Internet of Things and drone technologies were expected to be central to the future of agriculture, while 3D printing was expected to transform manufacturing.

“Automation of jobs due to artificial intelligence and robotics will also cause tectonic transformations in the Zimbabwe labour market,” he said. “Block chain technology will increasingly find applications in the financial markets and even international trade.

“One of the most exciting possibilities in this era is achieving efficiency in e-commerce, which is inextricably attached to the Government’s objectives under the ‘ease of doing business’ initiative.” Minister Muswere said legal reforms in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution landscape was one of his ministry’s top priorities as they set out to expand their reach into the global market through instilling confidence in all stakeholders.