Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata and Sekai Manyere
SOUTHERN African Development Community countries must harmonise their data governance policies to unlock the full potential of the digital economy while safeguarding citizens’ rights, Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services permanent secretary Dr Beaullah Chirume has said.
Speaking at the Southern Africa Regional Workshop on Data Governance in the Digital Age: Data Policy Harmonisation, being held in Harare, Dr Chirume said fragmented national data policies were hampering regional digital integration and cross-border commerce.
She said data has become the lifeblood of the global economy, driving innovation, improving public service delivery, accelerating trade and supporting scientific and social development.
“However, the immense value of data can only be unlocked if supported by trust, security and clear regulatory frameworks,” said Dr Chirume.
She said challenges such as cybersecurity threats, data privacy violations, algorithmic bias and unauthorised cross-border data extraction transcended national boundaries and therefore required coordinated regional responses.
“Isolated national policies create fragmented digital ecosystems, which disrupt cross-border commerce, discourage investment, and hinder seamless regional integration,” she said.
Dr Chirume said SADC needed harmonised data governance architectures that promoted trust and interoperability while safeguarding citizens’ rights and strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure.
She said Zimbabwe’s role in regional data governance was underpinned by practical initiatives, including the Data Protection Officers Training Programme led by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) at the request of the SADC Secretariat.
Through the programme, Zimbabwe has been helping build human and institutional capacity across SADC member states, ensuring that regulatory and technical institutions are better prepared for developments in the digital environment.
Dr Chirume said the Harare workshop was, therefore, a continuation of Zimbabwe’s efforts to strengthen regional capacity and policy alignment.
The three-day workshop is being guided by continental and regional frameworks, including the African union Data Policy Framework, Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint, SADC Regional Data Strategy and UNESCO’s Data Governance Toolkit.
Dr Chirume said aligning policies around these frameworks would enable Southern Africa to speak with one voice on data governance while also preparing the region for responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.
She said the rapid development of AI made effective data governance even more urgent, as the quality, fairness and safety of AI systems depended largely on the data used to develop them.
“Without strong data governance and policy harmonisation, our region risks falling behind in AI readiness or becoming passive consumers of external technologies,” she said.
Dr Chirume said the workshop would focus on translating policy principles into practical measures covering data privacy, human rights, transparency, accountability, security, capacity building, digital literacy, gender equality and cross-border data mechanisms.
She also called for greater inclusion of women in the development and regulation of digital technologies.
“Women must sit at the core of designing, implementing, and regulating our digital futures,” she said.
Dr Chirume said the meeting brought together senior officials from ICT ministries, data protection authorities, AI task forces, digital transformation agencies, regulatory bodies and regional institutions.
She urged delegates to use the workshop to exchange national experiences, identify challenges, share best practices and develop concrete building blocks for a harmonised SADC Data Policy Framework.
“The policy roadmaps, legal frameworks, and regulatory mechanisms we shape here in Harare will define the security, trust, and prosperity of Southern Africa’s digital ecosystem for generations to come,” she said.
