Andrew
Sunday Mail Correspondent
THE country’s Information Communication Technology sector could reap huge rewards should Zimbabwe’s candidate for the post of Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT) director at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Dr Cosmas Zavazava, clinch the powerful position.
Elections for the post will be held at the forthcoming ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Romania between September 26 and October 14.
The ITU is a specialised organisation of the United Nations (UN) responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies.
The BDT is the development arm of the ITU, which facilitates projects in third world countries, small islands and other underdeveloped areas.
Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) director general Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete, who chairs Dr Zavazava campaign team said: “In this case, the world at large, the developing world and Zimbabwe in particular are poised to benefit in their digitalisation agendas.
“The digital divide between the developed and developing world can only be bridged by someone who has distinguished himself in this area like Dr Zavazava.”
The campaign team also comprises the acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Beullah Chirume, and Zimbabwe’s representative to the Permanent Mission in Geneva, Ambassador, Stuart Comberbach.
Zimbabwe’s Campaign for the position of ITU director BDT was officially launched on Friday at the ongoing ITU Council Session in Geneva, Switzerland, by the Deputy Minister of ICT Dr Dingimuzi Phuti who is leading the Zimbabwe delegation at the event.
Announcing the country’s candidature to members of the ITU Council and other delegates attending the meeting, Dr Phuti requested support for Dr Zavazava’s candidacy.
Dr Phuti also expressed the country’s commitment to continue working with the ITU.
He said Dr Zavazava has a passion for development through ICTs and was a person of unquestionable integrity, which is why Zimbabwe deployed him to contest.
Presenting his manifesto, which was well received by delegates, Dr Zavazava said he was contesting the elections to work towards closing the digital and skills divide and to accelerate digital transformation.
He said his vision was built around three key pillars that serve as drivers to sustainable development which are investment in infrastructure, innovation and inclusiveness.
Dr Zavazava is currently the chief of department, Partnerships for Digital Development in the BDT responsible for strategic partnerships, engagement with industry and private sector, resource mobilisation and projects implementation.
He also spent many years working as chief of department for projects and knowledge management in the Telecommunication Development Bureau.
Prior to joining ITU, Dr Zavazava served as head of the Government’s telecommunication agency. He also served as a senior diplomat.
He has over 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector and qualifications in telecommunications, business management, law, and international relations.
He also holds a doctorate in multilateral trade.
Dr Zavazava’s Profile
Dr Zavazava joined the ITU in 2001 working in various capacities before becoming the Chief of the Projects and Knowledge Management Department in 2010.
He is currently, the Chief, Partnerships for Digital Development Department in the same organisation, a position he held since 2018.
Since joining ITU, Dr Zavazava has been passionate about the design and implementation of telecommunication/ICT projects across the globe.
The projects were mainly in the areas of development, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He has made immense contribution towards the effective use of information and communication technologies to address the unique needs of least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing states, and developing countries in general.
He designed and deployed the first ITU early warning system, and also the first emergency telecommunications project to help countries respond more effectively to natural disasters.
He recently developed and launched a ground-breaking project on the use of big data in the prevention and control of the Ebola disease and other epidemics.
Dr Zavazava has a track record in leading high-level negotiations, resource mobilization, and publishing.
He organised more than 20 Partnership Round Table Meetings to promote telecommunication/ICT projects presented by least developed countries as well as those countries emerging out of war and major natural disaster situations, to development partners such development banks, private sector, and foundations.
He holds a PhD in Multilateral Trade.
He has a Master’s degrees in Telecommunications and Information Technology Law (LLM), International Relations (MA, suma cum laude), and Business Administration (MBA).
He also holds diplomas in Telecommunications and Systems Engineering, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Prior to joining ITU, Dr Zavazava served as Head of Zimbabwe’s Telecommunications Agency.
He also served at both bilateral and multilateral diplomatic stations with the title, Minister Counsellor, and taught Masters in Business Administration classes at Nottingham Trent University focussing on Strategic Business Management, Finance, Management Information Systems, and other related topics.
He represented his Government at many international fora.
He negotiated in international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, International Labour Organisation, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Telecommunication Union, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, G-15, World Health Organisation, and the Conference on Disarmament.
He participated and represented ITU in major global conferences including the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries held in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2011; the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Port-Louis, Mauritius; the Third United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States held in Apia, Samoa in August 2014; and the Third United Nations Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan in March 2015. Dr Zavazava has published and co-authored many books and contributed articles to many magazines and journals.
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