Leveraging on ICTs for economic development
THIS month, President Mnangagwa launched three information and communication technology (ICT) policy documents that will direct the development of the country’s ICT sector. Our reporter EMMANUEL KAFE (EK) sat down with ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister TATENDA MAVETERA (TM) to unpack the frameworks and discuss other issues in the local ICT industry.
EK: Please provide an overview of the Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan, and explain how it aligns with the country’s goal of achieving a digital economy by 2030?
TM: The Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan typically outlines a strategic vision and roadmap for leveraging on technology and digital solutions to drive economic growth, improve governance, enhance public services and empower citizens. These plans will focus on ICT infrastructure development, digital connectivity, e-governance, e-commerce, digital skills development, innovation and entrepreneurship.
To achieve a digital economy, Zimbabwe, like many countries globally, is fully aware of the importance of information and communication technologies for socio-economic development and transformation, and seeks to create an environment that promotes digital innovation, enhances digital infrastructure, fosters digital skills development, stimulates digital entrepreneurship and ensures inclusive access to digital technologies and services.
These efforts can lead to increased efficiency, productivity, competitiveness and economic diversification.
EK: What are the key components and objectives of the Zimbabwe National Policy for ICT (2022-2027) and the Zimbabwe National Broadband Plan (2020-2030)?
TM: The key components and objectives of the Zimbabwe National Policy for ICT (20222027) include:
Infrastructure and services
◆ Development of robust ICT infrastructure, including broadband networks and reliable internet connectivity.
◆ Expansion of telecommunication services.
◆ Enhancement of broadcasting services,
and postal and courier services.
Policy and regulation
◆ Streamlining existing policies and regulations to promote innovation, investment and fair competition in the ICT sector.
◆ Protection of user rights and ensuring cybersecurity.
Digital skills development
◆ Promoting digital literacy and ICT training programmes.
◆ Capacity building initiatives to enhance the skills of the workforce and the general population.
Investment and funding
◆ Attracting domestic and foreign investments in the ICT sector.
◆ Fostering public-private partnerships.
◆ Exploring innovative financing mechanisms to support ICT initiatives and infrastructure development.
Innovation
◆ Encouraging research and development activities.
◆ Stimulating entrepreneurship and local production of ICT solutions.
◆ Creating an ecosystem that supports innovation and indigenous technologies.
Inclusiveness
◆ Bridging the digital divide and ensuring equal access to ICTs for all citizens.
◆ Addressing the specific needs of marginalised groups.
◆ Promoting digital inclusion programmes.
Emerging technologies
◆ Exploring and adopting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and the internet to drive innovation and enhance productivity.
Partnerships and collaborations
◆ Encouraging collaboration among the Government, private sector entities, civil society organisations and international partners to leverage on resources, share knowledge and foster cooperation in ICT development.
E-government
◆ Promoting the adoption of e-government solutions to enhance Government efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
◆ Developing citizen-centric digital services for convenient access to Government information and online transactions.
Power supply
◆ Ensuring reliable and uninterrupted power supply to support ICT infrastructure.
◆ Collaborating with energy sector stakeholders to mitigate the impact of power outages.
State enterprises
◆ Encouraging State enterprises to adopt and leverage on ICTs in their operations to enhance efficiency, service delivery and revenue generation.
◆ Modernising State enterprises through ICT adoption and the development of digital platforms and systems.
Digital financial policy
◆ Supporting the expansion of digital payment systems, mobile banking and other innovative financial technologies.
◆ Creating an enabling environment for the development of a robust digital financial ecosystem.
Sustainability
◆ Promoting environmentally friendly practices and energy efficiency in the ICT sector.
◆ Encouraging the responsible disposal of electronic waste.
◆ Integrating sustainable practices across the ICT sector.
Data protection and cybersecurity
◆ Ensuring data protection, cybersecurity and privacy measures.
◆ Developing robust cybersecurity strategies and conducting awareness campaigns.
◆ Enhancing cybersecurity readiness through capacity-building initiatives.
◆ The implementation and communication plan outlines specific actions, timelines, coordination, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and policy review processes to effectively execute the policy.
Zimbabwe National Broadband Plan (2020-2030)
The key components and objectives of the Zimbabwe National Broadband Plan (20202030) are as follows:
Vision and goals
◆ Goal 1: Enable and foster adoption and increased use of the broadband by all citizens to support the attainment of an upper middle-income economy status and sustainable development goals by 2030.
◆ Goal 2: Ensure broadband connectivity, availability and affordability for all by 2030.
◆ Goal 3: Manage all emerging risks, challenges and opportunities emanating from broadband-based growth.
◆ Goal 4: Enable broadband-based innovation and integration across all sectors of the economy, in support of the digital transformation of society.
◆ Goal 5: Collaborative and coordinated engagement for broadband development.
Addressing the supply side — Broadband infrastructure
◆Analysis of the state of broadband infrastructure, including international internet connectivity, the national fibre backbone, middle- mile connectivity and supportive infrastructure like data centres.
◆ Addressing challenges related to limited availability and affordability of broadband devices.
◆ Enhancing the variety and relevance of broadband applications and services in key sectors of the economy.
◆ Identifying barriers to broadband use and adoption, such as connectivity issues, lack of relevant content, affordability, language barriers and digital literacy.
Key broadband projects
◆Operationalising regional internet exchange points to reduce costs of international internet capacity.
◆ Expanding the national fibre backbone to increase coverage.
◆ Establishing MORAN (Multi Operator RAN) base stations to increase broadband connectivity.
◆ Setting up data centres to increase data storage capacity for intensive applications.
◆ Increasing broadband connectivity through shared base stations.
◆ Creating innovation hubs to boost innovation capacity.
◆ Establishing a computer incident response centre to enhance confidence and trust in broadband use. Addressing the demand side — Broadband affordability, palatability, usability and consumer awareness
◆ Identifying barriers to broadband adoption and addressing them.
◆ Ensuring affordable and accessible broadband services.
◆ Enhancing the usability and palatability of broadband services.
◆ Building consumer awareness, trust and confidence in using broadband. These components and objectives seek to provide a shared vision, coordinate activities and promote the widespread adoption and use of broadband services in Zimbabwe, fostering economic growth, development and digital transformation across various sectors.
EK: How do these policy documents seek to improve the ease of doing business and contribute to the overall economic development of Zimbabwe?
TM: By implementing the strategies outlined in the Zimbabwe National Policy for ICT (2022-2027), the Zimbabwe National Broadband Plan (2020-2030) and the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, Zimbabwe seeks to create a favourable business environment, enhance productivity, foster innovation and leverage on ICTs for economic development.
Improved ease of doing business through streamlined processes, enhanced connectivity, digital skills development and supportive policies can attract investments, encourage entrepreneurship and contribute to overall economic growth and competitiveness in Zimbabwe.