ZANU PF's First Secretary and President, His Excellency, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has challenged the young and innovative to take advantage of the new technological era to develop Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Harare this Friday, President Mnangagwa noted that this new era will ignite Zimbabwe’s development trajectory.
"The Zimbabwe we all envision, must be a digitally robust and agile. We have a duty to embrace emerging technologies to unlock numerous Artificial Intelligence driven opportunities that will propel modernization, industrialization and sustainable economic growth. It is, therefore, with immense jubilation that I address this occasion, as we launch the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which will undoubtedly ignite a new chapter in our country’s ongoing development trajectory. The Strategy is a declaration of our collective readiness for the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence. It is a bold response to the disruptive effects of the ever-evolving technological era. As a key development enabler, the Strategy should help unleash our full potential and new frontiers in agriculture, mining, healthcare, finance and education, among other aspects of our economy," Cde Mnangagwa said.
“We are committed to ensuring that the use of Artificial Intelligence is human-centric, transparent and free from bias. The protection of our national interests as well as the dignity of all Zimbabweans, remain central to the legal parameters we are putting in place. I, urge, both the public and private sectors to engage the young talented and skilled Zimbabweans residing in other jurisdictions, to help propel this onerous and ground breaking field.
“To the youthful, ‘techno-prenuers, creators and investors, I challenge you, to always push your creativity limits and break new grounds, mindful that, ‘Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa, nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi ball. Develop solutions, innovate and create as you play your part in building our, motherland, Zimbabwe. In this respect, my Administration will continue to support the growth of Artificial Intelligence industry, your start-ups and ventures.
“We must look to the future, inspired by our country’s rich past. Let us, implement this Strategy with a renewed sense of purpose, unity, focus and determination. We must work together, to ensure that the benefits of Artificial Intelligence impact every village, ward, district, town and city. A smarter, more efficient and prosperous Zimbabwe, driven by the proficiency of our people and the promise of technology, is a reality.”