By Arkangel Tembo in New York, the United States:
President Lazarus Chakwera has called for more collaboration among global community players, saying this is key to bridging the digital divide.
He said once streamlined, digitalisation could help expedite the transformation of societies through improved economies.
He said this on Saturday, when he attended a United Nations Summit of the Future meeting in New York, the United States.
The meeting focused on issues such as laying the foundation for a digital future for all.
It took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (Unga).
The President highlighted that his administration’s strategic plans for digital transformation included expanding digital infrastructure, enhancing digital literacy and fostering an inclusive digital economy to ensure that no one is left behind.
Chakwera said, to this end, his administration had launched initiatives premised on improving digital adoption indicators.
He cited the Digital Malawi Project, describing it as instrumental in expanding internet connectivity to public institutions in the country.
“The Last Mile Rural Connectivity and the Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi (IDT4M) projects provide equitable access to digital technologies and foster digital literacy across all segments of society,” Chakwera said.
He highlighted that Malawi had implemented a Data Exchange Platform that leverages its national ID system as a single point of truth for identity verification, stating that the platform was critical in ensuring seamless access to services, improving efficiency across government and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“Complementing this, we have also implemented an e-service platform, which now serves as a single point of entry for all government digital services,” Chakwera said.
The First Citizen underscored that Malawi recognised that digital literacy was essential for stakeholders’ full participation in the digital economy.
He said to expedite the process, digital literacy had been introduced to the country’s national education curricula, providing equal training opportunities to people of all age groups.
“Our technology hubs, which are training thousands of young people in coding, digital skills and entrepreneurship, are playing a crucial role in fostering innovation. These hubs are not only incubating new ideas but also creating jobs and driving the growth of Malawi’s digital economy,” Chakwera said.
The President has since appealed for strong collaboration between governments and multi-lateral partners, private sector and civil society players so that there could be increased investments in infrastructure, education and digital literacy as the country strives to bridge the digital divide.
“We call upon the global community to not only provide financial and technical support but also to share knowledge, innovations and best practices,” Chakwera said.—Mana
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