How is technology made accessible in Africa? is there a single solution and does this problem bigger than people realise? How is this a huge concern for decision makers anyway?
These are some of the concerns that are supposed to be addressed over the next few days at the Innovation Africa Digital Summit 2015 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Starting tomorrow and leading up to the 16th of April 2015, a number of decision-makers in the public and private sector from 50 countries will be meeting to compare notes and listen to the presentations related to these issues.
The Ministry of ICT, as the Summit’s key partner, has thrown its full weight behind Zimbabwe’s hosting of this summit and as can be expected, its core objective will be showcasing local ICT. There’s a lot that will be touched including, cloud computing realities, Rural Telephony and its impact in the African tech space, Fibre to the Home (FTTH), Infrastructure Outsourcing Policy and LTE.
You can check out more on the event’s details and programme as well as how to be a part of it here
Will there be any productive dialogue from all of this? It’s hard to say actually. The skeptic in me doesn’t want to see this is anything more than just a huge networking opportunity (you know, the one benefit always slapped onto any gathering) at an awesome tourist destination.
Like any other public/private sector indaba, there’s a lot laid out on the menu. Issues that have a direct impact on the industry are always brought up and very impressive presentations are made to give everyone an idea of where we are and in some sense where we should be going.
Whether this formula will translate into direct problem-solving is another matter altogether. Like any other Zimbabwean (and indeed African) who’s heard about this Summit, I’m really interested in knowing how it will have a tangible contribution to what we hope to see ICT doing for our economies.
The topics under discussion are very important and largely reflect aspects that need to be focused on. If the summit results in action being taken for each of these aspects, for every African country, there just might be enough reason to see this as something more than just empty talk.
Who knows, maybe this innovation Africa Digital Summit and the knowledge sharing there might go a long way in helping add clarity to the formulation of the National ICT Policy that we are waiting for earnestly.
image credit: vicfallscarnival.com
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