Africa needs research-backed policies to deal with digital space, create solutions —Mutati

Technology and Science Minister, Felix Mutati, says Africa needs a policy that was informed by research in order to deal with the real problems in the digital space.

Mutati said unless there were policies that were driven by research and are well informed, African countries cannot create solutions that would have tractions.

He said this in Kigali, Rwanda on Friday where he was attending the Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA) Africa Policy Leaders Forum where influential telecommunications leaders across the continent were gathered.

“At country level, Zambia has provided incentives to digital infrastructure which as a result has increased coverage to almost 90 percent at the moment,” Mutati said.

He observed that the African continent had knowledge to create potent solutions and therefore, the need to have a package of policy interventions that would create an impact in its agenda.

Mutati said the forum had brought together key stakeholders from ministries, regulatory bodies and the broader mobile ecosystem to discuss topical issues.

“Among the issues discussed included handset affordability, the investment gap and bridging the digital divide, through insightful keynotes and stimulating panel discussions,” he said.

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