Zambia urges investment in youth, Artificial Intelligence to boost Africa’s technological advancement

Zambia has called for increased investment in research and the leveraging of its youthful population to keep pace with current global trends in technology.

Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba, said it was important to embrace technological innovations, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), during the 67th Regional Commission for Africa and the 2nd Regional Brand Africa Conference in Livingstone on Monday.

Sikumba highlighted the potential of AI in transforming African economies and stressed the need for countries like Zambia to capitalize on these advancements.

He also announced the launch of the Tourism Doing Business Investment Guidebook, designed to showcase Zambia as an emerging business destination with significant tourism investment potential.

“It is encouraging to note that at the last 121st Executive Council, the World Tourism Barometer revealed that international arrivals reached 97 percent of 2019 levels in the first quarter of 2024, with Africa equally exceeding pre-pandemic levels,” Sikumba said.

This achievement, he noted, underscored Africa’s ability to push the tourism agenda forward and accelerate sector development.

Sikumba pointed out that Africa has vast untapped potential within its diverse and unique tourism resources.

He announced that, alongside the conference, Zambia would witness the historic signing of the Tourism Education Memorandum of Understanding with UN Tourism, further enhancing the nation’s tourism prospects.

The minister said the conference’s timing aligned perfectly with Zambia’s efforts to reposition itself as a preferred sustainable tourism destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) on both regional and international levels.

“The Commission for Africa Session provides African destinations an opportunity to address common issues that either inhibit or foster sustainable and economic growth,” Sikumba stated.

He called on Africa to rise to the challenge and develop practical solutions that would propel the continent’s tourism sector to new heights.

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