By Gift Mashoko

Minister of Information Communication and Technology and Courier Services, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe who is attending the International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary (ITUPP) in Dubai said Zimbabwe was progressing well in fostering growth of the ICT sector.

Whilst addressing hundreds of ICT Ministers and delegates from all over the world at the ITUPP18 Conference yesterday, Minister Kazembe said that the conference was a landmark occasion towards 2020 as it worked towards the attainment of the 2030 SDGs. He said ITUPP vision was in line with Zimbabwe’s vision of attaining an upper middle income country status by 2030.

 “This conference is a landmark occasion towards the vision 2020 and whose outcomes will map our aspirations towards the attainment of 2030 SDGs. For Zimbabwe, the year 2030 is a watershed year, as we have also set ourselves to have attained upper middle income country status by 2030.

“With regards to the vision 2020 targets, we are doing our best in fostering growth of the ICT sector where we have witnessed unprecedented growth in the use of internet bandwidth. Achieved 86% 3G population coverage,” he said.

Minister Kazembe highlighted that Zimbabwe has embarked on a number of projects and programmes which are meant to increase the use and inclusivity of ICT in the country.

“In our quest for an inclusive information society, we are using our Universal Service Fund to roll out Community Information Centres in all corners of the country, connecting schools and health centres mostly in rural and remote areas.

“On the demand side of things, we have deliberately directed our efforts on reducing cost of services by maintaining a cost based tariff regime, mandating passive infrastructure sharing and establishing a National Internet Exchange Point, which will double up as a Regional Internet Exchange point.

“We have also embarked on massive training, education and awareness programmes for broadband consumers targeting the remote areas so as to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs. On the innovation front we have started disbursing funds for start-ups following the successful launch of the Innovation fund in March 2018,” he said.

He reiterated President Emmerson Mnagagwa’s sentiments that Zimbabwe is open for business

“Looking into the future, we are saying, ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ and we cherish building partnerships and concerted collaboration to take us to the desired level. Our target is to grow our economy by at least 6% year on year on a sustained basis, with broadband as our lynchpin,” he said.