Zambia is the ‘Next Silicon Valley’ brags Felix Chipota Mutati
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Zambia is the ‘Next Silicon Valley’ brags Felix Chipota Mutati
Personal Viewpoint by Felix Chipota Mutati, Zambia’s Science and Technology Minister
Yesterday I met Dr. Chiluwata Lungu, PHD. Founder and Chairman of the Zambian Institute for Sustainable Development (ZISD). The meeting, a first among more to come, focusing on the realization of Zambia’s potential in science and technology, which can in turn make Zambia the new Silicon Valley.
Zambia is poised, with the appropriate focused framework, to be at the cutting edge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This builds on the successes scored by our local ZISD / Zambia Robotics team, which has won worldwide acclaim in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and robotics including recognition by the Queen of England, CNN, and BBC.
I am already taking the first step and leap to actualize this bold and ambitious vision. I remain open-minded and will continue to keep an open door policy, interacting with scientists and innovators within Zambia and in the diaspora in furthering and actualizing the President’s call for science and technology to be the driver of this nations economy.
This engagement has highlighted the need for government to come up with financial support in the form of initial catalyst for tech startups, skills development, and establishing a networking platform for local and international players to interact and facilitate the exchange of ideas and identification of talent. The Government will come up with policy measures and a legal framework aimed at enabling and empowering lower Zambian scientists and technologists to transform Zambia’s technological dream.
The Government would like to hit the ground running by leveraging an innovative and practical approach. The goal is to empower the Zambian youth to create future jobs and transform our nation and the world at large. The low hanging fruits and quick wins are expected to come in terms of projects including localization of software development.
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