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Talent Chimutambgi Herald Reporter

Information Communication Technology is a key enabler to propel Zimbabwe to achieve the set goals in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of attaining an Upper Middle Income economy by year 2030, a Government official has said.

Addressing participants at a Digital Skills Training workshop held in the Capital, Information Communications Technology and Courier Services Acting Secretary Dr Beaulah Chirume said the ICT was the major driver to achieve the country’s set goals like the National Development Strategy1 and other programmes that would lead to the attainment of Vision 2030.

Dr Chirume said involvement of youth as the future for the nation would ensure continuity in the country’s developmental programmes as well as bridging the fissures in the economic sector that widened since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There is a gap in the economy which can only be closed through sensitisation of digital skills. Embracing ICT means a major boom in the economy and will help the country to implement the National Goals like the NDS1 which will enable Zimbabwe to participate in global economic programmes,” said Dr Chirume.

“The case of youth offers a critical view on sometimes overly optimistic ideas about the digital platform economy as inclusive, empowering and transformative. Indeed, the current state of youth in the digital platform economy raises some serious concern about the lack of inclusion and the absence of support in terms of both hard and soft skills.

“The digital economy offers opportunities that make it possible for people to “leapfrog” across barriers traditionally related to labour market access, such as distance to workplace, access to customers, and the need for office space while offering greater flexibility in balancing work and care commitments. The online marketplace is often perceived to be easily accessible at a time when local employment alternatives in and outside urban centres are frequently scarce,” she said.

The advent of Covid-19 has seen the rise in the digital market which limited physical contact in the marketing of goods and services, consequently e-commerce.

The workshop was running under the theme “empowering young people with digital skills.” It was organised by USAID, World Food Programme and Welthungerhilfe.

Speaking at the same occasion, Harare Metropolitan Province Development Coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said there was need for empowering young people on ICT owing to the rapid changes in the globe.

Mr Muguti said the theme resonated well with the country’s National Agendas so as such no one would be left behind.

“The world of work is subject to digital transformation and has witnessed a rapid rise of the digital platform economy over the last decade.”