Malawi President Pledges to Bridge Digital Divide for Inclusive Future
As Malawi continues its digital transformation journey, the president stressed the importance of leaving no one behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
NEW YORK— Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has reaffirmed his government's commitment to bridging the digital divide and fostering an inclusive digital future for all Malawians, writes Winston Mwale.
Speaking at the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York on Saturday, Chakwera outlined his administration's strategic plans for digital transformation.
"The Last Mile Rural Connectivity and the Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi Projects provide equitable access to digital technologies and foster digital literacy across all segments of society," Chakwera said.
The president highlighted several initiatives to accelerate digital adoption, including the Digital Malawi Project, which has expanded internet connectivity to public institutions.
Chakwera also emphasized the importance of digital literacy, stating that Malawi has introduced it into national education curricula and provides training opportunities for all age groups.
"Our technology hubs, which are training thousands of young people in coding, digital skills, and entrepreneurship, are playing a crucial role in fostering innovation," he said.
The Malawian leader pointed to implementing a Data Exchange Platform leveraging the national identity card system for identity verification, which he said is "critical in ensuring seamless access to services, improving efficiency across government, and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks."
Chakwera called for collaboration between governments, multilateral partners, private sectors, and civil society to invest in infrastructure, education, and digital literacy as Malawi strives to bridge the digital divide.
"Complementing this, we have also implemented an e-service platform, which now serves as a single point of entry for all government digital services," Chakwera explained.
As Malawi continues its digital transformation journey, the president stressed the importance of leaving no one behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.