EDITORIAL: Technology holds the key to sustainable development

Over 2500 delegates are meeting in Kigali today for the second transform Africa summit. Under the theme “Accelerating Digital Innovation,” the three day conference will offer a platform for dialogue between governments and the private sector on technology solutions. The summit is an opportunity for delegates to renew commitment toward using technology to find solutions to Africa’s development challenges. However, for technology to achieve the desired development goals, Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) should be available to the masses. Africa’s technology dream should be achieving universal access to ICTs. Technology holds the key to most of Africa’s problems, especially issues affecting the youth, like unemployment and poverty. Rwanda has already reaped the benefits of embracing ICTs in several aspects of national development. In Rwanda, ICT has been key in addressing many of the country’s development challenges in sectors like education, financial inclusion and health among others. A deliberate government policy to push for ICTs has also gone a long way in creating employment through support of innovative youth with apps that offer solutions for needs in different areas. Government has pushed for innovative ICT based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as part of efforts to achieve the country’s development goals stipulated in Vision 2020, the country’s development blue print. At the end of the summit concrete recommendations should be agreed on to ensure that the potential of ICTs to spur growth is fast tracked. The summit should come up with solutions which will promote, facilitate and support the development of innovative ICT solutions by nurturing entrepreneurs and mentors across Africa with ideas to address development challenges through innovation.

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EDITORIAL: Technology holds the key to sustainable development