Zimbabwe is expanding its partnership with UNESCO in the areas of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and digital governance following a meeting held on Tuesday, February 10, between ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera and Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for communication and information.
“Our discussions covered artificial intelligence and national policy frameworks, digital transformation in the public sector, the regulation and governance of digital platforms, and the development of digital skills for both youth and adults,” Jelassi said.
Mavetera emphasized the transformative impact of AI and emerging technologies on government operations and national development.
She stressed the need for research, innovation, and collaboration with academic and technical institutions to create sustainable technological solutions.
According to Tech Africa, the discussions are in line with Zimbabwe’s broader digital ambitions under the “Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan.”
Through this initiative, the government plans to fully integrate ICTs across society and all sectors of the economy to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development.
The master plan references a study by the International Telecommunication Union showing that a 10% increase in a country’s digitalization score can result in a 0.75% rise in GDP per capita.
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Artificial intelligence is seen as a central driver in this strategy, with the potential to improve efficiency, stimulate innovation, and enhance service delivery in areas such as agriculture, health, education, and public administration.
UNESCO has been supporting Zimbabwe in developing its national AI strategy and assessing the country’s readiness.
However, an assessment report released in July 2025 highlights that Zimbabwe must put in place a comprehensive national AI strategy to fully benefit from the technology.
The report outlines several key challenges, including foreign dominance and cultural imposition, the risk of losing human autonomy, financing constraints, limited technical infrastructure, and gaps in research capacity worsened by brain drain.
According to the United Nations’ 2024 E-Government Development Index, Zimbabwe ranks 149th out of 193 countries, with a score of 0.4481 out of 1, which is below the global average of 0.6382.
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Image Credit: Freepik
