East African Business Week (Kampala)
Speaking during the Global 2013 Smart Partnership Dialogue last week, Tanzania's Chief Secretary, Ombeni Sefue said African countries had realized the slow pace in ICT development is often due to limited electricity connections.
The Smart Partnership Dialogue regularly brings together heads of state from Africa and Asia, together with hundreds of participants from both the public and private sector to network in business and social development.
Participation is by membership or special invite only as a way to encourage easy conversation.
Sefue said during the Dialogue much of the discussions were centered on research institutions, promoting technology and agriculture which is able to play an important role in boosting the economic growth for most African countries.
"Promoting the use and adoption of ICT in our respective countries in order to boost both social transformation and economic development in the region is a crucial task that needs to be put into consideration," Sefue said.
He said energy unavailability was a major challenge in promoting the use of ICT in rural areas of most African countries.
"ICT is an important area that could create jobs and also ensure life improvements to the majority of people in African countries and the world at large. We need more investments and research related activities aimed at promoting the sector," he said.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who founded Global Smart Partnership Dialogue, said African countries needed to create a conducive environment to attract these investors which will later attract employment and lead to economic growth.
Dr Mihaela Smith is Dialogue Joint Dialogue Convener.
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