Chinese ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao has called on the Zambian government to invest in science and technology so as to speed up development in the country.
Speaking in lusaka at the official launch of the Huawei road show Mr Yuxiao said the country needs to develop its science and technology as it is the only way the country will be able to catch up with other nations in developing.
He said the country does not need copper only to develop but ICT can open doors to other development perspectives adding that with copper and a well developed ICT the country could open new possibilities.
He observed that Zambia is the fourth largest producer of copper in the world but has nothing to show for it as almost all the copper produced in the country is exported as raw material while with a well developed technology the country can open new possibilities by exporting finished products from its copper and other minerals that the country has in abundance.
He further said with the country investing science and technology it would be easy for the country to process its copper and other minerals that the country is endowed with hence government should put more attention to developing the science and technology sector of the country.
He also said government can only ignore the development of ICT at it owen peril; “saying in this information age you can not do without ICT.”
And Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga said government was aware of the importance ICT in developing the country.
Mr Mukanga said “By harnessing this technology – and encouraging others to do so – my government knows that it will help Zambia achieve the middle-income status by 2030.
“And that in turn will bring prosperity, employment and transform the quality of life for all citizens. We need to turn these possibilities into reality in order to; we need to be ahead of the game.
“Technology is changing fast, we need to be ahead of it; we need to be faster than it. For this reason it is vital that we all learn from the latest technology trend brought to us by Huawei.”
The theme of the roadshow at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka is “Connected Possibilities” and the truck features some of the latest ICT equipment and ideas that will enable Zambia to stay at the forefront of telecommunications developments.
true, very true. mukanga should not this better.
*know this better*
Very sound advice from the Chinese Ambassador. If anything our Country should aim to become so ICT savvy that neighbours like Congo DR will come knocking on our door and want to sell some of their copper to us. Imagine how many sim cards can come out of just ONE tonne of copper etc…
Very sound advise from our all weather friends (china man). We have individuals Zambians with very high qualifications in all fields of study, but this is all useless until we start using this knowledge practically to bootstrap ourselves from poverty. People from other countries can only do so much. It is only us who will change things for the better.
(My people perish from a lack of knowledge-Hosea 4:6)