Smart Zambia National Coordinator, Percy Chinyama says interoperability is essential for ensuring that digital inclusion in Zambia and across the globe is properly addressed.
Mr Chinyama notes that without common standards, different systems would not communicate effectively, leaving some citizens behind.
He said this after the official opening of the World Internet Conference (WIC), Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong.
Mr Chinyama further stressed the use of digital public infrastructure, stating that every country in the third world needs to go digital and adopt open standards of its inclusion.
The National Coordinator advised that Zambia must transition from vendor lock‑in to ensure the ability to operate at optimal levels, and explained that dependence on single vendors limits flexibility and drives up long‑term costs for government and citizens.
Meanwhile, Mr Chinyama said Zambia can draw various lessons from the ongoing summit among them the need to build trust with digital systems, stating that security is an important foundational element of any digitisation effort.
He highlighted that Zambia has just set up a cybersecurity agency, which is vital for ensuring that data is secure and infrastructure protected.
Mr Chinyama has appreciated the conference which has brought together over 1,000 delegates from Asia, the Pacific Region and Africa to share practical ideas on digital advancements.
The two-day conference, which runs from today to tomorrow, is being held under the theme “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future, Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.
