Developing countries should place more emphasis on science and technology education to better prepare the young generation for opportunities in the digital economy, according to Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa made the comments in Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the 2022 World Economic Forum.
“The future of business, of development, wealth creation, now depends on the digital economy,” he said.
“It is important that in particular the developing countries like ourselves in Africa and possibly Latin America and some parts of Asia, we have to put more focus now in our institutions of higher learning – our universities – to focus and promote science and technology in our schools, so that the younger generation should embrace science and technology in order to be relevant in the digital economy of the future.”
Mnangagwa’s comments came as the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) announced a new initiative to boost flows of digital foreign direct investments globally.
The agreement will see the DCO and WEF work together to identify methods to increase digital adoption, investment in new digital activities, and investment in digital infrastructure.
In his address, the Zimbabwean Head of State all countries ought to embrace a digital economy for the future.
He pointed out that his administration is attempting to embrace the digital economy, and he urged others to do the same.
“We are attempting to embrace e-government, e-commerce, e-education, e-construction. Everything is now digital,” he said.
The 2022 WEF meeting is the first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is set to run until May 26.
Happening under the theme of History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies, the meeting will have 200 sessions attended by more than 2,500 leaders and experts.
