from MAVHUTO BANDA in Lilongwe, Malawi
Malawi Bureau
LILONGWE, (CAJ News) – MALAWI has begun the validation of the Draft National Digital Transformation Strategy and the Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, which are prospective blueprints in the country’s digital transformation.
The exercise commenced with a two-day workshop that kicked off at the Bingu International Convention Centre in the capital Lilongwe on Wednesday.
The workshop also saw the launch of the Shape Malawi’s Digital and AI Future Portal, a public platform designed to collect wider citizen feedback before the two strategies are finalised.
The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), through the Department of E-Government, is spearheading the validation exercise that has drawn experts and stakeholders from across the country.
This is in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The exercise is intended to assess and validate the draft strategies before finalisation to ensure they are practical, feasible, and aligned with Malawi 2063 and the National Digitisation Policy as well as other national development priorities.
Prosper Mopiwa, Principal Secretary for E-Government, opened the workshop.
“The two strategies will provide a coordinated framework to drive Malawi’s digital transformation and the responsible adoption of AI, strengthening digital public infrastructure, improving service delivery, enhancing data systems and promoting innovation across government,” he said.
Azhar Malik, UNDP Digital Advisor, applauded the government for spearheading the initiative.
“The strategies are critical to modernising Malawi’s public sector and strengthening collaboration between the government and the private sector,” Malik said.
Malawi is rapidly advancing its digital transformation to modernise public services, boost the economy and enhance connectivity to transform into a upper- middle-income country 2063.
– CAJ News