Malawi Vice President Salous Chilima on Thursday outlined a comprehensive plan and offered solid recommendations on how the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) can accelerate digitalization as a key for building a globally competitive industry and economy.
Chilima eloquently addressed a public lecture to high level delegates attending the 41st SADC ordinary Summit for Heads of State and Government in Lilongwe.
He urged SADC to swiftly start implementing digitalisation policies and sustainable digital solutions as part of industrial development policies and recovery programmes after administering Covid-19 vaccines.
“During the recovery period, industrial policy that builds on digitalization must play an important role in the overall policy and support package to complement fiscal, monetary, trade and other policy interventions. Industrial policy should, therefore, be designed to leverage linkages across sectors and borders,” he said.
Chilima called for an increase in investments in education, digital skills, R&D, ICT and innovation as a pathway towards sustainable development.
“Member States must urgently address the knowledge gaps in the digital economy in order to effectively and efficiently accelerate our collective industrialization drive” he said.
The Malawi Veep implored public and private education training institutions to explore collaborative initiatives to respond to the needs of business in these areas, extending to cross-border efforts and initiatives.
He said the region must digitalize as a matter of extreme urgency as digitalization provides an economic and efficient way of keeping with the new-fast development trajectory.
“COVID-19 has accelerated the necessary and inevitable push towards digitalization. The restrictions we currently operate under have provided an opportunity to consider and leverage the benefits of digital solution,” said Chilima.
He further stressed that digitally enabled government services such as registration of companies and application for services and payments can make a significant contribution to support industrial and cross-border regional economic development.
There was a need for SADC to adopt a trade policy which specifically focuses on trade facilitation to complement to existing industrial policies as well as improving customs and border management and eliminating non-tariff barriers, he said.
” It is here that digital trade solutions which can reduce the time and transaction costs of trade are important. Digitalization of border management processes, electronic payments, the use of digital certificates of origin and standards, as well as other measures should become standard not onlyduring the pandemic, but even post-COVID-19,” he emphasised.
He proposed that SADC should establish a center or centers of excellence on digital technology to revitalize regional industrial development.
“A special fund should be set up to support the initiative that will advance the development of digital technologies and strengthening the necessary human capacity in use of digital technologies in stimulating the growth of national economies,” he stated.
Chilima pleaded with SADC to ensure there is availability and accessibility of secure energy and relevant digital skills in all member states to bring efficiency gains and improve competitiveness.
” There is lack of energy security and relevant digital skills in many SADC countries. These deficits are a clog in the smooth and efficient realization of the promises of an industrial development that is underpinned by a functioning digital economy and must be addressed as a matter of urgency,” he said.
SADC delegates followed the public lecture physically and virtually and keenly listened to the Vice President and were left impressed with the zeal and eloquence how Chilima delivered the lecture.
