By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, has
praised Mozambique’s progress in advancing connectivity, digital
transformation, and innovation, describing the country’s efforts as a strong
example of how digitalization can drive inclusive development.
In a recent address
reflecting on engagements in Maputo, Bogdan-Martin emphasized the
interconnected role of connectivity, digitalization, and innovation in shaping
modern economies. She noted that connectivity creates opportunity,
digitalization transforms that opportunity into services and economic growth,
while innovation turns these foundations into solutions for the future.
She highlighted Mozambique’s
ongoing progress across these three areas, underscoring ITU’s continued support
through a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s digital
ecosystem.
These include the Giga
initiative, which has enabled the geolocation of more than 12,000 schools to
support better connectivity planning, as well as the VaMoz Digital programme,
which is focused on building digital skills among young people. ITU has also
supported the development of a Connectivity Planning Platform and contributed
to the country’s National Digital Transformation Strategy.
Bogdan-Martin further
pointed to the implementation of the #EarlyWarningsForAll initiative, which is
designed to strengthen disaster preparedness and ensure communities receive
timely alerts to reduce the impact of natural hazards.
She also referenced the
inauguration of the Centro Nacional Operativo de Emergência (CENOE), describing
it as a significant milestone in Mozambique’s emergency response and disaster
management capabilities. The facility is expected to enhance coordination
during crises and improve the country’s ability to respond to emergencies in a
timely and effective manner.
According to the ITU
Secretary-General, these efforts demonstrate the value of strong partnerships
between international organizations and national governments in accelerating
digital inclusion and resilience-building.
Bogdan-Martin also expressed
appreciation to the Government and people of Mozambique for recognizing her
contributions to global connectivity, describing the honor as both humbling and
motivating.
She reaffirmed ITU’s
commitment to working closely with Mozambique and other partners to expand
connectivity, promote digital inclusion, strengthen innovation ecosystems, and
build resilient digital systems that improve lives and support sustainable development.
