Addis Ababa, May 24, 2022(Walta) – Africa must develop high computing capacity to achieve the 4th industrial revolution, said Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Associate Provost and Professor, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio.
Prof Zeleza was the key speaker at this year’s ECA Annual Adebayo Adedeji Lecture session at the 54th Africa’s Conference of Ministers of Finance, Economic Planning and Development (CoM2022) in Dakar, Senegal.
The 4th industrial revolution, he noted, is an agenda for everyone as it will transform all sectors from education to technology and health.
“Africa was marginalized in the previous three industrial revolutions and the continent should ensure it’s not left behind in the fourth industrial revolution,” said Prof Zeleza.
“Africa must promote digitalization, rethink capital expenditure, and develop holistic online curriculum system to achieve its economic, digital transformation. We must walk the talk on constructing integrated, inclusive, innovative and sustainable developmental institutions,” said Prof Zeleza.
The fundamental structures of African economies, he said, have remained the same since colonial times. In fact, dependency on primary commodity production and export has increased.
“The five historic and humanistic agendas of African nationalism that were fundamental to Prof Adebayo include decolonization; nation-building; development; democracy; and regional integration,” noted Prof Zeleza.
He pointed out that to understand human capital; there are three dimensions to consider: Africa’s demographic explosion, policies adopted by governments to build social economic systems and the imperative to build capabilities
“Population growth can become an asset or a bridge on development depending on its evolving structure and quality of human capital,” he said.
He also highlighted the need to close the disjuncture between policy conception and execution.