Amanda E.N Jojo

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially commissioned the Zimbabwe Science Park 1 and Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) building at the University of Zimbabwe.

The launch of these projects is set to close the technology gap in line with the objectives to develop sustainable solutions to pressing development challenges.

President Mnangagwa underscored that innovation remains necessary for promoting sustainable development, building modernised economic systems and promoting transformation across all sectors.

“As such the setting up of the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency and Science park are important building blocks for addressing these realities and achieving outcomes set out in the Nationl Development Strategy 1 and ultimately Vision 2030,

“These achievements testify to the fact that the Second Republic is walking the talk with regards to promoting innovation-driven development and accelerating scientific and technological innovation to propel our country’s modernization and industrialisation agenda,” President Mnangagwa said.

The Zimbabwe Science Park is a purpose built cluster of office space which provides laboratories, workrooms and meeting areas designed to support research and development in science, information technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, the internet of things, biotechnology, virtual reality and robotics.
It will foster innovation, in line with Education 5.0 and development and commercialization of technology and it is set to benefit the private sector, high tech companies, indigenous start-ups, academia and Government institutions.

“My administration will continue an adaptive science and technology innovation environment that supports the development and use of new technologies.

“Our country’s economic and social development and the improvement in the quality of life of our people all need science and technological solutions, more than ever before.

“The backdrop of intense international competition and unpredictable supply chains across sector must equally motivate us to craft an innovation path and ecosystem which is suited to our national circumstances, realities and resources,” President Mnangagwa said.

Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) is an institution that has the task to design, regulate, coordinate, conduct research and development initiatives that promote advances in geospatial science and earth observation, space engineering and global navigation satellite systems.

“the work of the National Geospatial and Space Agency will therefore have a triggering effect on the counry’s intellectual and human capital towards generating real time solutions I therefore exhort the Agency to execute this unique role, responsibility and mandate.

“I further challenge our numerous scientists and technopreneurs, to take up the responsibility brought about by this national scientific and innovation thrust to pursue the frontiers of global science and technology for the purpose of addressing major national needs for the benefit of our economy and the people,” President Mnangagwa said.

The use of space technologies presents vast opportunities such as managing abundant natural resources, environmental hazards, weather forecasting, climate change mitigation, agriculture and food security.

“Zimbabwe has developed an ambitious blue-print to enable full utilization of space technology and innovation to enhance economic growth, I commend the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency engineers for setting up the Ground Control Station in Mazowe.

“This is indeed a major step in enhancing the deployment of earth observation technologies in supporting the National Development Strategy,” he said.

President Mnangagwa has reaffirmed his commitment to avail necessary resources to the Zimbabwe Geospatial and Space Agency so as to see growth of entrepreneurship and business in the field of information communication, technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and biotechnology.