Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe’s status as a continental digital powerhouse has been further cemented following the appointment of the Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, (ICTPCS), Hon. Tatenda Mavetera, , to the newly established Africa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Council.

The high-level Council, officially constituted by the Smart Africa Board, is chaired by Rwandan President H.E. Paul Kagame.

It represents a unified African front to govern, develop, and deploy AI technologies tailored to the continent’s unique socio-economic needs.

The Africa AI Council is tasked with steering Africa toward digital sovereignty.

Comprising 42 African Heads of State, private-sector titans, and international development partners, the board selected Hon. Mavetera as one of only seven ICT Ministers to serve on this inaugural body.

The Council will provide actionable guidance across six core pillars that include infrastructure, data, talent, market, investment and governance.

Hon. Mavetera’s inclusion comes just months after the Zimbabwean Cabinet approved the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2026–2030) in late 2025.

This proactive policy milestone placed Zimbabwe in an elite group of African nations with a clear, government-backed roadmap for ethical AI adoption.

Zimbabwe already holds a prestigious position within the Smart Africa framework as the flagship lead for Agritech.

The establishment of the Council followed a rigorous process led by Smart Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The selection committee reviewed over 400 applications from 57 nationalities, ultimately choosing a diverse group of experts from government, industry leaders (including representatives from Google and Microsoft), and academia.