• Zimbabwe, UNESCO discuss AI and digital governance cooperation
• Talks align with Smart Zimbabwe 2030 digital plan
• Zimbabwe ranks 149th in 2024 UN e-government index

Zimbabwe is exploring new areas of cooperation with UNESCO in artificial intelligence, digital transformation and digital governance following a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, between ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera (pictured, center) and Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO's assistant director-general for communication and information.

"Our discussions covered artificial intelligence and national policy frameworks, digital transformation in the public sector, the regulation and governance of digital platforms, and the development of digital skills for both youth and adults," Jelassi said.

Mavetera highlighted the transformative role of AI and emerging technologies in government operations and national development, stressing the importance of research, innovation and collaboration with academic and technical institutions to foster sustainable technological solutions.

The engagement aligns with Zimbabwe's digital transformation ambitions. Through the "Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan," the government aims to fully integrate ICTs across society and all economic sectors to drive rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. The plan references an International Telecommunication Union study showing that a 10% increase in a country's digitalization score leads to a 0.75% rise in GDP per capita.

Artificial intelligence is positioned as a key catalyst in this strategy, with potential to boost efficiency, drive innovation and improve services across sectors from agriculture and health to education and public administration. The recent UNESCO collaboration has focused on AI, with the organization helping to develop Zimbabwe's national strategy and assess the country's readiness.

However, an assessment report published in July 2025 notes that to fully harness AI's potential, Zimbabwe must establish a comprehensive national strategy with a plan to address key challenges including foreign dominance and cultural imposition, loss of human autonomy, financing constraints, technical infrastructure limitations, and research capacity gaps exacerbated by brain drain.

Zimbabwe currently ranks 149th out of 193 countries in the United Nations' 2024 E-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.4481 out of 1, below the global average of 0.6382.

Isaac K. Kassouwi

• Morocco signed eight memorandums of understanding to launch the operational phase of the Idarati X.0 unified digital services platform.

• Authorities will build the system around a national digital wallet authenticated through the electronic national identity card (CNIE).

• Morocco ranks 90th globally and 4th in Africa in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index, with 600 public services already online.

Morocco is accelerating the structuring of its e-government ecosystem. Authorities signed eight memorandums of understanding in Rabat on Tuesday, February 10 to launch the operational phase of the “Idarati X.0” project, a meta-application designed to become the single entry point for digital public services.

The Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform leads the project in coordination with the National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection (CNDP). The initiative aims to structure a comprehensive ecosystem around a national digital wallet. Authorities will use this core infrastructure to allow citizens to access multiple administrative services through a single interface, relying on the electronic national identity card (CNIE) as the authentication foundation.

The agreements commit several key institutions, including the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA), and the National Agency for Land Conservation, Cadastre and Cartography (ANCFCC). Other public administrations also joined the framework, underscoring a cross-sector approach based on system interoperability.

Authorities designed Idarati X.0 as more than an aggregator of existing services. The project seeks to redesign user pathways, reduce fragmentation across public platforms and centralize interactions between citizens and the administration. Project leaders structured the rollout into four phases, ranging from an initial benchmark to the assessment of capital expenditures (Capex) and operating costs (Opex), over an estimated six-month period.

Authorities placed data protection at the center of the framework. Project leaders adopted “privacy by design” and “security by design” principles and integrated regulatory compliance and cybersecurity requirements at the technical design stage. The CNDP participates in the process to ensure alignment with national standards on data confidentiality and governance.

The initiative forms part of the broader “Maroc Digital 2030” strategy, which seeks to accelerate the dematerialization of procedures, strengthen digital inclusion and improve public service quality. In 2024, authorities had already placed 600 public services online, including 300 for citizens, 200 for businesses and 100 for public administrations. This performance positions Morocco among Africa’s leaders in digital transformation.

Morocco ranks 90th globally and 4th in Africa in the United Nations 2024 E-Government Development Index (EGDI), with a score of 0.6841 out of 1, exceeding both African and global averages.

Morocco’s digital environment supports such initiatives. DataReportal reports that the country counted more than 35.3 million internet users at the end of 2025, representing a penetration rate of around 92% of the population. Mobile connections exceeded 54.9 million, reflecting widespread mobile adoption and large-scale internet access.

Samira Njoya

• Douglas Hoernle founded Karri in 2016 to digitize and secure school payments without cash handling.

• The platform enables schools to issue payment requests and allows parents to pay instantly via mobile, reducing delays and manual processing.

• Hoernle also co-founded The Student Funding Company in 2023 to expand access to higher education financing in the UK.

Douglas Hoernle is a South African entrepreneur. He founded and leads Karri, a start-up that seeks to simplify, accelerate and secure school payments without requiring cash handling.

Founded in 2016, Karri enables schools to create payment requests in a few steps for activities, field trips, ad hoc fees or fundraising initiatives. The application automatically sends notifications and reminders once schools issue a request, and it guides parents to complete payments within seconds. Schools benefit from a reliable and recurring system that reduces delays, missed payments and manual cash handling.

For parents, Karri provides a simple and secure way to pay schools directly from a mobile phone. The application eliminates the need to send cash in envelopes through children or to search for change. The platform centralizes payment requests, displays amounts and deadlines, and allows instant settlement.

The platform also offers a payment card for students that links to the parental application. The solution helps children learn how to manage spending within a secure framework under adult supervision. Parents can set daily spending limits and share account control with multiple guardians when necessary.

In parallel, Douglas Hoernle co-founded and directs The Student Funding Company, a start-up launched in 2023 that aims to remove financial barriers and enable students to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom. He also serves on the board of Manati Alternate Student Funding, a student finance provider, and he belongs to the London chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, an international network of entrepreneurs.

Douglas Hoernle holds a finance degree from the University of Cape Town. He began his entrepreneurial career in 2010 when he founded The Wine Society, a company that supplied Cape Town’s student market with customized, quality and affordable wines and promotional products. He launched Rethink Education in 2012 as an online learning solutions provider.

Two years later, he co-founded Juggl, a cross-platform mobile application that offers communication services, real-time calendar management, content distribution and payment functions between schools, teachers and parents across sectors. In 2016, he founded Rippl Communicator, an internal corporate communication application, and he co-founded Merriment and Co., a beverage supplier that he led until its sale in 2018.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum