Mozambique defends speed in the digitization process in African countries

African countries must accelerate the digitization process so that the continent participates in a remarkable way in the fourth industrial revolution, defended the Minister of Transport and Communications of Mozambique, Mateus Magala.

Speaking at the Lusophone Conference of Communication Sciences and in the context of the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the creation of the African Telecommunications Union, Magala advanced that the fourth industrial revolution is characterized by the fusion of physical and digital means of communication.

He added that the sector has identified digitization as one of the priorities in its action, for the same years, aware of the dynamic role of telecommunications in the economic and social development of the country.

However, he advanced that the development of information and communication technologies resulted in major transformations in the means of communication, forcing them to a rapid digitization.

"Our vision is to proactively assume the role of catalyst in the digitization process in the country”, he indicated.

He said that in Mozambique, 50% of the population has access to telecommunications services, but internet usage remains low, around 23%.

“The migration from analogue to digital television continues to be a huge challenge for many countries on the African continent, but Mozambique has made significant progress, whose impact has translated into the expansion of access to these services from 30% of the population to around 70”, he stressed. .

The minister urged conference participants to deepen the debate on how to ensure that new communication platforms contribute positively to the dissemination of credible and constructive information within the framework of promoting the exercise of citizenship and development.

The director of Cratus, entity that organized the conference, Linda Fernandes, said, in turn, that communication influences the development process of countries, particularly Portuguese-speaking countries, so the event will bring contributions to the responsible use of the media.