Roundup: Inclusive investment, smart techs to propel Africa's smart cities drive: delegates

Inclusive investments in people's social and economic well being and adoption of smart information communication technologies will play a key role towards achieving Africa's smart cities initiative, according to delegates attending the Transform Africa Summit 2017.

They made the remarks on Wednesday during the opening of the third Transform Africa Summit 2017, in the Rwandan Capital, Kigali.

The central African nation hosts the high level continental summit from May 10 to 12, with a focus on developing smart Africa cities using the power of technology.

"Transforming Africa means transforming Africans, by enabling a practical mindset of problem-solving. The focus on people is the starting point around which we can build everything else. We should invest heavily in our people and as well as smart technologies to achieve smart urbanized cities in Africa," said Rwanda President Paul Kagame at the event.

He added that technology is a powerful framework for bringing diverse stakeholders together to define challenges and find solutions for smarter Africa because the continent is not as prosperous as it should be because the cities are too small and disconnected.

The meeting has attracted heads of states from several African countries, heads of Smart Africa organizations, delegates from UN Broadband Commission on Digital Development, technology chief executives, technology experts and young innovators from across Africa and beyond.

The opening session of the forum featured the unveiling of the Africa Smart and Sustainable Cities Blueprint and a high level dialogue between heads of state, private sector business leaders and executives of international organizations.

The smart cities agenda seeks to integrate urban planning, physical infrastructure, urban facilities, public space, service provision and ICT infrastructure into management and provision of critical public utilities and services in rural and urban setting.

Speaking at the summit, Zhao Houlin, secretary general of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) said that smart technologies have the power to transform African cities into smart global competitive cities.

"Africans have the willingness to work and succeed. Africa policy makers and the private sector need to work together to transform African cities into dynamic and prosperous places," he noted.

Transform Africa Summit is the annual leading African forum bringing together global and regional leaders from government, business and international organizations to collaborate on new ways of shaping, accelerating and sustaining Africa's on-going digital revolution.

Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission said that heavy investments in the welfare of people and required infrastructure are key to a smarter way of life in cities in Africa.

"Africa remains the least-urbanized continent due to lack of smart technologies, limited innovation and poor urban planning," she added.

The three-day conference has about 10 side events across multiple areas, including "smart women" summit, business leader's symposium, and business to business session and Miss Geek competition.

The smart cities initiative, which aims at leveraging technology solutions to improve efficiency of cities, is backed by 11 African countries while more nations are expected to join.

Presently, member countries include Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Uganda, Senegal, South Sudan, Chad, Angola, Rwanda and Burkina Faso. Endite