PRESS STATEMENT
June 14, 2023
For Immediate Release
Lusaka, Zambia
BLOGGERS OF ZAMBIA CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL 2023 LUSAKA INTERNET MEETUP
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – AS WE CELEBRATE THE 2023 LUSAKA INTERNET MEET-UP, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CLARION CALL TO ALL ZAMBIANS TO TAKE AN INTEREST AND PARTICIPATE IN DIGITALISATION PROCESSES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE CHANGING BUSINESS MODELS, SHAPING OUR PERSONAL LIVES, AND IMPACTING OUR DEMOCRACY.
RAPID DIGITALISATION CONTINUES TO EXPAND, WITH THE ROLL-OUT OF PROGRAMMES SUCH AS ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES, POPULARISATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN SHAPING THE LOCAL INTERNET ECOSYSTEM BY MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTRIBUTING TO PROCESSES SUCH AS INTERNET LAW AND POLICY FORMULATION.
IN VIEW OF THIS, BLOGGERS OF ZAMBIA BOARD, MANAGAMENT AND STAFF WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR THE SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT TOWARDS THE 2023 LUSAKA INTERNET MEETUP WHICH TOOK PLACE ON JUNE 7 AND JUNE 8, 2023, AT LUSAKA’S RADISSON BLU HOTEL.
THE LUSAKA INTERNET MEET-UP, WHICH IS THE THIRD EDITION, WAS HELD UNDER THE THEME, “PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE INTERNET POST-COVID-19 AND ELECTIONS IN ZAMBIA.”
THE LUSAKA INTERET MEET-UP WAS LAUNCHED IN 2019 AS AN IN-COUNTRY CONFERENCE THAT CONVENES VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE ARCHITECTURE SUCH AS POLICYMAKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ACADEMIA, LEGISLATORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS TO NETWORK, EXCHANGE IDEAS, KNOWLEDGE, BUILD COALITIONS, AMALGAMATE EFFORTS AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HARNESSING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.
THE LUSAKA INTERNET MEETUP 2023 PROVED TO BE A PLATFORM FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING, NETWORKING, AND FOSTERING COLLABORATION AMONG PARTICIPANTS. WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE AND ENGAGEMENT FROM ALL THOSE INVOLVED, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE EVENT’S SUCCESS.
WE ARE GLAD THAT THE LUSAKA INTERNET MEET-UP IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SHAPING AND STRENGTHENING OF THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE IN ZAMBIA. WE CALL UPON ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE INTEREST IN THE AGENDA OF PROMOTING AN AFFORDABLE, FREE, OPEN, RESILIENT, AND INCLUSIVE INTERNET FOR ALL, IN LINE WITH ZAMBIA’S DEVELOPMENT ASPIRATIONS SUCH AS VISION 2030.
BLOGGERS OF ZAMBIA WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE EFFORTS IN PROMOTING THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH TO INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THE EXISTING INTERNET LAWS AND POLICIES.
FOR MOST ZAMBIANS, MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO THE INTERNET REMAINS LOW, WHILE SAFETY AND LITERACY LEVELS ALSO REMAIN BELOW ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS.
BLOGGERS OF ZAMBIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING DIGITAL LITERACY, FOSTERING DIALOGUE, AND ADVOCATING FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE IN ZAMBIA.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN ORGANISING THE 2024 EDITION OF THE LUSAKA INTERNET MEET-UP.
RICHARD MULONGA
CEO
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