By Tendai Chisiri
VICTORIA FALLS – Africa must move from being a “rule-taker” to a co-author of the global digital rulebook, ICT leaders said Monday as the Second African Preparatory Meeting for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 opened in Victoria Falls.
The meeting, hosted by Zimbabwe, brings together ICT ministers, regulators, operators and industry stakeholders to forge a common African position ahead of PP-26.
Deputy Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Hon. Dingimuzi Phuti read the keynote on behalf of Minister Hon. Tatenda Mavetera. She said the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference is the supreme decision-making body for global telecommunications, and that PP-26 will decide on spectrum allocation, cybersecurity frameworks, AI governance, universal connectivity targets and the future structure of the ITU.
“If Africa does not prepare, Africa will be prepared for by others,” the speech read. “This meeting, therefore, is not just a technical consultation. It is an act of strategic sovereignty.”
Mavetera outlined Zimbabwe’s recent digital milestones, including the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2026-2030, a new National Cybersecurity Strategy training 10,000 young Zimbabweans in ethical hacking, and a finalised Child Online Protection Policy. She also noted her appointment to the Smart Africa AI Board, saying she carries the responsibility for “every young African girl and boy who dreams of building the next great African AI startup.”
She set three targets for the meeting: a draft common African position on key PP-26 agenda items, a matrix of alliances with regional groups, private sector and civil society, and a commitment to implementation.
“I propose that we name our collective output the Victoria Falls Commitment to Digital Sovereignty and Inclusion,” she said. “Let our deliberations be like the Falls: coherent, strong and forward-moving. Let our voice at PP-26 be the thunder that the world cannot ignore.”
POTRAZ Director General Dr. Gift Machengete, in his opening remarks, told delegates the meeting is “not a routine procedural exercise” but a purposeful gathering to ensure Africa speaks with clarity, unity and influence.
He said Africa must assert its rightful place in the ITU Management Team, Council, Radio Regulations Board and key study groups. “Our presence in these structures is not symbolic — it is strategic,” he said. “It ensures that Africa’s priorities, realities, and developmental aspirations are embedded in global decisions.”
Dr. Machengete urged delegates to adopt one principle: “Africa must speak with one voice.” He said coordinated positions enhance bargaining power and ensure Africa’s priorities are defended.
Using a Zimbabwean custom, he welcomed delegates: “If you want to welcome a brother, a sister, a colleague — someone truly dear to your heart — you bring them to Victoria Falls.” He quoted Chinua Achebe: “When we gather together in the moonlit village ground, it is not because of the moon… We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”
The meeting runs 25-29 May 2026 under the theme Universal, Meaningful and Affordable Connectivity for an Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Future. Outcomes will feed into Africa’s common proposals for PP-26 and align with the ITU’s 2026-2029 Regional Initiatives for Africa.
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