Be prepared: POTRAZ calls on African Regulators

By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe says to prepare for this “Now – Future” calls for agile regulation which can only be achieved through Collaborative Regulation and Regulation Through International Cooperation, among other regulatory methods.

In his remarks at the 12^th Smart Africa Council of African Regulators in Victoria Falls Monday ahead of the Transform Africa Summit 2023, POTRAZ Director General Dr Gift Machengete, said he was happy the African regulators would hear updates on the One Africa Network, Cybersecurity and 5G Regulation in Africa, among other issues.

“These are issues we certainly cannot ignore if we are to meaningfully participate in the fourth

industrial revolution as a continent.

“It is for this reason that I would like to applaud Smart Africa for creating such a platform for us as African Regulators to come together as a Council to collaborate and prepare ourselves for current and emerging regulatory issues in this new digital era,” Dr Machengete said.

He continued: “The Indians have a proverb which says “The razor blade is sharp but cannot cut a tree. The axe is strong but cannot cut hair.

“If you want to cut a tree and if you want to cut hair, then you need both” This is to say we all have different experiences as regulators.

“Our coming together allows us to tap into each other’s experiences to achieve more as a continent.

“Our coming together allows us to collaborate in order to prepare and position ourselves for any regulatory issue,” he said.

“As African Regulators – are we prepared for the metaverse and all its complexities? Are we ready for this futuristic virtual world where humans can visit and interact with each other and even live here? How are we going to regulate activities of virtual representatives of humans called avatars in the metaverse? Can humans be held accountable for the actions of their avatars in this virtual world, especially where avatars may have their own thoughts and emotions, thanks to Artificial Intelligence?”