Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: November 27 (EI) – African governments and the private sector should step up concerted efforts to embrace advancements in the digital revolution that are fundamental to socioeconomic development under the Fourth Industrial Revolution, an Ethiopian scholar told EI on Wednesday.
“Africa stands on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything that not just Africa but humankind has experienced before,” Costantinos Bt. Costantinos (PhD), professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, told the Ethiopian Informer (EI) on Wednesday.
“We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear that the response must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all African stakeholders– from the public to private sectors to academia and civil society,” Costantinos added.
Noting that the fourth industrial revolution is building on its antecedent, which used electronics and information technology to automate production, the scholar indicated that “the digital revolution is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres, which Africa has little or no experience and clue.”
“When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace, and Africa should analyze the scale, scope, and complexity of the transformation,” the scholar said.
“The possibilities for a billion Africans connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited,” he said, adding “These possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, and biotechnology to name the few.”
Costantinos, however, underscored the need to protect Africa’s indigenous cultural identity from the “disruptive nature of the digital revolution.”
“Indeed, globalization impacts indigenous cultural identities of African societies, but sustainable development will not be achieved without economic growth and environmental sustainability for the future generation,” the scholar argued.
Last week, African manufacturers have been also urged to exert concerted efforts to speed up the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa as part of Africa’s drive toward industrialization.
“Manufacturers will contribute to helping Africa actively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, bearing in mind that the future will be digital,” African Union (AU) Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga told the inaugural meeting of the Pan-African Manufacturers Association (PAMA) in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Muchanga also urged African manufacturers to embrace advancements in digital technology so as to harness the continental advantages, mainly the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
