Eswatini’s ICT Minister shares country's inclusive digital agenda at World Government Summit 2026
Date: 2026-02-09
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya, has
outlined Eswatini’s efforts to build a more inclusive digital future during her
participation at the World Government Summit 2026 in Dubai.
Speaking
during the summit, Minister Maziya who also double as the Executive Chair
and Global Chair for SDG 5 presented Eswatini’s approach to protecting and
advancing local innovation through stronger intellectual property frameworks
and strategic partnerships with global stakeholders. She said the country’s
digital agenda is focused on ensuring that innovation is both safeguarded and
enabled to contribute to sustainable development.
Maziya
participated in the panel discussion titled “Who Owns Innovation Tomorrow?”,
where she emphasized that smaller nations must play an active role in shaping
the future of artificial intelligence rather than remaining observers. She
noted that effective participation in the AI era requires coherent and
coordinated policy approaches, warning that fragmented AI legislation could
expose countries to shared risks.
Addressing
the challenges of regulating rapidly evolving technologies, Maziya highlighted
the complexity of developing AI governance frameworks while the technology
itself is still emerging. She underscored the need for global collaboration in
crafting AI legislation that balances innovation, safety, and long-term
societal impact.
Turning
to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Minister described current global
progress as concerning, noting that only 18 percent of targets are on track
with four years remaining to the 2030 deadline. She called for accelerated
implementation efforts as countries begin to look beyond 2030 toward the next phase
of global development priorities.
Maziya
expressed appreciation for the partnerships supporting Eswatini’s digital and
development ambitions and reaffirmed her commitment to inclusive growth,
stressing the importance of sustained collaboration to ensure that no one is
left behind in the digital transformation journey.
