The African Smart Cities Innovation Foundation (ASCIF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) ahead of the African Smart Cities Congress (ASCC) slated for 25th to 27th July 2024 in Lilongwe.
The ASCC stands as a visionary and transformative annual event, orchestrated by the ASCIF, in strategic collaboration with the host country.
Positioned to emerge as a global beacon of innovation and collaboration, this Congress draws in participants from across the world, marking it as a pinnacle in addressing the vital challenges of the African continent.
The ASCIF Malawi Ambassador, Christine Mhone said the congress which will be a first of it’s kind to be held on the African continent will be aimed at creating a platform a dialogue for different stakeholders that are playing a role in promoting Smart Cities.
“Indeed, Malawi is hosting the African Smart Cities Congress from 25th to 27th of July 2024. This is a congress that is promoting smart city innovations from Malawi and Africa and presenting them to the global”
“The Smart Cities Conference have already been established with excellent results in number of years in countries creating an enabling environment to promote dialogue and consensus among stakeholders, including national government, local authorities, grass root organizations, private sector and academia among others” said Mhone
Mhone also said, the Smart Cities are vital in addressing the current undergoing an unprecedented surge in urban growth across Africa and the conference will dwell much on ways of addressing the unique challenges.
According to Christine Mhone, the African Smart Cities Congress is going to be a two-day conference then the last day will be the ground breaking for Mvera Smart City Project which is spearheaded by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
She said since ASCIF and MACRA are working towards the same goals, the two side has decided to partner through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
MACRA Director General, Daudi Suleman has described the partnership as a step in the right direction.
“Smart Cities is becoming an integral part of our society as we moving towards greener environments, carbon free environments and most importantly environment’s that are interconnected using the internet of things it is very important that as a country we begin to embrace the fundamentals, the building blocks of this great future”
The signing of this MOU is a step in the right direction as a regulator we are already leading and championing one initiative of establishing a smart city in Malawi called the Mvera innovation City which is at advanced stage and therefore as we proceed with our plans of building and developing this green city it is very important for us to have our colleagues who are experts to also walk with us in this undertaking” said Suleman
