Nation Working to Improve Digital Technology Skills: Innovation, Technology Minister

Addis Ababa  October 8/2019 Ethiopia is carrying out various activities to enhance digital technology skills for national development programs, according to Innovation and Technology Ministry.

Innovation and Technology Minister, Getahun Mekuria told journalist on the sidelines of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) which opened yesterday that a survey conducted in Ethiopia indicates that digital technology skill is low and needs to be scaled up.

Therefore, expansion of internet cafes as well as innovation and incubation centers in collaboration with universities has been underway to increase digital technology skills, he added.

Knowledge of science needs cooperation among scientists and huge investment in which hosting such big event would help facilitating conditions to move forward, the minister noted.

Various research findings on astronomy and related fields will be presented at the four-day symposium underway in Addis Ababa.

Meanwhile Getahun revealed that the country will launch its first satellite that conducts agriculture research, environmental protection and weather forecasting by the end of this year.

Despite the late entry into space technology, the efforts over the past three years have brought results; and the country has been formulating policy and strategy that helps it to utilize outputs from space science for development, Getahun elaborated.

Head of Astronomy and Astrophysics Department at Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, Mirjana Povic on her part said a number of renowned persons who can contribute to the development of astronomy and space science are in attendance of the symposium.

“Before this event not many professionals in the field knew about astronomy in Ethiopia and Africa. The situation is now changing not only because of this symposium but also other activities accomplished in the country to date as well,” she noted.

The organizer of the symposium, International Astronomical Union (IAU), is the highest professional body in the field of science and is the first to be organized in East Africa.

The symposium is being attended by about 150 professionals from different countries.