Zimbabwe is exploring cooperation with Google in digital skills development, artificial intelligence and technology entrepreneurship as Government accelerates efforts to transform the country’s digital economy.
The discussions were held when Google Vice President for Research, Technology and Society, James Manyika, paid a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Tatenda Mavetera, who accompanied Manyika, said the engagement focused on identifying areas where Zimbabwe could work with Google to strengthen its digital capabilities.
She said Government was particularly interested in Google’s training and capacity-building programmes, including opportunities for scholarships and artificial intelligence training.
“We are having a conversation on how we can advance our digital landscape as a country and looking at how we can also tap into what Google is offering, especially the 100,000 scholarships, looking at capacity building, AI training, that they’re also offering. Zimbabwe is also seeking to benefit from that,” she said.
The Government is also exploring partnerships with technology companies to support the establishment of a planned technology park and provide opportunities for young people developing ICT-based businesses.
“We are also looking to establish our technology park, for which we have now secured the land. We are also looking to see how we can partner with institutions like Google, for us to ensure we’ve got capacity for our young people’s ICT startups,” Minister Mavetera said.
Artificial intelligence was also a major focus of discussions during the ongoing UN General Assembly, with Zimbabwe seeking to deepen cooperation on AI adoption, infrastructure and skills development.
Minister Mavetera said the engagements provided an opportunity for countries to share experiences on implementing AI and developing the infrastructure required to support its growth.
“We are grateful that we had a lot of conversations around how we’re implementing AI as a country, and we are grateful that Zimbabwe, our president, has launched the national AI strategy,” she said.
She added that Zimbabwe was also working towards developing AI solutions that respond to the country’s specific needs.
Zimbabwe launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in March 2026 as part of efforts to support the transition from a resource-based economy towards a knowledge-driven and digitally enabled economy.
The proposed cooperation with Google could therefore support Government’s broader efforts to expand digital skills, strengthen ICT entrepreneurship and increase the adoption of emerging technologies.
