Zimbabwe is seeking a deeper partnership with Google to expand artificial intelligence training, widen access to digital skills and help develop a technology park aimed at supporting the country’s young innovators.
The discussions took place 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 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting placed technology and artificial intelligence alongside Zimbabwe’s wider diplomatic and economic engagements at the global gathering.
Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Tatenda Mavetera, who was involved in the discussions, said Zimbabwe was examining how it could benefit from Google’s education and capacity-building programmes. These include artificial intelligence training and a scholarship programme involving 100,000 places.
“What we are very grateful for is that we are having a conversation on how we can really 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. We were also looking at the capacity building and AI training that they are also offering in Zimbabwe,” she said.
The talks come as the Government tries to move the economy towards greater use of technology and reduce the gap between people with access to digital services and those who remain offline. For Zimbabwe, the proposed cooperation with Google would bring together skills development, research, entrepreneurship and public policy at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way businesses and governments operate.
Mavetera said the Government also wanted to explore a role for Google in developing Zimbabwe’s planned technology park. Land has already been secured for the project, which is expected to become a base for research, innovation and ICT businesses.
“We really need to enhance the ICT start-up ecosystem, and we are glad that these are conversations that we need to have continuously with various players, including Google,” said Minister Mavetera.
The technology park has been presented as more than a commercial site. Government plans envisage a facility that can bring telecommunications companies, researchers, students and technology businesses closer together. It is also expected to support the development of local products and services rather than leaving Zimbabwe dependent on imported digital solutions.
The project was first outlined as part of the country’s wider push to create a digital economy by 2030. It is intended to provide space for research and innovation, while giving university students and young entrepreneurs a platform to test ideas, develop businesses and gain practical experience. Private-sector participation is also being encouraged, with the proposed park expected to connect established technology companies with emerging ICT start-ups.
The Google meeting also gave Zimbabwe an opportunity to set out its approach to artificial intelligence. The country launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2026 to 2030 in March. The strategy is designed to guide the use of AI in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, finance, manufacturing, mining and public administration.
“But here at UNGA, we are grateful that we had a lot of conversations around how we are implementing AI as a country, where we are grateful tha our President has launched the National AI Strategy,” she said.
The strategy is intended to help Zimbabwe shift from a resource-based economy towards one that relies more heavily on knowledge, innovation and digital services. It sets out priorities for developing AI talent, improving digital infrastructure, supporting research and encouraging the use of AI in public and private services.
It also places emphasis on governance and ethics. Mavetera said Zimbabwe had concluded an AI Charter to guide the responsible development and use of the technology, with the Government seeking to ensure that AI systems reflect local conditions and national priorities.
“And now we have already concluded our AI Charter, which speaks to the ethics and governance around what we need to do. We need to create an artificial intelligence which is customised to our own context as Zimbabwe,” she said.
The national strategy identifies talent development and infrastructure as central requirements. Artificial intelligence depends on reliable networks, secure data systems, computing capacity and people who can design, manage and apply the technology. Without those foundations, the benefits of AI are likely to remain concentrated in a small number of institutions and urban centres.
Zimbabwe’s plan therefore links AI development to broader efforts to improve connectivity. Government initiatives such as the Presidential Internet Scheme are intended to expand access to broadband and bring more communities online. The scheme is part of a wider drive to connect public institutions and underserved areas, while supporting access to education, e-commerce, digital finance and government services.
“Zimbabwe has also done well in terms of infrastructure, where we have got various initiatives that our President has launched — initiatives like the Presidential Internet Scheme, which speaks to what we need to do in making sure that we have got everyone connected,” she said.
The Government has said that digital transformation must include rural communities, young people, women, people with disabilities and small businesses. Improving access is also important for the success of the proposed scholarship and training programmes. Online courses and digital certificates can reach large numbers of people, but only if learners have affordable internet access, suitable devices and enough support to complete their studies.
Mavetera said Zimbabwe was participating in international discussions on how countries can co-operate on artificial intelligence. The Digital UNGA meetings focused on the need for governments to work together as the technology develops, particularly on skills, infrastructure, ethics and safe adoption.
“And also mainly the Digital UNGA. It spoke to how countries can collaborate in advancing the adoption of artificial intelligence across the board,” she said.
The Minister said Zimbabwe would continue to learn from other countries while building systems suited to its own needs. That approach is reflected in the AI strategy, which combines international co-operation with an emphasis on national capacity, local knowledge and digital sovereignty.
The planned partnership with Google could give the strategy a practical route into schools, universities, start-ups and public institutions. Training would help create a larger pool of people able to work in software development, data analysis, cyber-security, cloud computing and AI-related fields. Scholarships could also give young Zimbabweans access to recognised digital qualifications and improve their chances of entering a changing jobs market.
However, the Government’s immediate message is that technology must serve the whole country rather than a narrow group of specialists or businesses. Mavetera said the digital transformation programme would continue to focus on inclusion as Zimbabwe expands its infrastructure and develops its technology ecosystem.
“No one should be left behind. No one should be left offline,” said Minister Mavetera.
President Mnangagwa’s meeting with Manyika was one of several engagements held during his attendance at UNGA 81. He also met United States investors, interacted with Zimbabweans living in the diaspora and held discussions with international leaders and other stakeholders.
The Google engagement adds a technology and skills dimension to those efforts. For Zimbabwe, the central task now is to turn discussions about scholarships, AI training and a technology park into programmes that can be accessed by students, entrepreneurs and communities across the country. The Government’s new AI strategy provides the policy framework, while the proposed Google partnership could help supply the skills and technical support needed to put that framework into practice.
The broader objective is to build a digital economy in which Zimbabwean companies can develop their own solutions, young people can compete for technology jobs and public services can be delivered more efficiently. The success of that ambition will depend on continued investment in connectivity, education, research and responsible use of artificial intelligence.