In 2022, 720 million people remained offline in the least developed countries (LDCs), with an estimated 407 million using the Internet. Considering LDCs as the world’s greatest untapped resource with needs that must be addressed to fulfill the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2023 focuses on “empowering the least developed countries through information and communication technologies.”
Mental health is a critical aspect of overall health and well-being, but it remains an under-resourced and under-funded area of healthcare. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health disorders affect one in four people worldwide, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this crisis by causing widespread stress, anxiety and depression. To address this urgent need, researchers and healthcare providers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to develop innovative tools and resources for mental health care.
Education is often touted as a key driver of individual and national development. As the popular African proverb states, "If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation." In Africa, this proverb is particularly relevant, as women play a crucial role in the social, economic and political development of their communities and nations. This proverb underscores the critical role that education, particularly for women, can play in transforming not just individuals but entire communities and societies.
A green environment is essential for a healthy life. There is a close relationship connecting sustainability, development, health and the environment, which is very well-known and talked about today. With the increasing levels of pollution and environmental degradation worldwide, companies are trying to address this problem by using clean energy, which is strongly considered one of the most important standards for long-term environmental protection.
Africa's digital revolution is gaining momentum, and investors worldwide are taking note. Indeed, Africa is rapidly becoming a hotbed for digital innovation, with entrepreneurs building and scaling new technologies across the continent. This growth is particularly significant given the continent's young, educated and urbanizing population. By 2050, Africa will have the world's largest working-age population, which is set to drive economic growth and innovation.
In today's digital world, smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives. They are used for communication, online shopping, banking, social networking and many other activities. However, with these activities comes a risk, especially when it comes to security. Passwords are no longer enough to protect our online accounts from cybercriminals, who are getting more sophisticated with their attacks. That's why World Password Day (May 4th) is an important reminder of the ways to keep our smartphones secure.
Ethiopia holds an important position in Africa due to its strategic location in the Horn of Africa, bordering countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Eritrea. It is the continent's second-most populous nation and has the tenth-largest land area in Africa. Additionally, Ethiopia is known for its rich and diverse cultural heritage, as well as its vast reserves of natural resources such as gold and tantalum.
Financial inclusion remains a major challenge in South Africa, where millions of people remain outside the formal banking system and where higher-income groups have more access to a broader range of financial services. Financial inclusion itself is the concept of providing access to affordable and convenient financial services to individuals and businesses that are traditionally underserved by mainstream financial institutions. Recent steps have been taken in the right direction, and moving forward, any innovative solutions aimed at meaningfully addressing financial inclusion must also be simple, easy to use and, most importantly, affordable and interoperable.
The unambiguous identification of individuals on the basis of their inherent physical or behavioral characteristics is known as “biometrics.” Thanks to this method, it is now possible to recognize the patterns specific to each individual (based on immutable characteristics such as the face, the voice, fingerprints, heart rate, etc.), and then employ them to recognize customers in all varieties of services.
In today's fast-paced world, businesses need to keep up with the latest technologies and digital strategies to remain competitive. One technology that has revolutionized the way we do business is cloud computing. If your business is not already in the cloud, you're missing out on many of the benefits that can help you grow and thrive in the digital age. The cloud offers a wealth of benefits to businesses, from top-notch security to virtually limitless storage capabilities. Yet many South African companies have been slow to embrace it, often for misguided reasons.
