The gap between the rich and poor nations and between certain groups within a country is a result of several factors. One such factor in inequitable access to resources among the citizenry and lack of technology to exploit the vast natural resources available in most countries. One fundamental difference between the developed and the developing countries is that the former are also rich in information and has a well informed citizenry which is able to adapt quickly to changing social and economic environments, hence utilizing opportunities to overcome development challenges such as poverty. In this regard, information is treated as a commodity which has potential to make significant changes in many aspects of our social and economic development.
ICTs can be used to bridge the digital divide within the context of globalization. The digital divide presents barriers by denying an opportunity for the people to take best practices and make them applicable in the possible ways.
Zambia has the opportunity to make a difference by adopting and using ICT as a tool available to reduce the development divide thereby increasing the chances of improving the quality of life of the citizens. ICT is an enabler to build an information centered society where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge leading to greater productivity, greater competitiveness and sustainable economic growth, a precondition for poverty reduction. ICTs can also be used as an effective tool in enhancing good governance.
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