Embracing Communications Technology
By Lovering Sichizya
Zambian Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba(center) makes the first call during the launch of a communications tower in Kataba area, Nalolo District, Western Province
Zambia makes great strides to develop its digital economy
Z ambia has the potential to be transformed into a digital economy. According to Brian Mushimba,Minister of Transport and Communications of Zambia, the transformation is being driven by the on-going Phase II of the country-wide construction of communications towers.
单因素及正交试验：用烧杯取一定量的水置于恒温水浴锅中加热至某一温度，将一定量熟料加入烧杯中，搅拌溶出一定时间后过滤，采用重铬酸钾滴定法测定溶出液中铁的浓度，计算铁的提取率。
“Our major wish as a country is to move from 4G to 5G networks, taking a leaf [out of the book of] countries like China, whose GDP contribution is largely supplemented by the communications sector. The Zambian Government is also convinced that the improvement of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector is the only sure way for Zambia's economic development,” said Mushimba.
Although there are still some parts of the country grappling with poor mobile communications services and operating on 3G networks, Mushimba said the government is determined to work with mobile communications service providers to ensure that they upgrade mobile communications services fully to 4G and eventually switch to 5G networks in the near future.
Through this project, the government is encouraging the use of ICT facilities such as computers in schools so that learners can access educational materials via the Internet and improve the quality of learning.
Mushimba highlighted that the state-ofthe-art communications infrastructure the government is constructing with the help of Huawei, a leading global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices based in China, is designed to increase the radius of coverage from 5 to 10 km. It will also enhance the quality of Internet and mobile services because of the advanced radio links that are being installed in all of the country's 10 provinces.
As the government improves Internet services through the installation of the optic fi ber network,more and more people will open up online purchasing platforms, establish courier companies and create employment for the youth and women in the long term.
BRIAN MUSHIMBA Minister of Transport and Communications of Zambia
Clusters provide opportunity
1.硕士及以上学历，主治医师及以上职称；2.熟练掌握一门外语，达到熟练阅读、翻译和基本会话能力，尤其是英语；3.在三级医院骨科工作5年及以上；4.有国外留学经历者优先。
YPD液体培养基、血琼脂平板、蛋白胨水培养基、Kovacs氏靛基质试剂盒、药敏纸片(诺氟沙星、氧氟沙星、环丙沙星、红霉素、阿莫西林、氨苄西林和链霉素)、氯化钠(NaCl)、盐酸(HCl)、氢氧化钠(NaOH)、亚硝酸钠(NaNO2)等常规化学试剂，均购于大庆市博微生物试剂有限公司。
Instead of walking long distances to access financial institutions for single cash transactions, people living in the clusters simply walk to booths dealing in money transactions to get their cash via mobile phones, Mushimba explained.
According to Mushimba, the e-voucher system will help close the loopholes that allow for corruption in fertilizer, farming equipment and chemicals distribution programs.
In its quest to promote an efficient and less bureaucratic governance system in all government departments and quasi-government institutions, Mushimba said the government is promoting e-governance in the agricultural sector where small-scale farmers in all 105 districts in the country are able to receive fertilizer, farming equipment and chemicals through the e-voucher system.
In the areas where the communications towers have been installed, communities are able to access information on commodity prices via SMS and by logging into various government websites.
“I run a small kiosk here, where I sell airtime vouchers. Through this business, I am able to support myself,” said 21-year-old Namasiku Ilukena, a mobile money dealer in Nalolo District of Western Province, who has been operating his business for close to two years.
Socio-economic benefits
The construction of communications towers has not only enhanced people's access to mobile services, but has also benefited the country and citizens in many ways and has drastically increased government revenue collection though mobile money transfers.
“We are slowly moving into a digital economy where everything will be done electronically. And the government wants to strengthen the e-commerce and e-governance systems. These have a number of benefits such as reduced queues in banks,shopping malls and government offices,”said Mushimba.
He indicated that the long hours that people spend accessing a service or a product will be reduced once all the 1,009 communications towers are installed in all districts and provinces across the country.
“As the government improves Internet services through the installation of the optic fi ber network, more and more people will open up online purchasing platforms, establish courier companies and create employment for the youth and women in the long term,” he said.
据了解，瑞丰生态投产应用的“碳能结晶”技术作为一款具有国际领先地位的新型肥料产品的生产工艺，目前在国内还未广泛应用。“碳能结晶”工艺技术利用了生物酶的催化作用，将有机酸类水溶性碳营养物质和无机盐类大中微量元素养分反应形成复盐结晶，通过该工艺升级的新型功能肥料产品的水溶性得到了进一步提高，对于土壤修护、植物碳营养补充也具有良好的功效。
The first phase of the project focused on the expansion of mobile communications services to underserved and unserved parts of the country. However, Mushimba said this did not yield the expected results, hence the government's decision to enter into a new financing agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China to support the second phase of new focus clusters at a cost of $280 million.
The clusters have the potential to change the economic outlook of the country, said Mushimba, owing to the fact that they are characterized by a lot of socio-economic activities like road networks, clinics, markets and schools. He said these clusters also make it easy for small and medium-sized enterprises to set up mobile money kiosks and offer such services to people living in those areas.
“During the maize marketing, when the government announces the fl oor price, you will find that a good number of farmers will access the information via mobile phones.And that is what the government is encouraging through this project,” said Mushimba.
Walter Mischel博士在斯坦福大学附属幼儿园进行了这个实验：4岁孩子坐在桌前，桌上放着一块棉花糖。研究员对孩子说：“我现在要离开房间，如果你在我离开时吃，只可以吃一块。但如果你能等我回来再吃，我会再给你一块。记得哦，如果你在我离开时吃了一块，就没有第二块了。”孩子点点头，然后研究员离开了。15分钟后，研究员再回来。
亲爱的编辑，我一直有个心结，就是我的父母重男轻女，可能这样说比较夸张，但是很多细节都让我心里很不舒服，真的很希望得到公平的爱。
Most people in rural areas had not heard or seen a mobile phone until the government, via Huawei, constructed communications towers in their vicinities during the Phase I project and the bene fi ciary communities include 118 chiefdoms.
“We have two towers in my chiefdom. We thank the government for the gesture but we also need taller ones. We hear they are better and cover a wider area,” said Chief Lumpuma, from the Copperbelt Province.
The days of needing to find high ground to get a network signal is now long gone,said Chief Mpande of Mbala District, Northern Province.
“On many occasions, my people would climb anthills and tall trees just to make a call. But now after the government constructed communications towers, we don't experience that anymore,” he said.
Chinese engagement
Mushimba believes that the continued engagement of Chinese companies such as Huawei will help transform the country's communications landscape, provide a conducive environment for trade within regional blocs, such as the Great Lakes and the Southern African Development Community, and beyond.
共享，不一定是共享经济。我们要知道，共享经济其实是一个资源整合再利用的经济概念，这样的经济思维应该会推动整个社会的发展，不会导致社会风气的紊乱。要正确的理解“共享”和“共享经济”这两者的概念 ，而不是混为一谈。
“Huawei has been an all-weather partner in the development of the communications sector in Zambia. Our close ties with China will undoubtedly go a long way in rejuvenating our young and blossoming economy,” said Mushimba. CA
*Reporting from Zambia
*Comments to niyanshuo@chinafrica.cn