
Following the first stakeholder engagement workshop held in Lusaka in July 2023, SMART Zambia Institute (SZI) brought together national and international stakeholders for a second workshop held in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, on 13 October 2023. The workshop was made possible thanks to funding from ITU and the Government of Norway through the Project “Boosting Digital Skills through Digital Transformation Centres” and was conducted with the support of ITU and Cisco. It aimed to maximise engagement and foster collaborative efforts among stakeholders to contribute to the effective implementation of the DTC Initiative in Zambia. Representatives of 14 potential stakeholder institutions from the Government, the private sector (including telecommunication companies), Academia, and civil society organizations, shared feedback on how to address existing challenges through strategic partnerships and increased stakeholder involvement. Discussion outcomes included the decision to establish training centres in local markets through the Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA) in Lusaka, and to establish a local centre at the District Commissioners office in Lusaka. As a way forward, SZI will continue to work closely with prospective local training centres on the appointment of Digital Ambassadors to ensure community mobilisation through awareness-raising campaigns.