Mnangagwa Govt Getting Facial Recognition Technology From China

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is reported to be importing mass facial recognition technology from China. The Global Times reports that the technology will be used by the government to produce intelligent security applications as well as a smart financial network to combat robberies and shootings. The technology is being supplied by a Chinese company called Cloudwalk. Cloudwalk will also help Zimbabwe to build a national facial database. The technology is part of China’s Belt and Road initiative where China will be supplying artificial intelligence (AI) technology to Africa.

Shen Xiaolei, an associate research fellow at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies in Beijing said,

Zimbabwe has been suffering social security issues, including robberies and shootings, so the system could help in this area. Cooperation between China and Zimbabwe is mainly on mines, agriculture, road construction and tourism. Science and technology is not yet a priority.

More: Global Times