2025 IMDC Convener, Professor Inga Koryagina, Calls for Africa’s Technological Sovereignty.

Professor Inga Koryagina, The esteemed Head of International Development for Russia-Africa cooperation, delivered a powerful and thought-provoking address during the official opening of the 2025 International Multidisciplinary Conference, where she served as the Conference Convener.

Speaking to scholars, innovators, policymakers, and development practitioners, Professor Koryagina issued what she described as an urgent call for Zambia and the African continent to undergo a “critical system update.” Her address challenged Africa to rethink its position in the global digital and technological landscape.

She further emphasized that Africa must move beyond being a passive consumer of imported technologies and instead become a creator of sovereign, home-grown solutions.

“Zambia and Africa must shift from being users of imported technology to becoming creators of sovereign solutions,” she stated.

She stressed that technological independence is not merely about access to tools, but about ownership of innovation, local problem-solving capacity, and the ability to design systems that respond directly to African realities.

Central to her keynote was the concept of the “Human Operating System” (Human OS), which she described as the core software of a nation’s future. According to Professor Koryagina, a country’s progress is ultimately driven by the collective mindset, skills, critical thinking, and innovative capacity of its people.

She warned that without a sovereign and adaptive Human OS, nations risk remaining perpetual data suppliers in a global digital economy dominated by others.

“Without a sovereign human operating system, nations risk remaining perpetual data suppliers in a global digital economy,” she cautioned.

Professor Koryagina further highlighted the need to embed green code and sustainable skills at the foundational level of education, leadership, and innovation. She argued that critical thinking and adaptability must become standard features of Africa’s development strategy, especially in an era defined by climate change, digital transformation, and rapid technological disruption.

She underscored that actionable progress always outperforms theoretical perfection, urging participants to focus on practical, implementable solutions rather than abstract ideas.

As Convener, Professor Koryagina praised the Zambia Research and Development Centre for hosting what she described as a visionary and cooperative innovation environment. She explained that the 2025 International Multidisciplinary Conference was intentionally designed to breach disciplinary and geographical borders, bringing together diverse fields through sessions, exhibitions, and collaborative engagements.

“We are here to write new code together,” she said, emphasizing collective innovation.

Professor Inga Koryagina’s opening address set a bold and transformative tone for the conference, positioning Africa not as a follower in global innovation, but as a co-author of future technologies and systems. Her leadership as Convener reinforced the conference’s mission: to empower African thinkers, researchers, and innovators to design solutions that are sovereign, sustainable, and people-centred.

The 2025 International Multidisciplinary Conference stands as a platform where new ideas are not only discussed, but coded into action, guided by the vision articulated by Professor Koryagina.