President Mnangagwa giving his speech in Victoria Falls
By Dickson Bandera | Victoria Falls – June 18, 2025
President Emmerson Mnangagwa this Wednesday officially opened the 28th Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) General Conference in Victoria Falls, calling on African nations to embrace digital technology in archival management and intensify efforts to reclaim cultural artifacts and archives looted during colonial rule.
Delivering his keynote address to regional delegates and information experts, president Mnangagwa emphasized the urgent need to make archives more accessible and inclusive.
“This year’s conference theme, ‘Archives are Accessible – Archives for Everyone’, is apt and highlights the need to also ensure that archives are accessible and valuable to all, not just specialised researchers or historians,” he said. “This is in sync with Zimbabwe’s development mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.”
The president called on stakeholders to ensure grassroots communities are included in archival efforts, stressing that “we all have the shared responsibility to manage, preserve and protect our heritage.”
President Mnangagwa also urged African nations to use modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to modernize and secure their archival systems.
“Our archival institutions and professionals must navigate the digital space, while guaranteeing that access and security of archival collections is enhanced,” he said. “Although paper records will persist… technological tools are required to help businesses efficiently manage their records.”
He revealed that Zimbabwe is already implementing an Electronic Document and Records Management System aimed at improving efficiency in managing public sector records.
On cultural sovereignty, president Mnangagwa delivered a passionate appeal for the return of African heritage taken during colonialism.
“Africa has a duty to tell its story, recount our history and preserve our own culture, ourselves,” he said. “The narratives peddled from quarters external to the continent must be corrected, while all illegally transferred cultural artifacts returned to us, its rightful owners.”
He continued: “This Conference must heighten our legitimate demand for the Western World to return the artifacts and archives to us, their legitimate owners.”
Zimbabwe, along with other African nations, has been lobbying for the return of cultural heritage items held in museums and libraries in Europe. The President encouraged academics and the media to “continue interrogating the matter until all migrated archives are accurately accounted for.”
President Mnangagwa also warned of the risks posed by climate change and cyber insecurity to archival infrastructure, urging the sector to adopt sustainability measures and update policy frameworks.
“Climate change, including adverse weather conditions and other natural disasters, is one of the greatest contemporary threats to archival repositories,” he said. “On our part, Zimbabwe is committed to adopt sustainable practices that mitigate the impact of climate change in line with our international obligations.”
The conference, being hosted in the picturesque city of Victoria Falls under the theme “Archives are Accessible – Archives for Everyone”, brings together archival professionals from across Eastern and Southern Africa to share ideas, strengthen cooperation, and discuss strategies for preserving Africa’s memory in the digital age.
President Mnangagwa further urged the continent to foster understanding the role of archives in order to shape positive narratives for the African continent.
“Let us invest in fostering an understanding of the role archives play in shaping contemporary narratives about the history of our peoples and countries, and what we can achieve, working together, in the future.”
The ESARBICA conference is tackling key issues including digital transformation, repatriation of archives, and community involvement in heritage preservation.
