Minister in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS), Siyabonga Cwele, is part of the South African delegation attending the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) taking place in Mexico.
In a statement, the DTPS says the IGF is an opportunity for the minister, together with his counterpart, to discuss issues around Internet governance and how to close the digital divide between developed and emerging economies.
Now in its 11th year, the IGF is a multiparty forum that is held under the auspices of the United Nations.
According to the department, the forum brings together governments, regulators, private sector, Internet service providers and civil society members from around the world.
"South Africa's participation is informed by the outcomes of the National IGF meeting that was held in September 2016 and the African IGF meeting that was hosted by the South African government in partnership with the African Union in October 2016."
As part of the visit, Cwele is scheduled to meet his Mexican counterpart, the Mexican telecoms regulator, Mexican operators, as well as the Mexican telecoms sector industry chamber, the department says.
SA's recently published National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper, which proposes a wireless open access network (WOAN) for spectrum allocation, is modelled on nations like Rwanda and Mexico.
Countries such as Russia and Kenya have abandoned their WOAN plans, but Mexico is in the process of licensing and launching its WOAN.
"The meetings are aimed at sharing information and best practices in implementing information and communications policies in a manner that ensures socio-economic inclusion, universal access and lowering the costs of communications," notes the DTPS statement.
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