While ICT is set to take centre stage in the development of the continent, many challenges still lie ahead, says the Department of Communications (DOC).
The department is set to host the African Union Communications Ministers' Conference, which will see ICT ministers from across Africa meet to discuss the role of technology in development.
The AU extraordinary conference will be held in November and will focus on the ICT policy environment, infrastructure development, Internet and cyber security, capacity-building, promoting local content and heritage, innovation and research and development in Africa.
Deputy communications minister Dina Pule states that, while ICT will be highlighted as key to economic development, countries have to address the challenges first.
“There are economic and financial constraints in many countries on the African continent to make ICT universally accessible and which are hampering their growth and development.”
The minister adds the conference will look at creating partnerships between developed countries, international development agencies, private companies and governments on the continent to deliver on these goals.
Pule also notes infrastructure development and ICT growth and development have become key.
“There is close correlation between broadband connectivity and economic development. Investment in ICT infrastructure to make the Internet and other ICTs accessible and affordable to as many citizens as possible in Africa is not a luxury, but a prerequisite to accelerate economic, social, cultural and other aspects,” says Pule.
Some progress
Earlier this month, Pule attended a workshop on the harmonisation of ICT policy and regulatory frameworks. Held at the recent AU Bureau meeting of communications ministers, workshops were held with various stakeholders to discuss challenges and share best practices. The focus of the meeting was on creating an enabling environment for ICT growth and development.
The DOC reports that reform processes were discussed, as well as the liberalisation of ICT markets across the continent. Participating countries noted the need to establish autonomous regulatory institutions, which would regulate converged ICT in the broadcasting, telecoms, postal and Internet Protocol-based services.
The workshop also identified the rapid growth of the ICT sector as a key concern. The solution lay in more proactive roles by governments and stakeholders, the DOC reported. Communication ministries from the various countries were called on to continuously adapt converged policy and regulatory frameworks, while accelerating the implementation of these technologies.
While no major decisions were made at the workshops, the DOC states countries also considered the management of Internet-critical resources and discussed the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.
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