DEVELOPMENT OF A
REGIONAL ICT STRATEGY FOR COMESA
The Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has been implementing the ICT
Policy and Regulatory Harmonization Programme which aims at promoting investments in the
ICT sector of the sub-region for economic and social development. As one of the outcomes
of the Programme, the ICT Policy and Model Bill for COMESA was adopted in March 2003 and
member States are in the process of integrating them into the regulatory frameworks at the
national level. The ICT Policy and Model Bill provides a framework for institutional,
regulatory and policy changes that need to be made over a period of time to achieve the
ICT development through the liberalization of markets and other forms of private sector
participation, such as investment. The ultimate goal of the Bill is to position the
sub-region at the cutting edge of the global Information Society. To facilitate the
achievement of the aim, policy guidelines, regulatory guidelines and strategies are being
developed to address issues in specific fields. However, in order to cover the whole ICT
sector and various perspectives, COMESA decided to establish a COMESA regional e-strategy
in collaboration with ECA, within which the ICT Policy and Model Bill constitutes a part.
The main objectives of the development of an e-strategy at COMESA include the promotion of
ICT usage for regional economic integration, enhancement of connectivity and access to ICT
services among and within the member States and development of applications and content
for the sub-region, while encouraging public-private partnerships.
The e-strategy will cover all major aspects of e-applications including e-government,
e-commerce, e-education, e-health, e-agriculture etc. It will also, where relevant,
address policy, legislation, regulation, resources and other issues referred to in the ICT
Policy and Model ICT Bill as well as other issues relevant to the implementation which
have not been touched upon in the Policy and Model Bill. |
