The government of Malawi is set to start implementing policies aimed at supporting the country’s telecommunication and ICT sector
This follows President Joyce Banda’s pledge to support the ICT sector during her inaugural state of the nation address in parliament.
In her statement, President Banda identified 12 areas where her government would concentrate on including supporting the creation of a telecommunication information and technology platform that will integrate, security, banking and insurance, taxation, deeds office, immigration, courts, traffic licensing, business registration, national register, education and health sectors.
“The global community has become an information society thriving on generation, sharing and utilisation of up-to-date knowledge in all spheres of life,” President Banda said.
Last year former Malawian president, the Late Mbingu wa Mutharika told parliament Malawi had made great strides in information technology.
“Therefore, Government continues to place priority on the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a key factor in the development of our economy,” he said.
The policies would reflect on the 2012 survey by International Telecommunications Union (ITU) named Trend in Telecommunication Reform. The survey named government initiatives as crucial to the growth of the ICT sector in Africa.
ITU in March this year had also pledged to help the Malawian ICT sector by connecting the country’s rural areas with Internet.
