SADC Prepares for Home and Away Service

SWAKOPMUND - The delivery of effective and efficient service that meets the universal criteria of accessibility and affordability has the capacity to stimulate development and assist SADC to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including drastic reduction of poverty in the region.

This view was expressed by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Joel Kaapanda, when he officially opened a three-day Southern African Development Community (SADC) conference for ministers responsible for telecommunication and postal, information and communication technology.

The conference ended on Friday at Swakopmund. He told around 80 delegates that the development of the telecommunication, postal and information communication technology (ICT) sectors is central to regional development and integration.

“The meeting today is aimed at directing development priorities that will ensure growth of the sector, with the ultimate aim of reducing the digital divide and give citizens of SADC an opportunity to become part of the information society.”

Speaking in the presence of all SADC ICT members, Kaapanda informed them that the burning point is still the home and away roaming service that has been on the agenda since 2007.

“I am delighted to note that progress has been made in this area, and that a regional alliance task team has been established to drive this initiative.”

The SADC Home and Away Service is currently in the hands of stakeholders in the region led by CRASA, the SADC Secretariat and SATA, to investigate the possibilities and define the modalities of introducing the SADC Home and Away Service, thereby reducing the extremely high international roaming charges and boosting the take-up challenges and accessibility.

In the meantime, three regional meetings were held that discussed the possible introduction of the SADC Home and Away Roaming Service. Ministers at the meeting were informed that an Alliance Task Team (RATT) was formed comprising of representatives of the Secretariat, GSM Mobile operators, CRASA, SATA, and the SADC Parliamentary Forum as an observer, to assist with the advocacy role and look into possibilities and options towards the introduction of SADC Home and Away Roaming services in the region.

The ministers noted that the implementation should be within a period of 18 months from July 2009. “I do hope that the team will succeed in implementing this service by early 2011, and that regulators will contribute financially to make this project a reality,” Kaapanda informed his counterparts.

He said another priority issue for the region is the e-SADC initiative that will help member states to address the challenges of convergence and the harmonization of ICT infrastructure, services and indicators, and to promote ICT usage for regional economic integration, enhancement of connectivity and access to IT services within and among member states.

Kaapanda said the importance of this initiative cannot be over-emphasized, and that all forces should be harnessed to ensure that the study and the actual implementation get off the ground as soon as possible.

The strategy, the house was informed, shall also address all major aspects of e-applications such as e-governance, e-parliament, e-commerce, e-education, e-health, e-agriculture and content development whilst encouraging pubic private partnerships.

The strategy shall where relevant, address policy, legislation, regulation, resources and other issues as cited in the respective ICT policies. Ministers were informed that the appointment of a consulting company is currently being done by UNECA to undertake the initial phase of the e-SADC Strategy.

The minister noted that some member states, including Namibia, are still grappling with the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.“South Africa recently became the first country to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting.”

He noted that the switch was not without headaches. “Being members of the same regional family, I hope that South Africa is willing to share its experiences and best practices with other member states to allow us to learn from them. I am encouraged that there is a proposal on the table for SADC to adopt a switch-off date of year 2013 to allow us all to address challenges in year 2014 and up to mid-year 2015, so that we are ready as a region for the universal switchover in 2015.”

The ministers did consider a number of issues at the meeting that will impact positively on the region if pursued with vigour and implemented accordingly.

Southern African Development Community member countries are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.