Action
5 May 2006
The Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Radhakrishna Padayachie (Roy),
will visit the Republic of Cuba from 8 to 11 May 2006, where he is expected to
finalise and sign the SA/Cuba Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
programme of action.
The visit comes after an agreement entered into by the South African and
Cuban governments on ICT development in 2003. In the accord, the two countries
agreed to work together on the implementation of ICT programmes in both
countries.
Mr Padayachie will be accompanied by Dr Keith Shongwe, the Deputy
Director-General of Strategic Policy Coordination and Integration in the
Department of Communications and Mr Mokwining Nhlapo, the Chief Operations
Officer of the Presidential National Commission, a body that advises President
Thabo Mbeki on the countryâs information society programme.
Cuba, which has made a number of technological advancements, is a strategic
partner in the implementation of ICTs, and South Africa aims to benefit greatly
from their ICT programmes.
The SA/Cuba ICT agreement provides for the establishment of a Joint
Committee that will identify ICT projects that both countries could implement,
and share experiences.
The visit will also initiate the process to formally establish SA/Cuba ICT
Business Forum.
The Deputy Minister will be accompanied by delegates from the following
private entities that will form part of the pioneering team to explore ways and
means to strengthen SA/Cuba relations in the ICT field.
* South African Broadcasting Corporation,
* Choice Technologies,
* Telezer0,
* Ibhubesi Information Technologies,
* Dimension Data, and
* LTM Cell (Pty) Ltd.
During the visit to Havana, Deputy Minister Padayachie will also oversee the
signing of an agreement between the South African Broadcasting Corporation
(SABC) and the Cuban Institution for Radio and Television (CIRTV), which will
see the two broadcasters embark on exchange and collaboration programmes.
The Deputy Minister is also scheduled to visit the Cuban University of
Informatics and Sciences, which is well known as the Institution for the
Future, this is a unique institution of higher learning that offers both
professional training for young informatics science specialists in Cuba.
The institution also offers studentâs professional experience in secondary
fields that has resulted in the adoption by the UCI of innovative ways of
teaching that meets the highest international standards in research and
development.
Says Deputy Minister Padayachie about the visit to Cuba: âWe are looking
forward to this exchange visit as it builds on a foundation of a longstanding
solidarity that exists between the people of Cuba and South Africa as well as
the respective Governments.â
âWe are eager to take our partnership and collaboration to the next logical
stage in eradicating poverty and accelerating economic development, of
particular importance would be the opportunity that will come out of this visit
to grow the electronic content industry in SA.â
Enquiries: Richard Mantu
Cell: 072 488 1520
Issued by: Department of Communications
5 May 2006
