The SADC Parliamentary Forum which brought together about 100 participants from Parliaments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and local information and communication technology (ICT) experts started on a high note this morning.
Speaker of Parliament’s National Assembly, Mr Max Sisulu emphasised in his opening address that it was imperative to extend technology to geographically remote and poor communities to enable them to access Parliaments.
“Parliaments must play an active role in ensuring that regulatory frameworks are in place to ensure access to technology,” he said.
Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum Dr Esau Chiviya, who delivered the keynote address, spoke extensively about how ICT had become a tool that increased opportunities for Parliaments to fulfil their oversight and legislative mandates.
Dr Chiviya urged Members of Parliament to fulfil their roles by:
* passing legislative and regulatory frameworks that addressed the ICT needs of their countries
* monitoring government and implementing agencies to ensure that policies and strategies are put in place to provide access to the internet for all
* Monitoring implementation of ICT policies to ensure they contributed to national and regional goals.
Today’s conference proceedings had the following highlights:
* The digital divide between urban and rural areas is a serious challenge in all SADC countries and Africa
* Access to technology is a problem even in urban areas with infrastructure being a key problem prohibiting internet access from anywhere
* Modern ICT is often unaffordable for most people in Africa
* English literacy is a problem, as English is the main language of ICT
* Access to electricity and other developmental issues are a problem, particularly in rural areas
* There is a need to harmonise policies among SADC member states and to ensure that there is political will and there are champions for ICT in the region.
The three-day conference is exploring how Parliaments can speed up the adoption of ICT laws to increase access to information and how ICT can be used to make Parliaments more accessible to citizens.
Participants will also discuss internet governance and getting Africa-specific issues onto the global development and internet governance agenda.
For more information contact:
Nolizwi Magwagwa
Cell: 071 620 6868
Tel: 021 403 2465
Issued by: Parliament of South Africa
13 October 2009
Source: Parliament of South Africa (http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/index.php)
