REGIONAL INDIC ATIVE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PL AN 3.7 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 5 1 related to ICT. These include the Telecommunication Regulators Association of Southern Africa (TRASA) which is responsible for the harmonisation of ICT legislation in the region, and the Southern Africa Telecommunications 3.7.1 Association (SATA). In 1999, SATA engaged ITU Africa Overview Region to study and identify transmission projects that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is have a substantial regional dimension with a view to creating new dynamics for growth, prosperity and interconnect the SADC member countries with high creation of wealth and has become an essential condition bandwidth backbones like fiber optics, microwave, and for countries and regions to meaningfully integrate into satellite links. the global economy and reap the benefits thereof. In the At the same time an ICT task force set up to look into wake of globalisation, activities and transactions are the e-readiness of Member States made recommen- increasingly being conducted via Internet. It is now dations covering all economic sectors. The Task Force estimated that 60% of the labour force of the developed recommended that mot Member States needed to put in world consist of knowledge-based workers. place the foundations on which an information economy This paradigm shift from the industrial to the digital is built: basic voice telephony, electrification, schools to economy is the very foundation of the new economy. In increase the literacy level. Other Member States were order to derive benefits from the new economy, it is found to have a relatively high literacy level, a fairly imperative for the SADC Region to review and refocus developed banking system, a relatively high per capita development strategies and approaches by aggressively income, a fairly high teledensity, and a good computer using ICT as a catalyst for socio-economic development and penetration per household. These countries could prosperity. There is, therefore, an urgent need for SADC become the drivers of technology in SADC as some of Member States adjust to the new digital environment in them have already enacted legislation for e-commerce, order to maximise the opportunities availed by Internet, and cybercrime. globalisation and minimise the risks associated with it. A SADC ICT plan, which defines the priority intervention areas was prepared to be submitted to the 3.7.2 European Union for funding under the 8th EDF. Review of Current Policies and Strategies The SADC's protocol on Transport, Communications and 3.7.3 Meteorology focuses on the creation of reliable Evaluation of the Policies and Strategies infrastructures in transport and communications to speed SADC's protocol on Transport, Communications, and up development and facilitate trade among Member Meteorology has had a profound impact on the reforms in States. The Protocol represents a commitment by Member the telecommunication sector in SADC. The state-owned States to embark on fundamental reforms in the transport telecommunication companies have progressed towards and communications sectors. To put practical effect to the privatization and are now competing in mobile telephony Protocol and to meet the challenges of the new digital and some telecommunications related services. Most revolution, SADC published a paper - Policy Guidelines on countries now have a regulator in place to address disputes Making ICT a priority in turning SADC into an Information- and to regulate the situation created by competition. Based Economy (November 2000). This was immediately However, the region still has a very low level of followed by the adoption of an ICT Declaration by SADC teledensity and access to basic telephony is still very Heads of State and Government in August 2001. The ICT expensive. This situation does not make the SADC region Declaration is a commitment by Member States to embark attractive to investors and puts the business operators of on in-depth reforms to take maximum advantage of the the region at a disadvantage. new technologies. Although at policy level, Member States have SADC has initiated the creation of specialized demonstrated that there is unanimous consensus to associations to carry on with the operational works adopt ICT as a tool to speed up development (ICT