REGIONAL INDIC ATIVE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PL AN of national programs and act as a continuous resource for the development of the SADC knowledge society and knowledge based economy; • • • • Support key ICT research institutions, universities 6 1 TARGETS Target 1: Review the 1996 Telecommunications Protocol and the Broadcasting protocol to accommodate the wider perspectives of Information and other educational institutions through cheaper and Communications Technologies (ICT) by 2005. and faster internet access and partnerships with Target 2: Submit a request for funding SADC ICT plan more advanced counterparts; to the EU for approval by 2004. Develop strategies which promote mass E-literacy Target 3: Assist Member States in developing a and create a self-sustaining culture of ICT use and national integrated ICT policy and strategic plan as development; specified in the SADC ICT guidelines by 2005. Develop strategies and actions that ensure the Target 4: Convene a preparatory SADC ICT Forum in diffusion and use of ICT in service delivery at all levels 2004 to define SADC's position on the final work of social and economic development. plan of the World Summit on Information Society Implement high level training programmes for SADC policymakers and regulators. This will include training for trainers programs in ICT in partnership with the private sector. (WSIS) which will take place in Tunis 2005. Encourage full participation of SADC Member States in all preparatory meetings and the first WSIS meeting scheduled for December 2003 in Geneva. Target 5: Develop SADC model legislative provisions (MLP) or guidelines on pertinent ICT issues to clearly Sectoral ICT Applications define the digital landscape. An e-commerce MLP is • Promote the use of ICT across all sectors as a tool to scheduled to be completed by 2004. increase efficiency and productivity. Some critical Target 6: Develop an ICT performance index and areas where ICT is required are: standards to facilitate cross-country e-readiness Applications to support e-education - ICT applications comparisons by 2005. for formal education (primary and secondary) and Target 7: Facilitate dialogs between ICT stakeholders tertiary education via seminars and forums 2004-2006 • • Applications to support e-health - ICT applications for preventive and curative Health • Applications to support development and promotion of Tourism - ICT applications to promote regional cultural, 4.7 ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT heritage and tourism growth and development • Applications to support development in Agriculture ICT Applications for poverty alleviation through Agriculture and Fishing • Applications to support e-commerce - increase the region's small and medium sized firms' participation in global trade by exploiting the opportunities offered • 4.7.1 Introduction SADC Member States have committed themselves to integrated and sustainable development as reflected by the Treaty establishing the organization, and their active participation in the negotiations and ratification of major Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). To this through the development of electronic commerce. end, the SADC Region has endeavoured to put in place Applications to support e-government – The appli- mechanisms for the implementation of MEAs such as the cation of ICT in the public sector must go through a United nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process of re-engineering to ensure that existing (UNFCCC); United Nations Convention to Combat inefficiencies are eliminated and the citizens' interest Desertification (UNCCD); United Nations Convention on are the focal point. Biological Diversity (CBD); Basel/Bamako Convention;