MAITLAMO: NATIONAL ICT POLICY

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MAITLAMO NATIONAL ICT POLICY

• A PERSPECTIVE ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR

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TALK ICTs, ENGAGE IN TECHNOLOGY

• THATO KEWAKAE
• CABLING for AFRICA

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The Aim of the ICT Policy

• To provide a clear and compelling road map for
  Botswana to drive social, economic, cultural and
  political transformation, towards National
  development, through the effective use of
  Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

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Private Sector Involvement

• 2001 Initial discussions led by BOTEC and GCB
• 2002 Formation of MCST
• 2003(?)-04 Tender and Policy Formulation
  Processes
• Dec 2004 Consultations with ICT Sector
• May 2005 General Stakeholder Consultation

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EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• The creation of an enabling environment for the
  growth of an ICT industry in the country
•  
• Provision of universal service and access to
  information and communication facilities in the
  country and
•  
• Making Botswana a Regional ICT Hub so as to make
  the countrys service sector globally
  competitive.

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FROM THE DIARY OF MAITLAMO

• May 2005 Stakeholders Forum
• June 2006 Announcement of Further Liberalisation
• July 2006 Stakeholder Conference on Universal
  Access Policy
• September 2006 New Entrants can bid for rural
  level licenses

2005 - 2006
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.FROM THE DIARY OF MAITLAMO

• Rural Telecomms Licenses issued (2007)
• All appropriate government information online
  (Dec 2007)
• Appropriate health facilities connected (Dec
  2008)
• Competition open in all ICT areas (July 2009)
• All Residents have online access to health
  information (Dec 2009)
• P950million should have been spent by around now

2007 - 2009
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.FROM THE DIARY OF MAITLAMO

• Remote health services available countrywide
  (2010)
• All schools and libraries fully connected (2010)
• 50 of citizens have connectivity and power
  access (2010)
• All citizens have access to ICT (2016)

2010 - 2016
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OPPORTUNITIES

• GROWTH ICT SECTOR
• DEVELOPMENT OF BPO AND FINANCIAL/OTHER SERVICES
  OFFERS
• STIMULATION OF SMME BUSINESSES

• TOURISM INDUSTRY
• AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
• e-COMMERCE

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OPPORTUNITIES - ICT Industry

• Liberalisation of the ICT sector
• Privatisation process
• Outsourcing of capacity
• Consultancies
• Training and re-skilling
• Opportunities to partner with multi-nationals
• PPPs

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A Half-Full Glass?

• One-time chance to build a thriving ICT Industry
• Excellent opportunity to for effective
  partnerships
• Capacity building
• Community involvement
• Economic Diversification

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Or is it Half Empty?

• Our implementation track record suggests we
  cannot make it
• Economic retention will be low
• Parachuting in of skills and machinery without
  involvement of communities
• Weak Private Sector

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Factors to Consider

• Botswana wishes to attract FDI by being a good
  citizen of the Global Village
• These measures have to be counter-balanced by
  meaningful citizen ownership of the economy

• There is an abundance of trained unemployed (but
  re-skillable) YOUTH
• Majority WOMEN (breadwinners) must be catered for
• NON-URBAN COMMUNITY direct participation
• SMME sector growth

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Some Success Factors For This Bold Policy

• Strong-willed and visionary leadership to define
  and maintain the environment
• Bold and tenacious entrepreneurs to captain the
  course
• Participating, non-resentful citizens
• A Procurement Process adapted to meet the fast
  paced needs of Maitlamo
• A Fire! Ready! Aim! Attitude

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ALL SHOULDERS TO THE WHEEL

• Maitlamo should not be viewed as a government
  initiative. All sectors including the private
  sector, and NGOs have a critical role to play

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THANK YOU

• thato_at_cfa.bw