The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has pledged to support the growth of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a priority sector due to the role that it plays in enabling development and regional integration.
ZANIS reports that COMESA Assistant Secretary General-Programmes, Mohamed Kadah, says this is why the COMESA’s strategic plan under the telecommunications /ICT sector is focused on achieving digital transformation through various policy, infrastructure and digital regulations.
Ambassador Kadah said this in Lusaka today in a speech read for him by COMESA Director of Infrastructure Bernard Dzawanda, during the opening of the 5th Project Steering Committee Meeting for Enhancement of Governance and Enabling Environment in ICT (EGEE-ICT) programme.
He explained that the ICT sector has a number of benefits that support global development such as economic growth, reduction of poverty, improved governance and environmental sustainability among others.
He however, expressed concern that access to ICT services has remained low with only 37 percent (%) of the people using the internet in the COMESA region compared to the global average of 67% as of 2023.
Dr Kadah said this is an indication that there is need for deliberate efforts and approaches to be put in place to ensure that ICT services are available to as many people as possible.
He noted that initiatives such as EGEE-ICT programmes are therefore important for the COMESA and the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa, and Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) region in order to achieve the objectives of the digital transformation.
Dr Kadah further thanked the European Union for providing a grant of about 8million euros towards the implementation of the programme in the last four year.
