Date: 30/04/2003
Source: Ministry of Communications
Title: Matsepe-Casaburri: Report on official visit to India


REPORT ON THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA, BY THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, DR IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI, 30 April 2003

I have just returned from a week-long visit to India from 21 April to 27 April 2003

I was accompanied by senior officials from the Department of Communications, representatives from portfolio organisations and a business delegation from both the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.

We met a wide range of officials and business people from the telecommunications, broadcasting and multimedia sectors during our visit that took us to the cities of Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and New Delhi and outlying areas. We visited information and communications technologies companies, broadcasting and multimedia companies, including those involved in animation and those that have succeeded in developing local content.

Particular emphasis was placed on the development of SMMEs and how India has managed to sustain new businesses through their incubator programmes. We learnt about the policies of India in these sectors and the ways in which they have been used to develop projects that would become international leaders and experts in specific IT related areas and in multimedia as well as for the benefits of rural people in particular. We were overwhelmed at the enthusiasm expressed by our hosts and the high attendance and keen attention of Indian business at all the business seminars that were organised by NASSCOM and FICCI.

We believe that there are opportunities that exist for South African business in India and that India can learn from us about our policies especially in the areas of convergence and in providing a regulatory framework around mergers and acquisitions. In the process of sharing our experience and knowledge with India, we also believe that our Indian counterparts can assist us in reaching our developmental goals especially in rural areas and in creating sustainable SMMEs. India has particular strengths in software development that we would like to benefit from through joint exercises.

I also met with my ministerial counterparts in India and I would like to point out that there was a great deal of synergy between us as we pledged to work together through setting up working groups as a matter of urgency. The working groups will be in a number of areas, including:

(i) Postal,
(ii) ICT,
(iii) Broadcasting, film and television.

The working groups will consist of both officials and non-officials from both countries, so that we ensure that there are tangible benefits to communities as a result of our efforts. We will set up benchmarks so as to measure the progress we have made and monthly reports will be provided.

I am confident that concrete actions will emerge through this South African-Indian partnership, which must be a glowing example of South-South co-operation. The historic, political and cultural links between our two countries from the time of Gandhi to the present must be further renewed through strengthening our economic ties especially in modern information technologies. This partnership reflects our commitment as South Africa to forging links between developing countries for our mutual benefit, for the interests of Africa as a whole and for a better world.

Issued by Ministry of Communications
30 April 2003