Issued by Government Communication Information System
12 June 2000
A memorandum of understanding between South Africa, Kenya and Uganda which could serve as the basis for strengthening co-operation in post, telecommunications and broadcasting sectors to enhance business and investment opportunities, is on the cards. This is according to Communications Minister Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri who has just returned from a five-day East Africa working trip where she held talks with her counter-parts.
Reflecting on the meetings with her Kenyan counterpart, WN Mudavadi and the Ugandan Minister of Works, Housing and Communications, John Nasasira, Dr Matsepe-Casaburri has described the meetings as "extremely fruitful". Kenya is South Africa's largest trading partner on the continent, outside the SADC region, while Uganda also another important economic player. Given the role of the ICT sector in the new economy, these two countries - which are outside the SADC region - are important for Africa's development because of their experience.
Among key issues explored by Dr Matsepe-Casaburri and her Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts to be included in the memorandum of understanding were:
· Issues of connectivity in Africa.
· Collaboration between policy-makers and regulators.
· Rural communication.
· Staff exchange programmes.
· Human resource development and training.
· Postal security.
As chairperson of the Ministerial Oversight Committee, Minister Matsepe-Casaburri also briefed ministers on communications initiatives on the African continent, including the African Connection. The Ministerial Oversight Committee was set up by a Resolution on the 1998 Pan African Telecommunications Union (now African Telecommunications Union) Conference of Plenipotentiaries to oversee the implementation of the Union's Strategic Plan, the African Connection. South Africa was elected to chair this committee.
The Minister also attended the Southern Africa Transport and Communications Commission Committee (SATCC) of Ministers conference in Zanzibar, at which she successfully pushed for a special SADC meeting of communications and broadcasting ministers in the region. The planned meeting is to be held in Malawi.
This resolution followed noting by the SATCC of the challenges of convergence facing the telecommunications and broadcasting technologies. The conference also noted that in many countries broadcasting and telecommunications were located in different ministries.
ISSUED: BRIAN SOKUTU
MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON