Digital Engagement (content)

An Approach in a New Country

IAD 12th Annual Summit, The Kairaba Beach Hotel; – Banjul

The Republic of the Gambia

Date 25th – 27th March 2014

by Eng. Baranya T. Chaplin

Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services

The Republic of South Sudan

Statement by H.E. President, Silva Kiir Mayardit:

“Recognizing the importance of communications & ICTs in wealth generation, job creation, poverty alleviation, and citizen’s access to government services, and the fact that the bulk majority of our populace live in rural areas, it is incumbent upon us to evolve strategies to expand communications services to the rural areas. The obvious key challenges include suitable infrastructure and services for all forms of communications, including telecommunications”.

Policy and Regulatory Legal frameworks in place Communication Sector Policy, 2013 – 2018

espouses a liberalized market

4 Licensed GSM, 1 CDMA Operators &11 ISPs

International Media Gateway completed (by Gov.)

Plans to lay Fiber Optic Cable from Juba to Mombasa tabled

Plans for E-Government network on process

Currently Government Has Core VSAT Backbone

An overview

Vision:

An inclusive, empowered, dynamic and prosperous ICT-anchored nation that is an active participant in the Global Information Society

Mission:

To facilitate access to reliable and affordable communications devices, services and benefits in the country by creating an enabling policy and regulatory environment

Vision & Mission

To promote the development and application of ICT, through the implementation of facilitative and harmonised policies, with a view to achieving the widest use and access to information throughout South Sudan within 5 years.

Our strategic goals are to:• Facilitate economic growth, sustainable

development & wealth creation • Improve quality of life of citizens through better

education, improved health services & job creation

• Create an engine for socio-economic development

Strategic Gold

Strategic Objectives The Government recognizes the role that the

Communication Sector plays in the economy in terms of employment & investment opportunities especially for those engaged in SMEs and will incorporate ICT in the overall development policy framework and prioritize ICT as a key driver in terms of resource allocation.

Our strategic objectives are to:

• Establish a national communication sector strategy & plan.

• Deepen sensitization and capacity building of policy makers and planners on the critical role of communication in development.

Communication Sector Policy Framework

2013 a review of the Telecommunications and Postal Services Sector Policy Framework and Work Plan 2008 was necessitated by the need to:

• Align the policy to the national goals, priorities and objectives;

• Provide a policy and regulatory framework to guide the development of the Communications Sector.

Regulatory Framework:

National Com. Act, 2012 specifies the establishment of an independent regulator to be known as the National Communication Authority which shall have corporate personality, a corporate seal and the right to sue and be sued

.

Policy Implementation Approach

Institutional Arrangements: Stakeholders & Actors:-

Government Private Sector Civil Society & General Public Academia & Research Institutions Development Partners

Proposed Institutions:- Transitional Arrangement

The policy has provided organizational structure comprising the Ministry’s mainstream technical directorates and the proposed independent institutions necessary for the effective delivery of communication services.

During transition, the directorates will continue to backstop/perform functions that are to be undertaken by the proposed institutions until legal framework setting up such institutions is in place.

Institutions – Role of Government:-

Develop & oversee policies and strategies to manage & stimulate growth of Communication Sector

Develop, coordinate and oversee implementation of the Policy

Develop and implement e-Government ICT strategy

Oversee capacity building programmes for Gov.

Specific Role of Govt Institutions:-

ICT Agency

• Coordination of policy implementation in conjunction with the

Ministry, government institutions, etc.

• Liaison with the Government Gateway, the National Network

Operations Centre (NOC).

• Managing the National Data/Information Centre (NDC/NIC)

• Housing the E-Government Secretariat.

• Housing the Cyber Emergency Response Team

(CERT)/Cyber-security centre/ICT Emergency response] 

Institutions – Other Main Actors:-

• Role of the Private Sector:

• Main investor and developer of the info-economy system

• Participate in provision of universal service/access

• Develop the sector with efficiency, credibility, commercial

integrity and good corporate governance

• Provide quality and sustainable service with choices to

consumers

Institutions – Other Main Actors:-

Role of the Civil Society:• Inform the policy making process through relevant

contributions in regard to ICT access, poverty reduction, e-Governance, citizen participation …

• Assist Govt to understand the needs of society better & help integrate public voices in the policy process

Role of Development Partners: Technical & financial support and assistance (e.g.

in development of incubators, capacity building, business networking, etc)

The Government Private Partners in the provision of

Infrastructure and Service

Apart from the Licensed Telecom Operators, there are also a Host of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), VSAT Operators, Courier Companies and TV & Radio Broadcasting Providers,

Core ICT Tools

1. Broadcasting Media a) radiob) TVc) Cell phones

2. Mobile phones a) voice, videob) text/SMS messages (data )

3. Computersa) Internet b) Internet portals

The Cell Phone Revolution Era

(Convergence of the Core ICT Tools)

Conclusion Alan Cohen, a famous innovative

entrepreneur in the US once stated:

“There are two kinds of people in the world: those who make excuses and those who get results. An excuse person will find any excuse for why a job was not done, and a results person will find any reason why it can be done.”

LET US BE RESULT ORIENTED AND COLLECTIVELY DEVELOP OUR PEOPLE.

TM

The Republic of South Sudan

• 193rd Member Country of the UN• 54th Member Country of the AU• 193rd Member Country of the ITU• Member of CTO, PAPU and others to come

Coming from Far and is Going Far

Journey to Independence

9th July 2011

ThanksMarci

ShoranTel: +211 928 181 214

E-mail: baranya.jibi@gmail.com Website: Website: www.motps.org.

The End