By Levison Lester
Lilongwe, April 17, Mana: Director General for Smart Africa, Lucina Kone, has called for collective efforts in adopting satellite technologies to address internet connectivity challenges affecting most African countries.
Speaking during the opening meeting of the 13th Smart Africa Council of African Regulators in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Kone said single market connectivity is a big milestone in addressing internet connectivity challenges that have hovered African countries for a numbers of years.
Kone said distribution of cables has made internet connectivity a challenge in most parts of Africa, and as such satellite technology is a great milestone in addressing such anomalies.
"Most African countries are surrounded by internet cables but making these cables move across the continent has been a challenge. We, as Africans, should strive to making sure that these cables should move across the continent so that internet connectivity challenges can be addressed,” Kone said.
Kone has, therefore, urged Council members to be pragmatic in addressing internet connectivity challenges in Africa by enhancing digital collaboration.
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director of Legal Services, Thokozani Chimbe, said resolution projects which Council of African Regulators is undertaking is a great milestone in enhancing digitization.
She said One Africa Network (OAN), which the Council has currently adopted, will help in free data roaming.
Chimbe said exorbitant data charges that Malawians face when accessing internet services can be addressed by utilizing bulky capacity marketplace which Smart Africa is yet to implement.
"Today's meeting is about Council of African Regulators, who are part of Smart Africa, started by the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, some years back to promote harmonization of ICT in Africa. Thus, seeing Africa joining as one in ITC projects.
"The Council would like to see single digital market across Africa. They don't want to see Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda or Nigeria sitting on its own but as one network for Africa bargaining for other things outside Africa which can be bought un bulk,” she said.
Smart Africa Council of African Regulators is expected to hold elections on Thursday where MACRA Director General, Daud Suleman, is vying the post of president.
