My Ministry spearheaded the process of formulating the ICT Policy. To facilitate the process, a National Technical Committee comprising experts with varied experience in research and policy analysis, telecommunications, information technology, media as well as legal and regulatory issues was appointed. The team was assisted by an international Consultant who was hired on short term basis.
The policy development process started with the holding of a National ICT Policy Symposium on 25th August 2003 at Intercontinental hotel in Lusaka. The symposium attracted speakers from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Botswana to share experiences on ICT Policy development.
The National Symposium was preceded by syndicate consultations with stakeholders which resulted in the production of the first draft ICT Policy document. The draft was launched on 23rd December 2003 and following the launch the document was subjected to further stakeholder meetings through provincial workshops. This process ended in August 2004.
Thereafter a second draft document was produced and subjected to public scrutiny through internet and print media. After this process a second national stakeholders workshop a third and final draft document was developed reflecting the final views of stakeholders.
The final draft National ICT Policy document was submitted to the Ministry of Communications and Transport and subsequently to Cabinet Office for approval. I wish to pay special tribute to institutions that accepted to provide experts to the national technical team, namely: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services; Ministry of Science, Technology & Vocational Training; Communications Authority Copperbelt University; University of Zambia; ZAMPOST; ZAMTEL; Bankers Association of Zambia;
Computer Association of Zambia; CELTEL; and COMDEV(X) Ltd for website development hosting and other specialised services offered to the Secretariat.
I also want to acknowledge the efforts of my predecessors for initiating the policy development process and co-operating partners in particular the Japanese Government for the pivotal role they played in financing the policy development process. Last but not least I would like to thank the UNDP or the financial and technical assistance for policy development through operational and project management support to the TICAD Secretariat in the Ministry of Communications and Transport. Tribute should also go to the World Bank and USAID who supported specific studies and capacity building to the Ministry respectively.
Finally, I want to thank all the staff in the Ministry who contributed in one way or the other to the successful development of this policy. I look forward to more stakeholder support during the implementation process.
Brig. Gen. Peter Tembo (Rtd)
Permanent Secretary
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
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