BOTSWANA

STATEMENT BY Hon. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi
the Minister of Communications Science and Technology

Mr Chairman,

The Government of Botswana would like to add its voice to those that have already congratulated you, Chairman, on your election to lead this Conference. You have no doubt a mammoth task to accomplish over the next three weeks and Botswana is confident that you will perform it to the best of your ability.

Similarly, allow me to extend my warm regards and that of my delegation to the Government of Turkey for a hospitable reception in this great Country, and in particular the beautiful city of Antalya.

In 2002, the Government of Botswana created my Ministry primarily to turn Botswana into an information and knowledge based economy. The Ministry would achieve this goal by formulating relevant ICT, Research Science and Technology policies as well as by coordinating their implementation through national, regional and global collaborative efforts that harness local resources, talent and innovation.

The major challenges of the relatively new Ministry include the:

• establishment of the national communications network,

• provısıon of sufficient and cost effectıve international connectivity,

• liberalization of telecommunications and postal services in order to broaden access,

• implementation of e-government,

• re-tooling of the research, science and technology environment and,

• development of the media environment.

I am pleased to report that we have made significant inroads in all of the areas I have just highlighted. In addition, Botswana has made inroads in the ICT landscape with fixed line subscribers numbering 134 375 or 7.7% teledensity whilst mobile subscribers reached 945 288 or 54.24% teledensity as at August 2006 for a population of approximately 1.8 million.

However, worthy of a specific mention today is the Government’s announcement in June 2006 of the decision to further liberalise the Botswana telecommunications market. The highlights of this announcement included the following:

• lifting the restriction on the provision of VoIP by value-added network service providers by 1 August 2006

• allowing mobile operators to start self providing (transmission links) by 1 August 2006

• allowing current fixed line and cellular operators to apply for service neutral licences by 1 September 2006

• providing for new entrants to tender for service neutral rural/ district level licenses by 1 September 2009

• liberalisation of the international voice gateway by 1 October 2006

• requiring the fixed line operator Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) to attain a satisfactory level of tariff rebalancing by December 2007

• Implementation of the privatisation of BTC with effect from 21st June 2006; and

• the establishment of a Universal Service Fund to which the Botswana Telecommunications Authority has contributed 10 Million Pula (about USD1.58 Million) as seed funding.

My Government has already constituted a divestiture reference committee to drive the privatisation of the ıncumbent fıxed lıne operator and a process to recruit a transaction advisor has been initiated.

Finally, the Government of Botswana is concluding a study on universal service and access with a view to taking communication services to the rural areas by introducing a new class of license for rural underserved districts. The Government of Botswana will be issuing tenders for rural underserved district licences in the first half of 2007.

I thank you for your attention.