ZAMBIA

STATEMENT BY MR Peter TEMBO
Permanent Secretary, MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

MR CHAIRMAN,
MINISTERS OF COMMUNICATIONS,
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ITU
DISTINGUISHED HEADS OF DELEGATIONS
DELEGATES

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA I EXTEND WARM GREETINGS FROM HE THE PRESIDENT MR LEVY PATRICK MWANAWASA,SC AND THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA.

I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS TO THANK THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF TURKEY FOR THE WARM HOSPITALITY MY DELEGATION AND I HAS ENJOYED SINCE OUR ARRIVAL IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF ANTALYA.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU MR. CHAIRMAN ON YOUR ELECTION TO THIS AUGUST HOUSE.

ZAMBIA IS COMMITTED TO THE IDEALS OF ITU AND THE WORLD SUMMIT OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY. THE COUNTRY HAS MAINSTREAMED THE WSIS IDEALS INTO ITS ICT POLICY AND ITS FIFTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 2006-2011. IT IS ALSO THE INTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO MAINSTREAM INTERNET GOVERNANCE INTO ITS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF THE ICT POLICY.

ZAMBIA RECOGNIZES THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT ROLE ICT PLAYS AS A FACILITOR OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, IN THIS RESPECT THE COUNTRY CONTINUES TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL ICT INITIATIVES THROUGH COMMONWEALTH, SADC, COMESA AND THE AFRICAN TELECOMUNICATION UNION WHERE WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL.

MR CHAIRMAN OUR TELECOMMUNICATION MARKET IS LIBERALIZED. THE COUNTRY HAS LICENSED THREE MOBILE PHONE OPERATORS AND NUMEROUS OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS. THESE REFORMS HAVE RESULTED IN A POSITIVE GROWTH IN THE AREAS OF MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS WHICH HAS GROWN THREEFOLD SINCE 1994, THE COUNTRY HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO REGISTER EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN THE INTERNET SERVICES WHICH INCLUDE PURE-PLAY WIRELESS BROADBAND AND OTHER VALUE ADDED SERVICES. CURRENTLY ZAMBIA IS WORKING ON IMPROVING ITS PRO BUSINESS LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK TO FURTHER ACCELERATE THE INTENSITY OF PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION. IN THIS REGARD, WE ANTICIPATE TRIALS OF THE THIRD GENERATION SERVICES IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANT ROLE ICT PLAYS IN DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS. SEVERAL STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN E-GOVERNMENT IN MINISTRIES AND OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS AND. AREAS WHICH ARE ADVANCED INCLUDE MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, LAND APPLICATION AND ALLOCATION, NATIONAL AND VOTER REGISTRATION AND IMMIGRATION. IT IS THE DESIRE OF GOVERNMENT TO MAKE E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES FULLY AVAILABLE BY THE END OF FIFTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN 2011.

PLANS HAVE REACHED AN ADVANCED STAGE IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NATIONAL WIDE FIBER OPTIC CABLE. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE COUNTRY TO LINK THE NATIONAL BACKBONE TO THE SUBMARINE OPTICAL FIBER CABLE TO COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING SATELLITE INFRASTRUCTURE. IN THIS REGARD ZAMBIA HAS DEPLOYED OPTIC FIBRE INFRASTRUCTURE LINKING TO THE SUBMARINE CABLE ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA THROUGH OUR BROTHERLY STATE OF NAMIBIA.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THE COUNTRY CONTINUES TO FACE INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO BASIC AND ADVANCED SERVICES, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS. IN THIS RESPECT THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVING UTMOST ATTENTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS TO ENSURE CONNECTIVITY FOR ALL OUR PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY. PENETRATION LEVELS IN RURAL AREAS CONTINUE TO LAG BEHIND THOSE IN URBAN AREAS, THEREBY FOSTERING A HUGE GAP IN DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL BETWEEN THESE AREAS. THE SAME CHALLENGE EXTENDS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF BASIC AND ADVANCED ICT SKILLS AMONG THE MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE.

WE THEREFORE MAKE A SPECIAL APPEAL TO THE ITU TO CONTINUE TO RENDER SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THESE TWIN CHALLENGES OF UNIVERSALITY AND ICT SKILLS GAP.

MR. CHAIRMAN, ZAMBIA HAS ENJOYED RELATIVE PEACE FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES AND WOULD LIKE TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ITU AND HENCE IT’S DESIRE TO SEEK ELECTION TO THE COUNCIL. ZAMBIA IS CENTRALLY LOCATED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND SHARES BORDERS WITH EIGHT COUNTRIES WITH A MAXIMUM OF TWO HOURS FLIGHT FROM THE FURTHEST CAPITAL. THIS UNIQUE LOCATION MAKES IT BETTER PLACED TO EASILY CONSULT WITH THE NEIGHBORS IN THE REGION. ZAMBIA IS THEREFORE APPEALING TO MEMBERS PRESENT HERE TO SUPPORT ITS CANDIDATURE TO THE COUNCIL

FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ITU FOR THE MANNER THEY HAVE ORGANIZED THE CONFERENCE.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.