By Lisa Kadango Malango- Doha, Qatar:
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director General for Macra Daud Sulemani has said technology is an enabler and a driving tool for Least Development Countries (LDC’s) to achieve the sustainable development goals SDGs.
He made the remarks during an interface meeting held with Secretary General for International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Doreen Bogdan-Martin and President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday, on the side lines of the fifth UN LDC’s conference in Doha.
He said that LDCs have made some progress towards achieving the universal access to affordability of the internet, but need more assistance to bring about the advancement towards meeting the targets particularly the universal coverage of the basic services in all areas of development.
He said Malawi can build a strong partnership with the ITU to achieve a number of SDGs where by Malawi is focusing on six priority areas of the Doha Programme of Action.
He said LDCs are still facing ICT challenges and that they are working towards achieving Universal access to affordable internet hence the need for ITU to come in.
He said that International Communication Technology (ICT) sector is a bone of development as LDCs are trying to look for opportunities to deliver and tackle development challenges in the most least developed countries in order to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
“As you know Malawi is one of the LDCs struggling in getting people to be connected to the internet, we also have issues of high data prices, and internet devices are expensive, a rise in cyber bulling and those are issues which are already on the table on the ITU,” said Sulemani
Chakwera presented the issues to the ITU so that we can form a strong partnership between Malawi and IT, so that we can create a more sustainable and safe online digital space in the best interest of Malawians,” he explained.
Sulemani added that Macra has requested for assistance from ITU for expertise on how to deal with the new laws and new crimes that are coming in the digital,
“We believe if this is achieved we can finalise our data protection, so that we create a safer online space for women and children as well as everyone else who have access to Internet,” he said
In her remarks, Doreen Bogdan-Martin said digital technology expands opportunity to the nations with new skills of development in all areas of life hence the need to support Malawi to achieve the SDGs.
She said the opportunity to meet the Chakwera was of great importance and will help to boost Malawis technology system for the betterment of the locals at the grass root level.
“The potential is there, but we are concerned with the gaps, especially the access to advanced technologies and capacities to adopt technologies by low income nations hence the need to strengthen the international collaboration,’’ says Bogdan-Martin.
Malawi is working towards the six priorities areas that includes the pillar of science. Technology and innovation to achieve the Doha Programme of Action which was launched last year at the United Nations Conference in New York.
