process. Public entities, therefore, have not been encouraged to ensure that
their services are available online and electronically.
The above challenges are of huge magnitude and have a negative impact on the
growth of the economy.
In addition, the e-government development index of
2011 ranks Malawi on number 159 out of 190 countries in the World.
Largely responses to the problems have been uncoordinated and far apart. The
following section elaborates the responses to specific problems:
To address the challenge of inadequate ICT infrastructure especially in the
rural
areas,
government
has
established
tele-centres
in
rural
areas.
Government is also implementing a Regional Communication Infrastructure
Program Malawi Project (RCIP-MW) that will implement fiber optic cable
connectivity to Tanzania with very high speed Internet Capacity.
Government is currently reviewing the Communications Act (1998) and
drafting the Electronic Transactions and Management Bill in order to address
the challenges that are affecting the development of ICT in the country.
Government
is
implementing
an
e-Schools
initiative
where
computer
laboratories with internet access are being implemented in public schools.
The development of this policy will, among other things, help Government and
various stakeholders to effectively deal with the above mentioned and any
emerging problems associated with ICT at different levels of society.
1.4. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
Given the benefits and opportunities offered by ICT, it is acknowledged that
Malawi cannot effectively forge ahead with its development agenda without
putting in place an appropriate framework for ICT to support and accelerate
various initiatives and interventions at all levels of society.
Therefore, this ICT
Policy sets out Malawi’s development agenda in the information age based on the
fundamental principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi as outlined in
Chapter 3. The policy is also based on the Policy Framework Document: “An
Integrated ICT-led Socio-economic Development Policy and Plan Development
Framework for Malawi’’.
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