[WSIS CS-Plenary] different tone from Nairobi: Africa Cautioned On Liberalisation

[Ralf Bendrath]

"...the private sector is unlikely to meet targets set by the World
Summit on Information Society (WSIS)."

Africa Cautioned On Liberalisation

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
March 26, 2004

James Anyanzwa
Nairobi

Africa governments have been urged not to fully liberalise their
information and communication sectors if the goal of universal access to
communication services is to be achieved.

Sammy Kirui, the Director General Communications Commission of Kenya
(CCK) warned that total pull out will deter wider access to IT services.

Kirui said the private sector is unlikely to meet targets set by the
World Summit on Information Society (WSIS).

The objective of WSIS is to build an all inclusive information society
and to promote its use for the achievement of inter-nationally agreed
development goals, including those contained in the Millennium
Declaration.

Kirui said private communication entities only tend to concentrate in
areas where they are guaranteed high return on their investments, while
leaving out the larger rural population.

He was speaking during yesterday's official opening of a workshop on
implementing the WSIS Action Plan held in Nairobi.

The two-day workshop whose aim is to bridge the digital divide across
Africa is hosted by AITEC and sponsored by among others, the East
African Standard Group, CCK and Safaricom Company limited.