[kictanet] South Africa's Integrated ICT policy

[Mwendwa Kivuva]

South Africa is developing a holistic integrated ICT Policy framework.

I had an opportunity to scan through it and I must admit it's scope is
broad and admirable. It would be great if those in policy in Kenya can look
at it for purposes of bench-marking with our policies.

The document covers broad topics ranging from Net Neutrality, Universal
Access, Cross border flow of information, Intermediary liabilities, digital
terrestrial television, research development and innovation, and
institutional framework.

Its Interesting to note that South Africa has been disbursing Universal
Service funds from way back as 1998, while in Kenya we are dilly dallying
and pulling in different directions.

Two key Internet governance topics which are missing in Kenya's legislative
framework are discussed viz Intermediary Liabilities and Net Neutrality.

The document notes that intermediaries have limited liability if they are a
member of an industry representative body recognised by the Minister, they
conduct their operations in an automatic manner, adhere to the industry
body's code of conduct and respond to court orders and take-down notices.

On Net neutrality: Stakeholders that proposed a net neutrality policy
raised concerns that if the policy framework does not enforce this,
broadband providers might act as gatekeepers of content and use their last
mile infrastructure to block internet applications, content (websites,
services, protocols) and competitors  by, for example, using deep packet
inspection to discriminate between over the top content, services or
applications

It's interesting to note that SA also discusses International Internet
Governance and their role in ICANN, AFRINIC, and ITU.
On Internet Governance: South Africa's BRICS partners have in the last two
years repeatedly reinforced the need for governance to be brought in line
with the WSIS Tuna Agenda and have called for an enhanced role for
governments within ICANN. ... One of the other weaknesses in the current
ICANN multi-stakeholder model is the lack of clarity regarding the
definition of multi-stakeholders and the process of accepting such
stakeholders in ICANN structures. Most of the exiting stakeholders are
moreover largely from the developed economies, with Africa and other
developing regions having little meaningful participation.

Attached is the document.

______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lordmwesh
B: http://lord.me.ke/
T: twitter.com/lordmwesh

"There are some men who lift the age they inhabit, till all men walk on
higher ground in that lifetime." - Maxwell Anderson
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