DRAFT MALAWI IT POLICY FRAMEWORK PAPER

Draft submitted by Director: Department of Information Systems and Technology Management Services (DIST&MS): chikankheniot@malawi.gov.mw

1. INTRODUCTION

This document is a framework paper for the formulation of Malawi’s IT Policy and Legislation.

2. VISION

Develop IT to become a leading service industry that will contribute to making Malawi a highly competitive economy and thereby reducing poverty.

3. MISSION

The mission of the policy is to promote the development and usage of advanced, sustainable and cost-effective IT in Malawi through technology that is available to all.

4. OBJECTIVES
1. To facilitate linkage of intranets
1. Intranets

1. Produce a directory of available intranets in the country and how to access them.
2. Disseminate information on IT security facilities.
3. Carry out IT Research and publish the findings.
4. Encourage standardization on communication protocols, software and hardware.
5. Review the legal framework in relation to IT crime.
6. Review and enhance security mechanisms for the networks.
2. Internet

1. Facilitate the establishment of Internet cafes throughout the country.
2. Consult with telecommunications industry broader bandwidth for data transmission. Liberalise the Telecommunications industry.
3. Conduct training on the usage of the Internet.
4. Conduct awareness programmes on benefits of eBusiness.
2. To promote regional and international information sharing to facilitate competitiveness on the global market.

1. Identify regional and international websites which could be useful to Malawian organizations.
2. Encourage participation in IT fora.
3. Encourage organizations and individuals to affiliate with regional and international IT bodies.
4. Make use of the information sharing to promote Malawi.
5. Promote IT publications.
6. Cooperate with regional organizations such as SADC, ECA, COMESA.

3. To optimize the usage of IT resources to increase efficiency and productivity in the country.
1. Promote IT awareness through Trade Fairs, Open days, the Media.
2. Conduct IT training
3. Conduct IT appreciation for senior management in both public and private sector.
4. Exploit Internet services.
5. Lobby for reduction of taxes and duties on IT equipment, IT products and services.
6. Optimise training for IT personnel.
4. To promote coordination and cooperation of IT development and usage in Malawi with stakeholders.
1. Coordination and Cooperation
2. Create consistency in the areas of Education, Ethics, Standardisation and Policy.
3. IT development and usage
4. Create smart partnership with local and foreign IT industry
5. Create interfaces with other laws, policies and organizations related to IT developments.
6. Put in place a regulatory framework for secured IT systems:-

1. Identify an institution to spearhead/pioneer the policy formulation and legislation, e.g. the Department of Information Systems & Technology Management Services, formerly known as Data Processing Department.
2. Legislation to guide the institutional arrangement for policy implementation and monitoring.

5. To improve IT literacy in Malawi
1. Promote greater coordination in training programmes.
2. Organise public lectures.
3. Introduce and promote IT training curricula at all levels of education.
4. Encourage organizations to hold in-house training.
5. Promote IT education and training through distance learning.
6. To promote the establishment of information bureaus for easy information access.

1. Encourage the Telecommunication sector to enhance their services to make them available and affordable.
2. Create a favourable tax environment for IT service providers, for example, Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3. Encourage the Government to establish its own information bureaus.
4. Review the Telecommunication Regulations to promote competition.
5. Encourage the private sector to host WEB pages for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
6. Set up public information centers (kiosks) to be located in places like libraries and schools.
7. Encourage eBusiness for the country.
7. To promote local IT industry through software and hardware development and training.
1. Create a favourable environment for IT development companies.
2. Establish and implement IT training standards.
3. Adopt latest ISO standards in IT manufacturing, development and auditing.
4. Encourage the development and usage of locally developed software and hardware.
5. Regulate IT curriculum at tertiary level to address industrial requirements. Encourage the private sector to train their IT staff.
6. Encourage the cooperation between the private sector and tertiary training institutions in IT.