Tanzania implements all WSIS resolutions

Minister of Information, Communication, and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa

THE government has implemented 11 resolutions, including investments in communication infrastructure, which were established during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Tunis, Tunisia, in 2005.

Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa, revealed that on Wednesday while opening the WSIS Africa Summit held at Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam.

The summit, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), was last held in Tunis, Tunisia, in 2005, where 11 resolutions were made for African nations to position themselves in the digital space.

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Minister Silaa noted that Tanzania has already implemented all the resolutions, with the government investing in communication by building communication towers and enacting various laws to enable the country to continue participating in the digital economy.

According to Minister Silaa, other resolutions included enabling the public to access communication services and empowering professionals to educate citizens on the availability of these services.

The resolutions also focused on building resilience and security in the use of ICT in fields such as science and education, health, agriculture, business, environment, and employment.

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Other areas covered were communication in culture, identity, the use of different languages, and local content development.
Additionally, the summit will review the ethical considerations in communication and the use of media in both domestic and international communication.

“This summit is happening at a time when President Samia Suluhu Hassan has already launched the 10-year Digital Economy Framework for 2024 to 2034, which outlines how Tanzania will integrate ICT into its economy and social systems,” Mr. Silaa stated.

He added that with the main conference scheduled for next year, the summit is reviewing the resolutions to determine which countries have fulfilled them and how they can prepare for the upcoming conference.

Mr. Silaa further mentioned that the Global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Union’s Journal, published in September 2024, named Tanzania as the top-performing country in the area of cybersecurity.

He highlighted that Tanzania was recognized for its investments in ICT systems, infrastructure, and its achievements in leveraging these systems to meet its goals.

Due to its impressive performance in this area, Tanzania was selected to host the summit, a decision driven by the significant investments made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which have positioned the country as a leader in ICT.

UNECA’s Head for Emerging Digital Economies in Africa, Dr Mactar Seck, noted that the summit would discuss how to turn the digital sector into a profitable industry for both citizens and governments.

He pointed out that the sector could also be a significant source of employment for African youth, a continent where the majority of young people lack stable job opportunities.

Dr Seck, from Senegal, emphasized that the main objective in this regard is to explore how African nations can use digital technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We will examine how Africa can strengthen good governance through digital technology, given the major changes brought by the internet since 2005,” added Dr Seck.

He also clarified that the summit would explore the potential for successful digital nations like Tanzania to share knowledge and expertise in digital development and cybersecurity with other countries.