Experts from five Regional Economic Communities (RECs) met in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from December 9th to 11th, 2024, for a critical validation exercise. The workshop focused on validating the Framework of Cooperation, Regional Action Plan, and Sustainability Strategy under the Enhancement of Governance and Enabling Environment in the ICT Sector (EGEE-ICT) programme, funded by the European Union (EU). The programme, officially launched in December 2021 with 29 Member States from COMESA, the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), and SADC.
In February this year, COMESA enlisted the consulting firm Cerfodes to assist in reviewing regional ICT development instruments and institutional cooperation. The firm was tasked with creating a prioritized framework of cooperation for key stakeholders to implement regional ICT programmes effectively, using a multi-stakeholder approach. Additionally, Cerfodes was responsible for developing a sustainability strategy and a regional action plan.
Dr. Dzawanda, COMESA’s Director of Infrastructure, opened the workshop by highlighting the importance of the work completed by Cerfodes. He noted that the consultancy firm had developed a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework for regional ICT development and an ICT portal designed to be a one-stop-shop for essential regional ICT information, such as publications, statistics, and the status of ongoing programmes.
“As ICT experts, your role here is to validate these draft documents, ensuring they are relevant, comprehensive, and feasible for implementation across the region,” Dr. Dzawanda stated. “You are also expected to provide feedback that will help improve the ICT portal and further refine our collective efforts.”
He emphasized that ICT is a pivotal enabler, supporting the growth of key sectors such as health, education, transport, and more. Since its inception in December 2021, significant progress has been made under the EGEE-ICT programme. This includes conducting studies and supporting the development of various ICT policies and regulatory frameworks. One of the key objectives of the programme is to establish a prioritized framework of cooperation that involves all stakeholders and promotes ICT for Development across the region.
Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal & Courier Services, Dr. Beaullar Chirume, underscored the importance of the EGEE-ICT programme in driving ICT and telecommunications development throughout the region and the broader African community.
“This workshop is vital to validating the framework of cooperation in the ICT governance and enabling space,” Dr. Chirume said. “The structured cooperation it fosters will help address common goals, ensure accountability, and guide the implementation of our strategies.”
He also reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s strong commitment to participating in initiatives that drive ICT development across the region.
One of the key goals of the programme is to deepen regional integration and stimulate the growth of the ICT sector in the East African, Southern African, and Indian Ocean regions. A significant outcome of the programme will be the coordinated development of ICT policies by both the public and private sectors across the region.