KICTANET Participates in the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for a Digital Africa

By Barrack Otieno.
The Kenya ICT Action Network has been participating in the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for a Digital AFRICA (PRIDA). PRIDA is a joint initiative of the Africa Union (AU) and European Union (EU) and International Telecommunications Union that enables the African continent to reap the benefits of digitization by addressing various dimensions of broadband demand and supply in Africa whilst building the capacities of Africa Union Member States in Internet Governance. It is supported by the European Union Funded Pan African Program. The total budget for the project is 8 million Euros. The European Union is contributing 7.5 million Euros.
The project includes development of a Digital Platform that will act as a continental platform for exchange of information and best practices among African experts and Policy makers. The platform will facilitate discussions that will ensure African develop common positions on ICT related matters and well as digital infrastructure support for the delivery of continuous online training for African experts both on ICT Policy , legislation, regulation and Internet Governance.

PRIDA has three main objectives:

  1. Efficient and Harmonized Spectrum utilization across the continent.
  2. Harmonization of measurable ICT / Telecommunications policy, legal and regulatory frameworks.
  3. Ensuring active participation of African stakeholders in the Regional and Global Internet Governance debate
    The project is coordinated by the Department for Infrastructure and Energy at the Africa Union Commission with the support of a Technical team drawn from GFA-CARSA and Research ICT Africa the implementing agency.

The project commenced in December 2018 with identification of Regional and National Focal points and is expected to conclude in 2021. Regional Focal points are drawn from the Regional Economic Communities in Africa whereas National Focal points  are drawn from the 55 African countries.

KICTAnet participated in development and ratification of the terms of reference for the project as well as the Train the Trainers workshop for the Internet Governance track. KICTAnet has contributed two  trainers as PRIDA resource persons who have so far contributed to the establishment of the First East African School of Internet Governance as well as Development of a toolkit for establishing National and Regional Internet Governance Initiatives in countries that have not yet established local Internet Governance initiatives

More information on PRIDA can be found here.

Mwendwa Kivuva information

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