Tanzania and China to work together to promote ICT
Tanzania and China have committed to continue collaborating in boosting the roll-out of ICTs in the country to ensure that the Government's goal of developing a Digital Economy is met.
The agreement was made during a meeting in Dar es Salaam between the Minister of Information, Communications and Information Technology, Nape Moses Nnauye, and the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian.
Concerning the deployment of telecommunications services in places with no access to ICT services, particularly in rural areas, China has promised to continue working with Tanzania to guarantee that the service rollout plan to such areas is met.
In her discussion with Minister Nape, Ambassador Mingjian firmly stated, "We will continue to motivate investors in our country's telecommunications sector so that they can come and invest in the telecoms sector as you mentioned."
In terms of cybersecurity, the ambassador expressed optimism that China will recognize the need to collaborate with Tanzania to ensure that the Tanzanian cyberspace remains resilient against all cyber odds, by establishing an environment and infrastructure that will allow Tanzania to respond to cyber threats.
"We have agreed to continue collaborating in improving cyber security matters, particularly in the area of capacity building for our ICT experts," said Minister Nape, adding that "We have also agreed to exchange technology programs that will enable the growth of cross-sectoral economic development sectors such as agriculture, health, and e-commerce."
During the conversation, the two parties also agreed on how Tanzania will be able to adopt and promote emerging communication technologies such as 5G, OTTs, and the Internet of Things.
To ensure that the Ministry continues to carry out its responsibilities, particularly through the Information Department, the two parties have agreed to improve the Information Department's infrastructure, allowing the Ministry to execute its publicity services more quickly, given that it is the same department from which the Government Spokesperson produces various Government information for public consumption.
Regarding Tanzania's candidacy for the ITU Council, China has pledged Tanzania of its full support by ensuring that the latter is re-elected to the Administrative Council during the 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Bucharest, Romania. In the four-year period between Plenipotentiary Conferences, the ITU Administrative Council serves as the Union's governing body. Its goal is to analyze broad telecommunication policy concerns in order to guarantee that the Union's actions, policies, and initiatives fully respond to today's dynamic, fast-changing telecoms environment. Ambassador Mingjian informed her host that she will also send a message to other friendly nations urging them to vote for Tanzania.
Following the conference, specialists from both sides of the agreement will have to sit down and develop a concrete collaboration plan that will ensure the implementation of the cooperation ultimatum.
