Namibia

Mr Chairman, 
Secretary General of the ITU,
Heads of Delegations, 
Distinguished delegates,  

Allow me to commence by thanking the Government of Romania and the International Telecommunication Union for hosting the PP-22 and for the hospitality extended to us.  It is indeed an honour and privilege for me, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia, to address you.  

Namibia has made significant progress in the development of its ICT infrastructure with 112% mobile penetration, and 74% use of the Internet through various technological platforms and services. Namibia has a population coverage of 96% for 2G, 89% for 3G, and 85% for 4G. 

Namibia prioritises broadband internet connectivity, particularly in the country’s most remote areas through the implementation of Universal Services. Last-mile connectivity will boost rural businesses, reduce the unemployment rate among the youth, and lead to an overall increase in socio-economic development. Accordingly, the broadband policy set clear targets to be achieved to ensure that broadband is accessible and affordable to all. 

To respond to the most pressing agenda of digital transformation and ensure that Namibia embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution, His Excellency, President Dr Hage G. Geingob, established a Fourth Industrial Revolution Taskforce in July 2021. The Taskforce produced a comprehensive report with recommendations for implementation. Thus, we endeavour to formulate a National Digital Strategy, which will lead to a process of integrating ICT across sectors, with a specific focus on e-business, e-learning, e-health, and e-governance.  

Mr Chairman and distinguished delegates, the key objectives of digital transformation are digital inclusion, digital infrastructure, digital skills, and digital services. This implies that each citizen should have access to high-speed broadband services and be equipped with the right skills to utilise such services in a safe digital environment. The digital ecosystem should, above all, incorporate rural areas, women, and the youth.  

The provision of ICT services comes with challenges of cybersecurity and increased e–waste. We are in the process of finalising responsive legal frameworks addressing cybersecurity to ensure safe online services and e-waste management to minimise the impact of e-waste on the environment and human health. 

Finally, allow me to thank the ITU for their continued support in the area of ICT development through your assistance to develop and review the policies and legislation for ICT in Namibia.  

I wish us all success in these important deliberations.  

I THANK YOU