Statement Delivered by H.E Prof. Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambassador To Switzerland and Permanent Representative to UNOG at Geneva, WTO and Other International Organizations in Switzerland

On Behalf of

The Hon. Ebrima Sillah, Minister Of Information and Communication Infrastructure at 6^th World Telecommunication/ICT Policy Forum (WTPF-21)

Chairperson,

Secretary General, ITU

Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegations,

Distinguished Delegates,

Development Partners,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. At the onset, I thank and congratulate the ITU for organizing and hosting the 6^th World Telecommunication / ICT Policy Forum.
2. The importance and timing of this policy dialogue cannot be overemphasized.
3. The Forum is being held at a time when it is quite apparent that with the right policies, regulations and investments, ICT’s have a huge potential of enhancing the socio-economic status of our people whilst bridging the economic divide between the developed and developing countries.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• Innovation and advances in digitalization and emerging technologies have an impactful effect on the way trade and production are conducted, efficiency of supply chains; efficient delivery of health care; broader access to quality education and learning engagement, efficiency, accountability, transparency of government and delivery of services to broader citizenry.
• Speedy development of digitalization, anchored on and driven by dynamic growth in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing and nanotechnologies, provide the means for increasing digitalization of economies.  
• The result of such emerging technologies is that digital data flows have grown both in terms of speed and volume.
• Traditional ways of manufacturing and producing goods and services, learning engagements and access to quality content for knowledge acquisition, creation and sharing, have changed as a result and we have seen significant improvements in productivity and efficiency.
• Furthermore, we have witnessed an increase in manufacturing opportunities, and specializations within and between neighbouring countries.
• Regional and sub-regional value-chains supported by digital technologies and cross-border data flows are expanding due to advances in digital infrastructure and new enabling technologies. We are of the view that robust, resilent and affordable broadband connectivity and Data infrastructure must be core and critical priority infrastructure .
• The rise of economies is providing opportunities for newer business models and a diversity of digital platforms and services to usher in the Digital platform and services economy
• Rapid and swift expansion of the digital economy is facilitating and driving digital trade consequently developing greater opportunities to expand intra and extra trade among regional member states and others.
• Against the backdrop of all these swift and dynamic occurrences with emerging technologies, and the changing dynamics of getting things done, is the fact that available evidence demonstrates that the impact of digitalization is uneven across countries and sectors.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

1. The Government of The Gambia, conscious of the potential of ICTs in enhancing the country’s socio-economic development initiatives, has in the past decade, worked towards the establishment of landmark and game changing projects in The Gambia’s ICT sector as enshrined in Critical Enabler 5: of our National Development Plan (NDP) 2018 – 2021.
2. The Gambia’s NDP seeks to transform the country into a digital nation and create a modern information society. 
3. The sector has registered remarkable growth in terms of access and quality service delivery since the roll out of the National Fibre Backbone and the landing of a Submarine Cable in 2012. 
4. These landmark achievements have also enriched the spirit of competition in the ICT/Telecoms sector and helped ensure that services become more competitive and affordable to the average Gambian end user.
5. Additionally, The National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI) Policy adopted in 2005, and the ICT for Development Policy, 2018 – 2028, provide strategic direction for the attainment of the ICT development vision of the government of The Gambia. 
6. The NICI policy was anchored on building and sustaining partnership with the private sector and donors, providing an effective information and communication infrastructure, enabling countrywide connectivity, and achieving a liberalized and competitive ICT market that offers consumer choice through affordability and quality of service delivery.
7. Both these policies also enabled prioritization of critical socio-economic issues such as the proliferation of ICT driven socio-economic solutions in Education and most importantly, in public health delivery.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• It is important to note that to bridge the digital divide, in our quest for digital transformation anchored with a sustainable and agile Data Infrastructure, our policy and direction as guided by ICT for Development Policy 2018 – 2028, the ICT sector’s current blueprint, strongly focuses on Internet resilience, Governance, Universal access to broadband connectivity with affordability for our citizens.
• This is further re-enforced by the COVID 19 Pandemic which has, without doubt, evidenced the fact that the use of online digital technologies and services for our day-to-day work is not a luxury, but a necessity for all, irrespective of where you live and your social status. 
• As part of strategies put in place to ensure internet resilience, governance and affordability, my Ministry is keenly looking into achieving last mile affordable connectivity, reviewing the broadband value chain, and tackling existing bottle necks.

• Moreover, to support achievement of the county’s digital agenda, our government has identified the landing of a second submarine cable as a priority for redundancy purposes.
• To this end, plans are in place to include the country in the Amilcar Cabral Submarine Cable project of ECOWAS while other avenues are being explored with the World Bank and other partners.
• Furthermore, to ensure digital inclusion, the government of The Gambia is putting in place necessary measures for the implementation of a Universal Access Regime.
• The Universal Access Services is earmarked to support the provision of last mile access to affordable broadband services.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• To ensure the existence of robust laws, regulations and policy regimes to address the current and future needs of the sector, given its dynamic nature, I wish to inform excellencies and colleagues, that The Gambia is currently reviewing the Information and Communications Act, 2009 which is the law governing the ICT sector.
• Similarly, in partnership with the sector regulator- PURA, the licensing regimes and accompanying regulations are being reviewed with a view to further encourage more private sector participation and optimal use of existing ICT infrastructure.
• The uptake of digital services is dependent on the rate of digital literacy in The Gambia, so government is putting in place the requisite policy space and regulatory measures to support the roll out of digital literacy programs and digital learning technologies, platforms and services.
• This is given the fact that we have a bubbling and growing youth population and stepped up interest of Women and girls in building their capabilities in ICT’s and Digitalization. Thus, we are obliged to provide modern stepped up skills and competencies required to develop and advance a more ICT population that are participants as producers, actors and agents across value chains.
• The process is informed by a feasibility study conducted by my Ministry with support from the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• What we do realize, against the backdrop of all these swift and dynamic occurrences with emerging technologies and the changing dynamics of doing things is the evidence that the impact of digitalization is uneven across countries and sectors.
• Thus, we are mindful that the potentially positive effects of digital transformation in The Gambia can be hindered severely by:
  • lack of technological diffusion
  • structural barriers to the use of new technologies
  • lack of availability of, or access to, affordable broadband connectivity, digital and Data infrastructure
  • appropriate skills and competency gaps
• On a similar note, it is also critical to note that security is also a key issue in our digital transformation and quest to establish and deploy Data infrastructure.
• To this effect, to help address Cybersecurity and Cybercrime related issues and strengthen the country’s international cooperation in the fight against Cybercrime, a holistic Policy and Strategy on Cybersecurity has been formulated while the Cybercrime and Data Protection and Privacy Bills are expected to be tabled before Parliament by the first quarter of 2022.
• The Gambia is part of many Global Cybersecurity alliance bodies and signatory to conventions including GFCE, OCWAR -C and is in the process of domesticating the reputable Budapest and Malabo Conventions.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• Please allow me to indicate that the National Computer Incidence and Response Team (GM-CSIRT) of The Gambia was established through partnership with the ITU under the IMPACT Initiative.
• I have also been reliably informed that the ITU and UNEP are partnering with us for the formulation of a Policy on Electronic Waste among other Capacity Building programs. 
• Digitalization is transforming traditional economic activities in agriculture, manufacturing, and services, posing a threat to jobs as automation and other technologies replace workers and reduce the need for labour.

• Swift digital transformation also means there is a real threat that job displacement, resulting from automation, will outpace job replacement and the creation of new jobs through digitalization.
• The ultimate is that unless digital transformation is planned for and managed accordingly, it may result in job losses and/or a rise in the prevalence of precarious work in The Gambia and other developing countries. These are the opportunities we have and the potential challenges too.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• As part of efforts geared towards spurring research and development, increasing innovation in our economy, and solving the unemployment problem, the government of The Gambia is working on mobilizing the requisite funds for the establishment of a National Technology Park and Rural information and Innovation Hubs. 
• The implementation of these initiatives will contribute significantly to the transformation of The Gambia into an innovation driven economy and will serve as breeding grounds for tech entrepreneurs whilst contributing to the creation of more employment opportunities for our youthful population.
• Considering this, I wish to seize this opportunity to seek further support of ITU and other partners here present in the implementation of these initiatives.

Chairperson, Distinguished Guests,

• In conclusion, please allow me to reiterate our sincerest commendation to the ITU for the support over the years and as well express on behalf of the Government of The Gambia, our renewed commitment of support and continued collaboration with the ITU.
• We look forward to a successful ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2022.

I thank you for your kind attention.