Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

• The high level of illiteracy reduces the immediateimpact of many internet applications,especially limiting the access ofwomen to internet services.• The numbers and skills within ICT workforce is a constraint to the adoption andpromotion of ICT.• The limited awareness and acceptance ofICT within Government leadershipPolicy framework: sector strategyThe immediate goal of the sector is to increaseaccess to telecom services to cover 80 percent ofthe country. Most populated areas will be coveredby 2010. A key component of this effortwill be the completion of the Fibre Optic Cableand Copper Cable Network, allowing an expansionof high-speed data services and extendingmobile phone coverage. The privatesectoris expected to make additional majorinvestments in the telecommunication sector.With the establishment of a national data centerby end of 2008, and implementation of e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Health (telemedicine)towards the end of 2010 Afghan citizenswill be able to more fully participate in the informationage. For the next five years, MoCITpolicies, working through ATRA will also deploysatellite-based services to the less populatedareas where personal mobile facilities aretoo costly. The current program is to reach atleast 3,000 villages by 2010. Plans are also underwayto issue new licenses for the provisionof fixed wireless access for broadband internet.There will be a $100 million revenue contributionto Government revenue by 2010. The ICTsector is already the most heavily taxed, primarilybecause it is comprised of the largestformal enterprises in the country. A majorstudy is currently being prepared that will provideguidance to the ICT Council, and the Governmenton improving governance and increasingpublic sector capacity for the industry.The key programs of the ICT sector are (i) EnablingEnvironment (ii) Infrastructure Development(iii) E-Afghanistan (iv) ICT Literacy. Fordetail refer to volume II. In addition to the investmentin the cable network, the policy priorityfor the Government is the passage and implementationof ICT legislation that will createan appropriate environment for further growthand development. MoCIT has commenceddrafting the ICT Law, which will address infrastructureand services, including issues such aslegal recognition of electronic/digital signaturesand formation of electronic contracts (affectingtransactions both in public and privatesectors), content regulation, competition regulation,electronic evidence, data privacy protection,consumer protection and rights, domainname registration and regulation, intellectualproperty rights, encryption and security, financialand banking sector law and regulation relatingto electronic transfers and settlements,taxation of transfers, customs, jurisdiction, disputeresolution and civil and criminal offences,limitations of liability of internet service providers,cyber piracy and digital rights management,facilitation of e-government and crossborder interoperability of e-commerce frameworksaffecting trade.The sector priority policy is passage and implementationof ICT legislation that will createan appropriate environment for further development.MoCIT has commenced drafting theICT Law. The telecom law addresses the telecominfrastructure and services, but the lawdoesn’t cover the content of the services. TheICT law will address issues such as legal recognitionof electronic/digital signatures andformation of electronic contracts (affectingtransactions both in public and private sectors),content regulation, competition regulation,electronic evidence, data privacy protection,consumer protection and rights, domain nameregistration and regulation, intellectual propertyrights, encryption and security, financialand banking sector law and regulation relatingto electronic transfers and settlements, taxationof transfers, customs, jurisdiction, dispute resolutionand civil and criminal offences, limitationsof liability of internet service providers,cyber piracy and digital rights management,facilitation of e-government and cross borderinteroperability of e-commerce frameworksaffecting trade.The ICT Council, through the MoCIT, willwork to achieve the following:• By end-2008, actions designed to promotetransparency and citizen access to publicinformation will be implemented. This willinclude adopting Rules and Procedures torequire all Government institutions to publishdocuments on their official websites (asa supplement to the Official Gazette). Ac-98Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS)