Definition of Data

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Main Focus of Document

Maps the ways in which ICT can be used to achieve the basic development objectives of Sierra Leone

Target Beneficiaries or Sector

nationals, government

Key Elements

The following political, economic and social objectives have been identified as the key objectives of the Government of Sierra Leone in its formulation of the policy:

2-1 Political objectives of the ICT Policy
• To enhance better transparency and facilitate communication with citizens through e-governance;
• To integrate Sierra Leone regionally and globally through the use of ICT;
• To re-brand the image of Sierra Leone by providing information on progress and achievements in Sierra Leone and to promote the distribution of culturally sensitive materials through various ICT channels;
• To comply with the provisions of ECOWAS and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) General Agreement on Trade and Services.

2-2 Economic objectives of the ICT Policy
• To improve efficiency in the public sector through effective use of ICT infrastructure, applications and services;
• To enhance competitiveness in the private sector;
• To enable global economic integration;
• To create new opportunities for Sierra Leoneans to become ICT citizens equipped to take advantage of a knowledge-based economy;
• To encourage the transition of the informal market to the formal market through ICT tools;
• To promote and support indigenous and foreign entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone;
• To enable growth in key areas such as agriculture, tourism, mineral resources and infrastructure development.

2-3 Social objectives of the ICT Policy
• To improve the basic living standard of Sierra Leoneans;
• To facilitate and support the universal freedom of affordable access to information;
• To identify and implement all relevant procedures related to cyber security, electronic security and data protection to protect ICT users; 
• To improve the education system through e-learning;
• To provide better assistance in the health sector through e-medicine;
• To promote and sustain the national culture and tradition through e-learning and local content application/software development;
• To reduce poverty by improving free flow of business opportunity based information to underprivileged areas and facilitating the growth of small businesses through innovative solutions;
• To engage the diaspora in the development of Sierra Leone through e-interaction;
• To use ICT tools to bridge the illiteracy divide;
• To subsidize access for high-speed internet subscribers in schools and national education institutions.

Below are the ten Implementation Plans outlined in the Policy:
1. To amend the current legal and regulatory framework to reflect industry and regulatory convergence.
The objective of this implementation plan is to have a regulatory framework for technology convergence and that enables efficient operators and service providers to enter the market and to offer innovative services as affordable as possible for the benefit of the country:
• To review and amend the Telecommunications Act 2006 to comply with the recommendations of the ECOWAS Supplementary Acts of January 2007.
• To enact a unified licensing regime and to enforce it as soon as possible.
• To avoid any abuse by a dominant stakeholder and ensure a level playing field in the ICT market.
• To promote affordable universal access with appropriate obligations for licensed operators and service providers.

2. To establish the Centre for ICT Intelligence (CII)
The objective of this implementation plan is to determine the structure, funding and appropriate law establishing the CII as an independent and autonomous body, that shall be responsible for collating, organising and processing ICT information relevant to e-security matters on the use of ICT in the public/private spheres of Sierra Leone.
The functions of the CII shall include identifying threats to national ICT networks, analysis of e-security risks, intelligence gathering, developing and reviewing security software, privacy enhancing Technology (PETs), anti-piracy security/encryption tools for music, film and print media.
The CII shall establish a national ICT skills database (and from which employees of the CII shall be chosen) and develop a Unit that shall be tasked with the development of special ICT courses for national forces at all levels (including the top level National Security Council).

3. To improve internet connectivity
The government considers broadband access to be a basic necessity for Sierra Leoneans. This implementation plan shall have the following objectives:
• To ensure broadband internet access at reduced and affordable cost for the end users by:
- enabling the landing of submarine fibre optic cable and emerging Technology linking Sierra Leone to the rest of the world, and
-  ensuring that international voice or data traffic has redundant paths that are not provided by the same vendor.
• To rapidly extend the scope and traffic carrying capacity of the current international gateway and to improve quality of service.
• To liberalise the international gateways with a limited number of alternative gateways.
• To build up a fibre optic MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) with appropriate rings to offer reliable broadband access to all categories of users: wholesale businesses with GSM operators, corporate business with ISP, ASP, large enterprises and administrations. 
• To build up fibre optic links between the capital and all the main cities of Sierra Leone to allow broadband access to the rest of the country.
• To upgrade the IXP (Internet Exchange Point) to establish a shared network.

4. To expand fixed and mobile access networks in remote areas
The objective of this implementation plan is to ensure the expansion and upgrading of national telecommunications infrastructure across the country. The priority of NATCOM is for mobile operators to extend and improve their networks in the provinces with better coordination and sharing of infrastructure. The government considers that IP-based networks that merge voice telephony with data and image can offer a lot of business opportunities to operators and consumers. NATCOM shall encourage operators to consider the progressive migration of traditional networks (PSTN and GSM) to an all-IP network in their medium and long-term strategies. IP-based networks will facilitate the provision of innovative services and applications. For new entrants, the cost of building or leasing IP networks/links will be significantly lower than those of circuit-switched networks.
NATCOM shall encourage 3G wireless Technology to boost the market for wireless communications. Some initiatives are opening the door for an emerging wireless internet market even as broadband 3G becomes commercially available. Other network wireless high-speed data Technology are being developed and tested. The entry of WiMax shall be particularly encouraged.

5 To develop services and applications by local suppliers
This implementation plan aims at delivering a complete range of affordable services and applications to satisfy different categories of ICT users, and to emphasize the production of local content. In this regard, the government will:
- Support the development and implementation of ICT services and sectoral applications (e-governance, e-commerce, e-learning, e-health, etc.).
- Facilitate the development of the local ICT industry.
Computer and Accessory costs
The government shall seek to establish a zero tariff on computers and computer accessories. Cybercafés and community resource centres are to be supported to facilitate usage by nomadic users and other persons who cannot afford computers at home or for
their small business.
Local Content
The government is keen to ensure the indigenous development of Sierra Leonean content on the internet. Local service provision currently gives preference to international content and little is available on Sierra Leonean culture. Using various forms of mass media, it is anticipated that through the development of ICT, Sierra Leoneans will have a prominent voice in the determination of their own image.

6 To build capacity and develop national ICT skills
The objective of this implementation plan is to improve the skills required in an information-based society at different levels:
- High-level skills for advanced specialists needed for developing, implementing and operating hardware and software systems and the security framework.
- Suitable skills for intensive users of specific services and applications.
- Knowledge on the basic and cross-sectoral tools (office automation, computer use, mailing, internet browsing) for all potential ICT users.
- Basic computer literacy for the population.

7 ICT services and skills for the marginalised/disadvantaged
ICT can play a critical role in improving the quality of life of Sierra Leoneans, especially those considered to be marginalised and disadvantaged (e.g. the physically and mentally challenged). This plan will:
- Ensure a training program that equips physically and mentally challenged Sierra Leoneans across the country with basic ICT and work-related skills.
- Provide the physically and mentally challenged with work opportunities that allow them to use their new ICT skills.

8 Develop and use geo-information to better know the market
Planning in general requires a referencing framework to integrate large volumes of different data. Although information can be presented via text, voice or statistical tables, some of these are more intelligently communicated with geo-information tools and techniques, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This implementation plan will, therefore, determine the development and use of geo-information as a ICT tool for socio-economic analysis of the ICT sector.

9 Affordable universal access/service
The objective of this implementation plan is to provide communities with access to affordable ICT services. Universal Access/Service means affordable access to basic ICT services regardless of geographic location. This can only happen with the cooperation of all stakeholders. This implementation plan aims to increase the use of ICT in poor and remote areas through individual access in households and small businesses, or collective access through private and community resource centres.

10 ICT and E-readiness Survey
A national information system with relevant indicators will be set up to monitor progress on the implementation of infrastructure and services. The system shall be implemented by MIC with support from the National ICT Advisory Council, NATCOM and Statistics Sierra Leone. The indicators shall be drawn from the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development.

Surveys on E-readiness
An e-readiness survey is a useful tool for determining a country’s position in terms of ICT and it serves as an initial phase of any national ICT strategic planning process. This survey will be conducted annually by NATCOM in collaboration with Statistics Sierra Leone. The results of the survey will provide a scorecard for all stakeholders. The indicators to be used in the surveys shall be consistent with the list of indicators provided by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development.

Policy/Regulation Mirrors

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