Shaping the Future of the Internet for all Namibians

The ministry of Information and Communication Technology has recently, together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and the Internet Scientific Society, held consultative meetings to assess how best to develop policies and create practical initiatives enabling Namibia to improve its internet ecosystem.

Namibia is the first southern African country to do this, which indicates it understands and realises the importance of assessing internet universality indicators.

Basically, it checks to see how our country is doing regarding policies and digital development.

Like all technology, the internet is not a static thing. It’s exceedingly dynamic and needs to be constantly improved and upgraded to ensure it is accessible to as many Namibians as possible.

This means policies must be in place, which must be accessible for persons with disabilities and available to all Namibians.

The internet can be the great equaliser and driver of our knowledge-based economy.

Still, without surveying and assessing where we stand, we cannot make recommendations and take the steps needed to improve and let the internet evolve.

As the world moves towards cloud-based solutions, artificial intelligence and application-driven technology and products and services, there is a great strain on the internet every day.

Suppose Namibia wants to be a world-class information and communication technology (ICT) destination and wants to reap the economic benefits of that, then it is essential that the government and stakeholders, such as ourselves, know where investments need to be made.

ICT and the internet can be a great equaliser, and, if harnessed properly, could help turn around a nation’s economy, driving its development and innovation.

With the boom in oil and gas taking serious shape, we need to be able to offer investors, developers and those managing anything from small-scale projects to multibillion-dollar projects a stable and advanced internet ecosystem.

One that is future proof and part of the overall solution to the growth we want to see in the Namibian economy, rather than being a limiting factor.

Minister Peya Mushelenga last month said low investment in ICT and the lack of qualified ICT professionals pose the most significant obstacles to expanding the ICT industry in Namibia.

Green Enterprise Solutions knows that investment is essential and is encouraged by the consultative meetings and the results and policies that spring forth from this assessment.

We look forward to supporting the ministry and working with all stakeholders to develop the growth and leveraging of internet possibilities and opportunities for the good of all Namibians.

• Kehad Snydewel is the managing director of Green Enterprise Solutions (Pty) Ltd.