Business Reporter
THE Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) launched its Integrated Business Strategic Plan (IBSP) for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
This is in line with the provisions of the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009) and the Public Enterprises Governance Act (No. 1 of 2019).
The development of the IBSP 2023 to 2026 was necessitated by the need to build on the third Strategic Plan for the period 2020 to 2023. The current strategy also puts more emphasis on the execution of the core mandate of CRAN through the added strategic themes of digital transformation, and market development and consumer protection.
Speaking at the launch, Heinrich Mihe Gaomab II, the Chairperson of the CRAN Board of Directors said “the authority’s mandate entails the development and expansion of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Namibia so that all Namibians have access to a variety of services, products at high quality and affordable rates”.
“It is CRAN’s responsibility as a regulator of the ICT sector to ensure that service providers expand their products and services to underserved and unserved areas in order to expand on universal access, which in turn offers many benefits such as building a knowledge-based society as communities have access to information, employment, participation in national and international offerings which is crucial for the socio-economic development of our country,” he added.
CRAN’s 2023 to 2026 IBSP aims to improve service provision to customers and address the affordability of ICT services in the sector. Enhancement of legislative services also features prominently in areas of electronic transactions, postal, data protection, cyber security laws, implementation of Part 6 of the Communications Act as well as the establishment of the Cyber Incidence Response Team in the country with provision for resources to operationalise it.
“Vision 2030 specifically stipulates that ICT must be elevated to being the most important sector in the country’s economic development by 2030. Additionally, the two pillars of the Harambe Prosperity Plan II (HPPII) that fall under CRAN’s mandate and the strategic goal of expanding coverage for ICT include to improve performance and service delivery through various efforts, one of which is digitalisation, and to promote infrastructure development as a catalyst for economic growth, social progression, and a contributor to global competitiveness and investment attraction,” Dr Peya Mushelenga, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, said.
