The ICT Thematic Group of APKN met in Cape Town to discuss Internet Governance issues in Africa and what role parliaments can play in ensuring the development of an equitable information society. It was important to discuss access to Internet as it has become an important tool in the socio -economic and cultural make up of any society.

Participants agreed that Parliaments have a role to play in ensuring that there is Internet to govern but also that their constituencies are protected from any malicious activities. It was also noted that Parliaments  can contribute meaningfully to the Internet Governance processes if there is adequate  information  available and sufficient and continuous capacity building given.

It was clear at the meeting that there are significant challenges for Africa that include the high cost of bandwidth, inadequate infrastructure and a lack of harmonized ICT Policy and legislation. However the group agreed that  Parliament has an important role to play in ensuring an equitable information society and can contribute meaningfully to the Internet Governance processes if provided with well packaged information, and continuous capacity building. To this end they agreed on an action plan to be implemented before the next APKN Conference scheduled for October 2010

The need to have a coordinated interplay between national, regional and continental responses was identified as crucial to the achievement of an equitable information society. APKN was seen as a very relevant network in this process and the APKN ICT Working group was mandated to facilitate the responses and channel them meaningfully into other related at areas at both national and international .

Meanwhile the same MPS proposed very progressive resolutions in order for SADC Parliaments to engage with the ICT Policy and Legislation Processes effectively. Click here for eParliament resolution and here for APKN Action Plan.