SECTOR 2

2.11 The country has a coherent ICT policy and/or the
government implements promotional measures, which
aim to meet the information needs of all citizens, including marginalised communities.
There seems to be very limited awareness of Botswana’s ICT Policy amongst
citizens of Botswana. Known as Maitlamo, it has 3 objectives that are expected to
assist with 3 specific outcomes:
•
The creation of an enabling environment for the growth of an ICT industry
in the country;
•
The provision of universal service and access to information and
communication facilities in the country; and
•
Making Botswana a Regional ICT Hub so as to make the country’s ICT
sector globally competitive.
Strategies contained in the policy document have not yet been implemented.
It is not clear whether all communities have access to new media, but there has
been a great deal of hype about the Positive Innovation for the New Generation
(PING) initiative, which is funded by government. PING is a youth-led organization
that implements health or youth related technology projects to help address
health and development problems by using technology in an innovative way. It is
being pushed by B-Mobile – the state mobile service phone provider, and Mascom
and Orange, both of which are private commercial enterprises.
Botswana’s digital migration process has been tainted by issues of corruption
and maladministration. According to the Botswana Guardian of August 2013,
the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) was investigating the
process through which Botswana adopted the Japanese digital migration standard
over the European one that has been adopted by the rest of the Southern African
Development Community.

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score:

2.2 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a;
2009 = 2.1; 2011 = 4.0)

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Botswana 2014

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Select target paragraph3