Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the country’s Centre for Research and Transfer of Technologies for Community Development (CITT) in a move that extends the existing partnership between the two entities for building Community Multimedia Centres (CMC) in rural areas.

CMCs were first established in 2003 following an agreement by representatives from Senegal, Mali and Mozambique with the Director General of UNESCO to reduce the digital divide.

More than 70 centres, fitted with a broadcast equipment with transmitter, 4 – 5 computers with internet access, a printer, a digital camera, photocopy machine and fax machine as well as telephones, have since been built in all three countries.

Jorge Nhambiu, Minister of Science and Technology, Higher and Technical Vocational Education (MCTESTP) has hailed the new MoU.

“MCTESTP, CITT and INCM will strive to ensure the achievement of the goals, which include the expansion of the use and accessibility of ICT for communities and technology transfer.”

While the first few CMCs were funded by UNESCO, future CMCs in Mozambique will be erected with money from the Universal Access Service Fund, which finances telecommunications projects with a focus on rural areas. The INCM will be responsible for making computer equipment and furniture available in addition to participating in the implementation, monitoring and support of actions that contribute to the proper functioning of the Multimedia and Community Centres according to the new MoU.

The CITT on the other hand, has obligations to guarantee the legal mechanisms for the operation of the Community Multimedia Centers as well as the coordination and monitoring of employee training actions.

Ema Chicoco, Chairman of the Board of INCM is certain that rural citizens of Mozambique will derive benefits from continuation of the CMC project.

“The partnership will bring gains to the population, which now enjoy a multitude of technological services. The ventures created by the agreement aim to boost the intellectual formation of communities by helping them broaden their knowledge.”