Six sub-Saharan African countries have joined forces with the global association for mobile operators, the GSMA, to try to accelerate the roll-out of mobile broadband in the region.
Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia together with the GSMA have agreed to a series of measures, including the creation of a ‘Joint Task Force’ to strengthen regional cooperation to support investment in mobile broadband.
According to a GSMA statement, the mobile ecosystem currently contributes 6.3% of GDP across sub-Saharan Africa and could grow to 8.2% by 2020 with the right policies to encourage investment.
And the agreement between the GSMA and the six countries is further expected to help create an additional 3.2 million jobs in the region by 2020.
“The provision of universal broadband access is vital in driving economic growth and improving the quality of life in Botswana and across southern Africa,” said Nonofo E. Molefhi, minister of transport and communication for Botswana.
“With greater coordination between regional governments and between the public and private sectors, mobile broadband can play a critical role in closing the digital divide,” said Nonofo.
Tom Phillips, chief government and regulatory affairs officer, GSMA, said, “The GSMA congratulates the governments of southern Africa on their commitment to provide an environment supportive of investment in mobile broadband.”
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