ICT and Afghanistan

1
ICT and Afghanistan

• Mohammad Hashim Payman
• President of Planning Intl Relations
  Department
• Ministry of Communications
• Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

2
Old Communications in Afghanistan

• Before war Afghanistan at least had its
  communications system solving the problems of the
  people in all parts of the country, however it
  was from a very old technology.
• Afghanistan had an active postal services and
  telephone, radio and TV broadcasting systems.

3
Present Situation in Afghanistan
At present time, Afghanistan is going towards
rehabilitation and reconstruction. Obviously,
reconstruction of Afghanistan is possible only
with the assistance of international community.
Communications will play a vital role for the
rehabilitation of the country and it is obviously
the priority for Afghanistan at present time.
4
Present ICT Situation

• After the establishment of new Transitional
  government in Afghanistan, the Communications
  policy is moving towards privatization.
• Since 2002 the MoC has been able to give 2
  licenses of GSM mobile phones operators as well
  as 4 provisional ISP licenses.
• With the help of international community and UN,
  the MoC has been able to establish IT training in
  different parts of the country.
• The MoC has also been able to announce the
  bidding of expansion of digital switching and
  CDMA systems in 4 provinces of Afghanistan
  including the capital Kabul.

5
Role of ICT for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan

• ICT can play a vital role for the reconstruction
  and unity of Afghanistan in order to bring them
  closer.
• As we said that without international community
  Afghanistan will not be able to rebuild the
  country, it means without having a proper
  communications facilities the international
  community will not hear and see our problems.
• The MoC always tries to attract the international
  community and donors assistance to provide
  communications facilities for the whole country
  and bridge the divide of the digital technologies
  in Afghanistan.

6
Role of MoC
President Vision Afghanistan should enjoy a
per-capita income of US 500 by year 2010 and
US1000 by 2014.
In line with the Presidents Vision, the MoCs
Strategy and Policies will be to further develop
the Telecommunications Market, maximizing the
resulting positive impact on the economy. With a
vision to provide the modern, affordable and
easily accessible technologies and service to all
Afghans where ever they are through out the
country.
7
ICT Policy

• To rapidly transform telecommunications into a
  leading engine in Afghanistans renewal, the
  Ministry of Communications (MoC) has defined the
  following general principles to guide the
  national Telecommunications and Internet Policy

• Create a legal and regulatory environment that
  nurtures and accelerates industry growth. The
  Government intends to rapidly introduce a
  Telecommunications Law that will define the
  rights and responsibilities of market
  participants in the telecommunications sector.
  It will also create an independent
  telecommunications regulator, the
  Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of
  Afghanistan (TRAA), to implement the Governments
  commitment to international best practices for
  sector modernization and reform.

8
ICT Policy

• Engage private investment to the greatest extent
  possible. Afghanistans capital requirements for
  telecommunications infrastructure are tremendous.
  Neither the state nor the international donor
  community can provide the vast financial
  resources necessary to quickly provide for the
  communications needs of the nation. The
  participation of private investors is essential
  and encouraged.
• Establish a National Backbone Network around the
  country that connects major domestic population
  centers and our international neighbors this is
  the installation on 3600km of Fiber Ring
  throughout the country which will connect
  Afghanistan to Trans Europe-Asia and Sub Marin
  cable through the neighboring countries. The
  installation of the fiber from Dogharoon (Iran)
  to Herat (Afghanistan) has already started.

9
MoC Future Role
Ministry of Communications has target date 2006
to fully liberalize the telecom market

• Regulations, establishment of Telecom Regulatory
  Authority of Afghanistan
• Operation, establishment of Afghan Telecom
• Competition, issuance of licenses
• Ministry of Communications and Information
  Technologies

10
Telecom Infrastructure
Telecom Infrastructure development process is
supported both by government and private sector.

• GSM Network, private sector
• Internet Access, private sector
• Fixed Line Network, MoC (Afghan Telecom)
• Government Communication Network, MoC (Afghan
  Telecom)
• District Communications Network, MoC (Afghan
  Telecom)
• Earth station, MoC (Afghan Telecom)
• Back Bone Network, MoC (Afghan Telecom)

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Thank You. Hashim.payman_at_moc.gov.af