BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
EZULWINI – As the SADC Broadband Development and Targets 2030 Workshop got underway, Chairperson of SADC and the Universal Access and Service Committee (UASC), Tichafa Rixon Mujuru, called on delegates to develop bold and inclusive broadband targets that leave no citizen behind.
Delivering his keynote address on Monday, Mujuru said the workshop was a crucial platform for the region to refine its broadband ambitions in line with the United Nations Broadband Commission’s 2030 goals.
“Our objectives are very clear: to agree on performance benchmarks for coverage, affordability, speeds, and inclusivity, and to ensure special needs populations and remote communities are not left behind,” he said.
Mujuru, who is representing Zimbabwe, emphasised that this was more than a technical exercise.
“It’s about ensuring that a student in a rural village, a small-business owner in a township, and a start-up founder in an urban centre all enjoy the same digital opportunities,” he stated.
He challenged delegates to speak frankly and share successes as well as challenges.
“We know the obstacles ahead: spectrum management, funding gaps, regulatory harmonisation and the last-mile barriers that leave remote communities offline. That is why your insights and experiences are so vital,” he said.
Applauding the Kingdom of Eswatini for hosting the workshop, Mujuru further thanked the Ministry of ICT and the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) for providing inclusive facilities.
“As a person with a disability, I am not only able to participate, but also to chair this workshop. That is a reflection of Eswatini’s commitment to inclusivity,” he remarked.
Also addressing the delegates virtually, Mr Brian Mwansa, Acting Executive Secretary of the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), noted that the workshop had captured the attention of citizens and policymakers alike.
“Broadband has tremendous transformative power in fostering economic growth, enhancing human capital, and improving access to public services,” Mwansa said.
He urged participants to engage deeply in the discussions and target-setting sessions.
“The success of this workshop will be measured by the quality of the broadband goals we define for the SADC region,” he said.
Delegates from across the region, including representatives from the SADC Secretariat, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), GSMA, and SATA, are participating in the two-day workshop.
The programme includes capacity-building sessions, presentations on digital inclusion, affordability, and strategies for data collection to track universal access and service.
As the region prepares to revise its broadband definition and set new connectivity goals, the message from Eswatini is clear, the digital future must be inclusive, ambitious and rooted in collaboration.
