By: Kebba AF Touray
The Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, recently informed the National Assembly that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy (MoCDE) is currently finalizing the cybercrime and data protection Bills 2023 and are expected to be submitted to the Assembly for enactment by 2024.
He said this while delivering the 2024 budget speech, on Friday 8th December, 2023.
According to the Minister, the Cybercrime Bill and the Data Protection and Privacy Bill 2023 if enacted into law, would safeguard the Gambia’s cyberspace, as well as ensure a resilient digital transformation process. He added that both Bills are expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for enactment by the end of 2023.
In addition, he said, the Ministry plans to roll out advanced cyber security and cybercrime training and has identified the Formulation of a Cyber security Regulatory Framework as a priority intervention in 2024.
In an effort to revitalise and reposition GAMTEL/GAMCEL, Keita said the Ministry is drafting a National Fibre Protection Policy to address the network interruptions caused by frequent cuts on the national fibre backbone.
He also informed lawmakers that the Government is supporting GAMTEL’s network upgrade and expansion initiatives geared towards enhancing inclusivity, providing adequate redundancy and building resilience.
He expressed that to achieve this, the Government will restructure GAMTEL and privatize GAMCEL in a bid to attract and induce the much needed capital to help revive the sector and restore its competitiveness.
Furthermore, he said MoCDE is prioritising the development of a comprehensive National Postal Service Policy and Strategy, along with a thorough review of the existing Postal Service Act to ensure it is up-to-date and meets modern-day realities of postal services.
He said “In accelerating The Digital Terrestrial Transmission Process, the Ministry continues to intensify resource mobilization efforts for the deployment of a robust platform that will anchor the digital migration process, ensure nationwide coverage, and provide better quality television transmission.”
He also stated that in a bid to offshoot research and innovation for employment creation and local development in ICTs, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy (MoCDE) in partnership with the University of The Gambia is working on implementing a technology Hub and the extension of the initiative across three regions of the country.
On Tourism and Culture, he said the Ministry has completed the Regulations for the operationalization of the National Endowment Funds for Arts and Culture.
The fund, he said, will support the financing of arts and culture-related activities in the country and help to create jobs among the youth. It is envisaged that the Fund will be operational in 2024.
He reported that the Ministry through the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has successfully completed the Quadrennial Periodic Reporting (QPR) of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
He announced that in January 2024, The Gambia Government will commemorate the Bicentenary of the establishment of Georgetown now called Janjangbureh as an asylum for Liberated Africans, in 1823.
He explained that the festival will reinvigorate the conservation and displaying of authentic Gambian culture, strengthen national cohesion, and boost tourism for economic growth.
He said: “Under the World Bank Tourism Diversification and Resilience project, Kunta Kinteh Island will receive major conservation interventions starting in the last quarter of 2024.”
He said the project aims to improve the diversification and resilience of the Gambia tourism sector by strengthening institutional and policy framework, improving capabilities and access to funds for tourism-related Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) suppliers, and building resilience through the strengthening of sustainable coastal infrastructure and rehabilitation of existing tourism sites.
Minister Keita also told the assembly that efforts are also being made to develop the tourism product suite.
He said, “The construction of three cluster roads totaling about 2km within the Western Coast Tourism Development Area has been completed. Construction is underway for three new eco-lodges in the North Bank Region (Barra), Central River Region (Kunkilling), and Upper River Region (Sotuma Samba).”
He said that these eco-lodges have been established to address the challenge of providing decent accommodation for tourists and locals in rural areas.
Minister Keita further informed lawmakers that the Sotuma Samba Koi eco-lodge has been successfully completed and has been handed over to the Gambia Tourism Board.
“This initiative will greatly improve up-country accommodation and attract more tourists to these regions. The construction of a new craft market has been successfully completed for craft vendors at Palma Rima. The craft market is well built with 30 stalls and plans are on the way to build more stalls next year to accommodate more vendors,” he highlighted.
