Page 111 - SAMENA Trends - July-September 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Zambia has completed the construction of a ground has had to deal with the more pressing issue of its
receiving station which it says will pave the way crippling economic crisis brought on by the Covid-19
for the launch of the country's long-awaited first pandemic. Zambia defaulted on its debt payments in
satellite. According to a Facebook post from Zambia’s November 2020, and underwent a US$13.4 billion debt
Zambia technology and science minister Felix Chipota Mutati restructuring under the G20’s 'Common Framework'
architecture that was only completed in June 2024.
on Saturday, the government has spent over US$14
million to build the ground receiving station, which is Nevertheless, Mutati said the Zambian government
located in the Chibombo district in Central Province. “is committed to launching a satellite which will help
Mutati said experts are now testing the station as they in agriculture, forestry, ground water management and
prepare to go into phase two of the preparations to other sectors.” A growing number of African countries
launch the satellite. Mutati gave no details on when the are banking on satellite technology to manage
satellite launch will take place, or any details about the resources to cope with climate change. Senegal is the
satellite itself, apart from it being an earth-observation latest country on the continent to launch a satellite,
satellite. Zambia has been planning to launch its own which went into orbit on Friday to help government
earth-observation satellite for several years now to agencies improve resource management, improve
address challenges brought on by climate change in weather forecasting and aviation safety. According to
agriculture, land use, health and energy. According to SpaceHubs Africa, 61 satellites have been launched
the Lukasata Times, Mutati said in November 2021 by 17 countries in Africa as of August 19. South Africa
that a satellite would be the most crucial component in and Egypt have the most with 13 satellites each, with
dealing with climate change. At the time, Mutati set the Nigeria a distant third with seven.
goal of launching a satellite by 2023. However, Zambia (August 21, 2024) www.developingtelecoms.com

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory of making reliable connectivity accessible to all. Potraz
Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has approved local director general Dr. Gift Machengete confirmed the ISP
firm IMC Communications' application for an internet license approval, and sources revealed that IMC paid
service provider (ISP) license, enabling a partnership US$575,000 for the permit. IMC will also pay an annual
Zimbabwe with Elon Musk's Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX. This license fee of 2% of gross turnover and contribute 1.5%
to the Universal Services Fund (USF). The approval
development is expected to revolutionize Zimbabwe's
information technology sector and reduce the high follows President Mnangagwa's announcement in May
cost of digital services. Starlink's high-speed, low- that the government had approved Starlink's licensing
latency satellite internet is particularly beneficial for through IMC Communications. Starlink, which operates
rural areas with poor or no network connectivity. IMC in over 80 countries, aims to enhance Zimbabwe's
Communications' managing director, Danny digital and communications landscape, aligning with
Marandure, expressed gratitude for the approval, the country's objective of a fully digitized economy by
highlighting the potential for increased competition, 2030. Starlink has also established a presence in
innovation, and lower prices in the Zimbabwean several other African countries, including Nigeria,
internet market. He emphasized that IMC's services Zambia, and Kenya.
will help achieve President Mnangagwa's Vision 2030 (July 10, 2024) www.bulawayo24.com

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