[This is the version of this document from 11 April 2005.]
The Pan-African Parliament,1NOTING that the world is currently governed by a new global economic order whereby developed countries have become dominant economic, financial and military powers and to reach this stage of supremacy, developed countries have directed their efforts on science and the creation, utilisation and promotion of new technologies particularly in the fields of telecommunications and transport;2.OBSERVING that Africa does not have access to modern means of information and communications technology because the continent has weak infrastructure in this field;3.FURTHER OBSERVING that, for various reasons, Africa has not enjoyed the beneficial effects of all the services and advantages offered by new information and communications technologies;4.NOTING that NEPAD, initiated by African leaders, as a development strategy for Africa and as a programme with short, medium and long term action plans, has identified problems that are causes of under-development throughout the continent;5.COGNISANT of the fact that poor channels of communication between African countries have created compartmentalisation of African economies thus making inter-African trade links and bilateral and multilateral partnerships ineffectual;6.SALUTING the political will and determination of African leaders in leading the process of implementation of the NEPAD programme for integrated and durable development that will ensure Africa’s place in the new economic world order;RECOMMENDS that the African Union establishes a new data base in the fields of telecommunications and transport, to be considered within the NEPAD framework, based on:Private and public partnerships;Use of digital transmission technologies;Support for planning and management of spectrum frequencies; andQualitative support for selected projects such as the manufacturing of computers and telecommunications facilities.FURTHER RECOMMENDS that the important projects within the NEPAD medium term framework be brought forward in order to allow for the creation of a reliable and efficient African telecommunications and transport system that will be able to speed up the physical integration of Africa, eliminate problems relating to distance, facilitate mobility, promote exchange and legitimately support the lasting development of Africa.
