"E-business is a growing field that would require better preparations if the region was to fully exploit the potentials in the e-business sector and the realization of a solid cyber laws regime in the Community will underpin the implementation of the Common Market Protocol especially on the services, an area of great potential for the region," he explained.
Dr. Bukuku, who was addressing participants attending a three-day EAC Task Force meeting on Cyber Laws (Phase II) at the Zanzibar Beach Resort Hotel in the United Republic of Tanzania, revealed that the EAC Cyber Laws reform programme began in November 2006, following the approval of the regional e-government strategy by the EAC Council of Ministers.
He said since then the community's legal framework for cyber laws covering electronic transactions, electronic signatures and authentication, cyber crime, and data protection and privacy had been adopted by the council of ministers and was under implementation. Dr. Bukuku pointed out that about KShs. 106 billion (approximately $1.05 billion) is reportedly transferred in a month via M-Pesa, a mobile money transfer concept launched in Kenya and which is being replicated across the region.
"This volume of business must be anchored on an effective regulatory framework and a robust cyber laws regime," asserted Dr. Bukuku in a statement issued last week in Arusha, Tanzania.
He hailed the experts, consultants and other stakeholders on the community's cyber laws development process for making it possible for the region to develop laws that will enable it to tap into the multi-billion dollar e-business world.
Dr. Bukuku appealed for the continued assistance from UNCTAD bearing in mind that Partner States were at different stages of developing national cyber law regimes and therefore capacity building will be required for some of them.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): David Muwanga
Quelle/Source: East African Business Week, 30.10.2011
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