3 POLICY OBJECTIVES, CHALLENGES AND POLICY STATEMENTS T he National ICT Policy’s broad objectives are to: 1. Provide a national framework that will enable ICT to contribute towards achieving national development goals; and 2. Transform Tanzania into a knowledge-based society through the application of ICT. The policy articulates ten focus areas whose objectives, challenges and policy statements are detailed below. As already shown under Policy Context, the ten focus areas are drawn from the aspirations of Tanzania’s Vision 2025. These areas should be interpreted, not as sequential steps, but as elements of a multi-dimensional space with numerous cross-cutting themes. This crosscutting characteristic is one of the main reasons why a coherent over-arching ICT policy is urgently needed. 3.1 Strategic ICT Leadership 3.1.1 Issues: Tanzania’s ICT environment is lacking a focused ownership and visionary leadership that takes into account the multi-sectoral nature of ICT itself. Initiatives are fragmented, and sometimes duplicated, with loss of synergies and exploitation of economies of scale. It is therefore imperative that efforts be applied to build oversight and leadership capability to bring cohesiveness to the ICT environment. Such leadership will also help ICT initiatives to be merged with national and sectoral priorities, and be in harmony with realities and expectations of stakeholders. Leadership is also important in resourcing, creating an attractive environment for investors and consumers, identifying areas needing priority funding and support, and obtaining direct resources from either national or international sources for ICT initiatives. Consequently, leadership requires institutional development for organisations involved in ICT and for political and executive responsibilities to be assigned towards delivering this Policy. 3.1.2 Policy Objectives The following are among the objectives pertaining to Strategic ICT leadership: a) Increase the use of ICT for equitable and sustainable socio-economic and cultural development of Tanzania. b) Raise the level of awareness on the role and potential of ICT. c) Create an authoritative national organization to effect, coordinate and review the ICT policy. d) Prioritise ICT investment in development assistance policies and programmes. e) Enhance synergy, economies of scale and productivity in all ICT matters. f) Create a favorable environment for cooperation and partnership in ICT among public and private sectors, civil society, and between all stakeholders at local, national, regional and international levels. Page 9