Although this growth has been recorded, the minister indicated that "the sector still faces several challenges, such as the need to increase the network of broadband networks and other support infrastructures, as well as reducing the digital disparity between urban areas and rural areas, in addition to promoting digital literacy for all Angolans", reads a statement from the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, to which VerAngola had access.
Aiming to combat these challenges, the minister said that the sector has been working to implement projects, programs and actions focused on reducing the "digital info-exclusion", depending on the exploitation and use of "the most modern technologies", as well as moving towards modernization and digitalization of "the economic fabric".
"Promoting digital inclusion and access to information and communication technologies for all Angolans, with particular emphasis on rural regions, allows for a more equitable, innovative and prosperous society," he said.
In addition to "providing access to the internet", according to the statement, the holder of the Telecommunications, Information and Communication Technologies portfolio said that digital inclusion also ensures that "every Angolan has the necessary skills to fully use information and communication technologies ", placing them at the service of society and the country's development.
Quoted in the note, he also said that "these initiatives represent the backbone of the Angolan Executive's efforts to democratize access to information and knowledge, ensuring that technology is a driver of social and economic inclusion".
On the occasion, Mário Oliveira also highlighted the National Space Program "as one of the examples of the country's technological development", with emphasis on the Angosat-2 satellite.
"Space applications have already made a contribution to some sectors of the national economy, namely in the oil and gas sector, mineral resources, among others. The Angosat-2 project has benefited communities in specific areas, such as the provinces of Luanda, Cuando Cubango , Bié, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul, which have already benefited from the services of this satellite", he pointed out.
In his intervention, the government official also mentioned the 'Internet in schools' initiative, through the 'Ngola Digital' project, as well as the expansion of the "fiber optic data network and the fiber optic interconnection project between the Republic of Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Namibia, as part of broader initiatives to improve telecommunications infrastructure and increase connectivity in the Southern African region," the note reads.
According to Mário Oliveira, the digital era has brought an "uninterrupted flow of information sharing, making it essential" to create "assumptions to discourage the sharing of false data and information", remembering that the dissemination of false information ends up distorting the reality of the facts and threaten the "integrity of institutions and the social fabric".
Thus, he left an appeal to the event's participants to "also draw up effective strategies to combat so-called 'Fake News' and misinformation, without jeopardizing the right to freedom of expression and access to truthful and reliable information".
It should be noted that the forum, which took place this Thursday in Luanda, brought together experts and professionals from various areas in Angola and Portuguese-speaking countries, to reflect on matters related to Internet governance.
