Afghanistan-Country Report Aimal Marjan, Director General, ICT Directorate, Ministry of Communications

Background z z

The The authority authority supervising supervising Telecommunications Telecommunications and and IT IT sector sector in in Afghanistan Afghanistan is is the the Ministry Ministry of of Communications, Communications, which which handles handles postal postal services, services, too. too.

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Information Information Technology Technology was was first first introduced introduced in in 1973 1973 by by establishing establishing “Afghan “Afghan Computer Computer Center”, Center”, the the main main functions functions of of the the centre centre were: were: z z Keeping Keeping records records of of foreign foreign trade trade z z Maintaining Maintaining updated updated information information of of pension pension beneficiaries beneficiaries z z Issuing Issuing bills bills for for utilities utilities z z Operating Operating aa database database for for the the bank bank z z Maintaining Maintaining aa statistical statistical database database z z Managing Managing the the ticketing ticketing and and reservations reservations system system for for ARIANA ARIANA Airways Airways

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IT IT was was introduced introduced at at university university level level for for the the first first time time in in 1992 1992 in in Kabul University Kabul University

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Policies and Regulations z z

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Open Open Telecom Telecom market market z z 4 4 GSM GSM Operator Operator z z 1 1 Unified Unified (CDMA (CDMA 2000 2000 WLL) WLL) Operator Operator z z 19 19 Internet Internet Service Service Providers Providers z z 30 30 IT IT Solution Solution Providers Providers z z 7 7 Postal Postal Services Services Providers Providers z z Over Over 500 500 IT IT Companies Companies MoC MoC as as the the Policy Policy Maker Maker rather rather then then operator operator z z z z

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Establishment Establishment of of Afghan Afghan Telecom Telecom (2005) (2005) Establishment Establishment of of Afghan Afghan Post Post (2007) (2007)

ATRA ATRA (Afghanistan (Afghanistan Telecom Telecom Regulatory Regulatory Authority) Authority) ICT ICT Policy Policy (2003) (2003) Telecom Telecom Policy Policy (2003) (2003) Telecom Telecom Law Law (2005) (2005) ICT ICT Law Law (just (just initiated) initiated)

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Developments z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z

Afghanistan Afghanistan had had fewer fewer than than 40,000 40,000 telephone telephone lines lines for for aa population population of of approximately approximately 28 28 millions. millions. The The telephone telephone penetration penetration rate rate in in 2002 2002 was was 0.8% 0.8% which which is is 6% 6% now now (2006). (2006). An An estimated estimated 100,000 100,000 net net mobile mobile subscriber subscriber adds adds across across the the industry industry per per month. month. Approximately Approximately 40-50% 40-50% of of Afghans Afghans now now live live within within aa coverage coverage area area of of aa telecommunications telecommunications network network i.e. i.e. have have access. access. Connecting Connecting 34 34 Provincial Provincial capitals capitals with with Voice, Voice, Data Data and and Video Video conference conference services. services. Connecting Connecting 355 355 districts districts with with Voice Voice and and Data Data by by end end of of 2007. 2007. Installation Installation of of 3600 3600 km km of of Fiber Fiber across across the the country country with with connection connection to to TAE TAE and and Submarine Submarine through through neighboring neighboring countries countries by by end end of of 2008. 2008. Re-delegation Re-delegation of of .af .af (2003) (2003) ICTCA ICTCA (ICT (ICT Council Council of of Afghanistan) Afghanistan) established established December December 2006. 2006.

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Statistics based on sampling Mobile Mobile phones phones Shops Shops and andSalesmen Salesmenstatistics statistics

3000 3000 2000 2000

No Noofof Computer ComputerShops Shops

1000 1000

No Noofof salesmen salesmen

00 1998 1998 2000 2000 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2005 2005

NN uu mm bb eerr oo ff SShh oo pp ss aann dd SSaalelessmm eenn

NN uu mm bb eerr oo ff SShh oo pp ss aann dd SSaalelessmm eenn

Computer Computer Shops Shops and andSalesmen Salesmenstatistics statistics 4000 4000 3000 3000

No Noofof salesmen salesmen

2000 2000 1000 1000

No Noofof Mobile Mobileshops shops

00 2000 2000 2001 2001 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2005 2005

Date Date

Date Date

IPS IPSLicensing Licensingstatistics statistics

Internet Internet Subscribers Subscribers statisctics statisctics

15 15 10 10

No Noofof ISP ISP

55

80000 80000 60000 60000 40000 40000

ribeers rs SSuubbssccrib

ISPP NNoo ooff IS

20 20

subscribers subscribers

20000 20000 00

00 2000 2000

2001 2001

2002 2002

2003 2003

2004 2004

2005 2005

2000 2000

2002 2002

2003 2003

2004 2004

2005 2005

Date Date

Date Date

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Need for Local Contents z z z z z z z z z z

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Pashto Pashto and and Dari Dari are are the the official official languages. languages. 34% 34% can can read read write write Pashto Pashto and and Dari Dari (18% (18% Women Women the the rest rest Men). Men). 2-3% 2-3% can can read read write write English. English. All All government government correspondence, correspondence, documentation, documentation, contracting contracting etc etc are are done done in in Pashto Pashto and and Dari. Dari. Government Government as as primary primary employer employer z z 400,000.00 400,000.00 government government employees employees out out of of which which 191,000.00 191,000.00 are are teachers. teachers. Private Private Sector Sector and and International International Missions Missions as as alternate alternate employer employer z z NGOs, NGOs, Companies, Companies, UN, UN, EC, EC, WB WB etc. etc.

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Need for Local Contents ICT ICT Policy Policy

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Vision: Vision: ““To To enable enable Afghanistan Afghanistan to to further further benefit benefit from from ICTs ICTs by by

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Clause Clause “Promote “Promote localised localised software software development development and and adoption adoption of of aa

national national standard standard for for computerised computerised character character representation representation applicable applicable to to the the languages languages of of Afghanistan. Afghanistan. In In addition, addition, the the GoA GoA will will promote promote the the use use of of open open source source software software and and applications where appropriate.“ applications where appropriate.“

Local Local Content Content Policies: Policies: The The governing governing agencies agencies

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becoming becoming part part of of the the global global information information society society while while preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. “ preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. “

Ministry Ministry of of Communications Communications Ministry Ministry of of Information Information and and Youth Youth Acadome Acadome Uolom Uolom (Academy (Academy of of Sciences) Sciences) Universities Universities

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Need for Local Contents z z

Initiatives Initiatives z z z z z z z z z z

Keyboard Keyboard support support by by Liwal Liwal Private Private Limited Limited (Word (Word Perfect) Perfect) 1992. 1992. Key Key board board Support Support by by Liwal Liwal Private Private Limited Limited (Office (Office 2005) 2005) 1996. 1996. Key Key board board Support Support by by aa number number of of individuals individuals using using MSKLC MSKLC (1999-2005). (1999-2005). Afghan Afghan Languages Languages UNICODE UNICODE (Pashto, (Pashto, Dari Dari and and Uzbek) Uzbek) MoC/UNDP MoC/UNDP 2003. 2003. ALP ALP (Afghanistan (Afghanistan Localization Localization Program) Program) 2004 2004 z z z z

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Pan Pan Localization Localization MS MS Localization Localization

Challenges Challenges z z z z z z

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ICT; ICT; newly newly introduced introduced Lack Lack of of capacities capacities Lack Lack of of funding funding Lack Lack of of coordination coordination

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Need for Local Contents z z

Future Future Planes Planes z z Windows Windows Vista/office Vista/office 2007 2007 z z Pan Pan Localization Localization Phase Phase 2 2 z z Open Open Source Source z z Standardization Standardization z z E-Government E-Government z z Awareness Awareness z z Prioritizing Prioritizing ICT ICT as as an an enabler enabler

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Expectation from the event z z z z z z

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Know Know How How transfer transfer Partnerships Partnerships Fellowships/student Fellowships/student exchange exchange Afghanistan-Country Report

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Thank You [email protected]

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