H.E Amirzai Sangin Minister of Communications and IT of I.R of Afghanistan Visits Sweden

 H.E Minister Sangin during his three day visit from Sweden met with the Anna-Karin Hatt Minister for Information Technology and Energy of Sweden, Mrs. Charlotte Petri Gornitzka General Director of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

(SIDA) , General Director of  Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), General Director of  the Swedish Defense Research Agency FOI and Head of Ericsson.

H.E Minister Sangin thanked to Minister Anna Karin Hatt’s for her invitation to visit that country and stressed that Afghanistan wants expansion and continuation of cooperation ties in different spheres with Sweden and both Ministers exchanged views about mutual interest specially ICT and e-Government and bilateral cooperation.

On the second day H.E Minister Sangin was invited to be as a key note speaker to the seminar called “Information & Communication Technology and Development in Afghanistan” hosted by Swedish Committee for Afghanistan Together with Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).  The seminar mainly focused on predictions of the future in the area of ICT in Afghanistan.

H.E Eng. Amirzai Sangin presented his statement and added, the development of the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) area has been rapid in Afghanistan. 10 years before almost no modern IT facilities existed. Today the most of the country is covered with cell phone access. Progressively fiber net is invested into, and broadband speed will be available.

Afghanistan’s appetite for mobile technology and the associated need for digital security are transforming the country’s communication agenda, attracting overseas investors and boosting employment.

Also H.E Minister Sangin was a panelist and key note speaker at the TeliaSonera Head Office with invited Distinguished Swedish Politicians, NGO’s and Journalists. Afghanistan’s appetite for mobile technology and the associated need for digital security is transforming the country’s communication agenda, attracting overseas investors and boosting employment, said H.E Minister Sangin.

 “Everything that we had from before was destroyed,” Mr. Sangin told the Audience, Journalists, politicians at the TeliaSonera NIR and FOI Head offices in Sweden. “The policy was very simple–the government doesn’t have money, so let us enable an environment for private sector investment.”

As a result, Afghanistan’s rollout of new technologies, from electronic ID cards to mobile Internet, is continuing apace; with plans to start digital television broadcasts by the end of this year.

The growth in mobile services has allowed a number of global mobile operators to become established, including Middle Eastern mobile giant Etisalat (ETISALAT.AD); South Africa’s MTN Group (MTN.JO); Roshan, partnered by Sweden’s TeliaSonera (TLSN.SK); and U.S.-Afghan owned Afghan Wireless.  “The tremendous hunger of the people for mobile technology” means there are now 5,000 mobile towers, even in remote, mountainous areas–with 90% of the population covered in what we call a “public-private-people-partnership.” The impact of this change for people in rural areas who used to travel across the border to Pakistan just to make a phone call is huge, H.E Minister Sangin added. The population of 35 million has gone from zero mobile phones to 20 million handsets in the country in ten years. Afghanistan is now forging ahead with 3G mobile broadband still ahead of many neighboring countries the rollout has started, 11 cities have covered already. “Our goal is to have 80% of the population coming under the coverage of broadband in next two years. “ Said H.E Minister Sangin.

 “In the Taliban’s time, TV was forbidden, music, Internet, photography were forbidden–now we have 35 TV companies in Kabul,” said Mr. Sangin. “The frequencies are not enough for more analogue…we ought to have our first digital transmission in Kabul.”

The country will also introduce e-Tazkira, national electronic identification cards with the latest technology will be distributed in the near future.

 “Afghanistan has possibilities, it doesn’t have to be a poor country,” said Mr. Sangin. As well as excellent natural resources, “people are very capable; they learn very quickly and are willing to work hard” H.E Minister ended his words.

Besides the very busy Schedule, H.E Minister Sangin have interviewed with P1 Morgon Radio of Sweden and two national newspaper of Sweden.