Uganda develops FOSS strategy

Web Africa reports that Uganda’s ICT Ministry has recently developed a free and open source software (FOSS) policy.

The aim of the policy is to regulate the deployment of open source software and use of open standards to accelerate innovation and develop local content.

Commenting on the use of FOSS, Frank Tumwebaze, Uganda’s Minister of ICT and National Guidance in Uganda declared the following:

Free and open software services will help my ministry to innovate better because it forms the platform (for) many of the innovative ideas. Free and open source software in Uganda is certainly something we have been talking about and I am sure we will do so even more in the next few days. Some of the things Uganda has put in place to harness the benefit from free and open source software include a Software Strategy and Policy in accordance with the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development’s (UNCTAD) Trade, Services and Development expert meeting’s determination that free and open source software is an inseparable component of the global technology ecosystem.

The Minister also remarked that FOSS also presents an opportunity to develop the software industry in Uganda, which is in its infancy.

Furthermore, FOSS was recognised earlier this week for its contribution to innovation at the 7th African Conference on Free & Open Source Software held in Kampala with the theme of “Open Source Solutions for Open Government & Open Data in Africa”. The conference attracted over 500 delegates from academia, policy makers, software developers, innovators, open source activists, researchers, investors and ICT practitioners from all over the African continent and other parts of the world.