Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) legislators have recommended the establishment of a Parliamentary Forum ICT policy and strategy to guide the development and adoption of ICT at the regional level. The development, widely seen as a move to harness and promote effective use of ICT in the legislative assemblies was adopted following a three-day workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.

There is increasing debate on the role and potential benefits of free/open-source software (FOSS), particularly in supporting developing countries in their attempts to increase the use of information and communication technology (ICT). And as a result, governments around the world are investigating whether and how they can integrate FOSS into their strategies for social and economic development. This document provides information to governments that are considering designing and implementing FOSS policies to support national development goals.

Before now there was no single place where all the basic facts about Africa's participation in ICANN could be found. So learning about the issues required a lot of Internet research, and some savvy to find the best online sources -- which isn't simple because connectivity is so costly in Africa. This document brings it all together, and tells you where to find out more.