The Minister in the President’s Office in charge of ICT, Dr Ignace Gatare, has said that the new broadcasting policy, recently approved by the Cabinet, is crucial as the country migrates from analogue to digital broadcasting.
He made the remarks during a news conference yesterday.

The approval of the policy follows a deadline of 2015, set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), for all member-states to switch off analogue signals.

"As Rwanda intends to accomplish its analogue-digital migration targets before the end of 2012, the need to put in place a new policy framework was given due consideration,” he said.

Gatare added that the policy is needed to exploit the wide range of advantages that come along with digital broadcasting, saying that this will create an enabling investment environment.

"The policy will support our country to fully achieve returns on investments in digital broadcasting infrastructure,” Gatare noted.

The ICT Minister emphasised that the broadcasting policy outlines a legal and regulatory framework as a basis for investment, growth and sustenance of broadcasting services.

The policy addresses various issues pertaining to the management of the migration process from analog to digital.

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