The Kiribati national ICT policy 2019

June 2019

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Strategies and Action Plans

Author: Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development

The Kiribati National ICT Policy 2019 was developed and published by the Government of Kiribati, specifically under the leadership of the Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD). It was officially endorsed in 2019 and represents an updated version of the original 2011 National ICT Policy.

Purpose and vision

The policy serves as a roadmap for Kiribati’s digital development, aiming to:

  • Improve access to affordable, reliable telecommunications.
  • Support national economic development and social well-being.
  • Enhance government services through e-Government projects.
  • Foster digital inclusion across all islands, including remote and outer islands.
  • Contribute to achieving the Kiribati Vision 20 (KV20) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strategic priorities

  1. Infrastructure development
    • Expansion of mobile and broadband networks.
    • Investment in submarine cables (East Micronesia Cable & Southern Cross NEXT).
    • Establishment of community ICT hubs in every village.
  2. Policy and legal reforms
    • Introduction of new cyber laws, electronic transactions law, and privacy/data protection legislation.
    • Modernisation of the Communications Act 2013 and related regulations.
  3. Digital inclusion
    • Universal mobile and internet service coverage with equal pricing nationwide.
    • Accessible ICT services for persons with disabilities.
    • Establishment of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to improve local traffic efficiency.
  4. Government services and e-Government
    • Full government network (GWAN) and data centers.
    • Digitalisation of public services (health, education, agriculture, police, civil registration).
    • Development of an e-Government master plan.
  5. Education, health, and social services
    • ICT in education through e-learning and internet connectivity in schools.
    • E-health services, including remote consultations and medical records databases.
    • E-policing, digital financial services, and child protection online programs.
  6. Cybersecurity and resilience
    • Establishment of a national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
    • Strengthened disaster communication networks and early warning systems.
  7. Economic development
    • Promotion of e-Commerce and mobile money services.
    • Encouragement of frontier technologies such as AI, IoT, Blockchain, and 5G.

Implementation and governance

  • An ICT Committee coordinates and oversees implementation.
  • Collaboration with ministries, the private sector, development partners, and local communities.
  • A detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Framework tracks progress across all goals and activities.

Key supporting stakeholders

  • World Bank, ADB, Australia, and New Zealand Governments: Technical and financial partners.
  • Telecommunications providers: ATHKL, OceanLink, BwebwerikiNET Ltd (BNL).
  • Local communities and councils: Key in infrastructure deployment.
  • Education, health, and disaster management authorities: Core actors in sector-specific ICT applications.