– – – HIV/AIDS Gender Equality and Empowerment Environment levels of education no later than 2015; Goal 4: Reduce child mortality: Target 5: Reduce by two-thirds, by 2015, the under-five mortality rate; Goal 5: Improve maternal health: Target 6: Reduce by three-quarters, by 2015, the maternal mortality rate; Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases: Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability: • Network all health centres, clinics, etc. to share information about public health, epidemics, treatments, best practices etc.; • ICTs for local and community development: multipurpose community resource centres • Using ICTs for environmental observation, management and promoting e-Environment Target 9: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources; Target 10: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water; 4 CURRENT STATUS OF ICT IN SIERRA LEONE 4-1 Sector Overview 4-1-1 Sector capitalization and growth Sierra Leone’s ICT successes have been periodic and the benefits lopsided even with sustained interest from several quarters of the ICT sector. Seasonal capitalization has come largely as a result of donor-based initiatives and these have supported the growth of ICT firms. The recent explosion of new banks and the installations of the local and wide area networks are another case of the seasonal growth trend. The rapid growth seen in the mobile telecoms market has done much to connect the capital Freetown to the provincial towns. A number of ICT firms and individuals have also implemented modern ICT technologies to conduct their businesses. A notable sector trend is the growth projection of the number of Internet users in Sierra Leone, which could reach a quarter of a million by 2010 and exceed one million by 2015. Further growth would depend on an improvement of the country’s low literacy rate (currently circa 35%). Another trend that contributes to the growth of Internet usage is the rising number of Internet cafés accounting for the majority of Internet users (up to 80%). Telecentres and Internet cafés provide Internet access for the general public as well as low cost international phone calls using VoIP. The Government is keen to see the entry of new technologies in the ICT market. The example of WiMax technology will ultimately offer mobility, wireless broadband capability and lower base cost in urban areas. ICT Policy of Sierra Leone Page 16 / 63