NCS 2019-2024 sets out a multi-stakeholder framework for ensuring Malawians can access and use cyberspace with trust and confidence, and ensuring the nation responds to threats to ICT systems and services in a coherent and effective manner. 1.2. Situational Analysis 1.2.1. National Development and the Role of ICT The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS III) recognizes how critical a well-developed ICT system is in the development of Malawi. Currently, ICT contributes about 5 percent to the country’s GDP while the sector’s growth rate is at 6.4 percent. The telecom sector accounts for 95 percent of the ICT sector employment and revenue. The Government embarked on implementing a number of strategies resulting in a number of desired outcomes including improved ICT broadband infrastructure; increased access and usage to ICT services; improved postal and broadcasting services; improved ICT governance; and enhanced ICT capacity for the general public. This is consistent with the Government’s current overarching Policy Goal for ICTs in Malawi, as described within the National ICT Policy (2013) which is “to contribute to socio-economic development through maximum integration of ICT in all sectors and the provision of ICT services to the rural areas”. The development of the MGDS follows a phased approach to address the ICT development needs of the country in support of the prevailing policies and the legal framework. The MGDS was developed to be the overarching operational medium-term strategy for Malawi in the attainment of its set vision. The main thrust of the MGDS is to create wealth through sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development as a means of achieving poverty reduction. The MGDS I was developed to lay the framework while MGDS II was tasked with putting in place the operational mechanism. The NCS therefore builds on initiatives implemented in MGDS II as well as feed into MGDS III thereby addressing Government goals of universal ICT access within a safe and secure operational environment. This policy direction is quite consistent with global research studies and evidence that clearly demonstrates the connection between ICT adoption and usage of ICT services with national GDP growth. In fact, the World Bank has demonstrated the greater development impact of broadband specifically on emerging economies as compared to high-income countries. Currently, Malawi’s broadband penetration has risen from 6% in 2013 to around 17.1% in 2016, which is relatively low compared to other Southern African 2