Internet

Under the Electronic Communications and Transaction Act the Authority has the responsibility of accrediting Secure Electronic Signature Service Providers. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 14 of 2014 (the Act) came into force on 1st April 2016 with the passing of secondary legislation (Regulations). The Act makes BOCRA responsible for accrediting and managing Certificate Authorities (CA), developing technical standards, handling legal and policy issues and appointing a pool of Auditors from which interested CAs can choose during the auditing process.

The Electronic Records (Evidence) Act No. 13 of 2014 allows for the admissibility and authentication of electronic records as evidence in legal proceedings and admissibility, in evidence, of electronic records as original records. Section 5 of the Act provides that nothing in the rules of evidence shall apply to deny admissibility of an electronic record as evidence because it is an electronic record.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) developed the National Cybersecurity Strategy in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders from the Private Sector, relevant Ministries, Regulator, and Academia.   The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) assisted in the development of the National Cyber Security Strategy with funding from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the Government of United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Section 38(1) of the Communications and Regulatory Act No.19 of 2012(CRA) mandates Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) to manage and operate the .BW ccTLD in an efficient and non-discriminatory manner to ensure fairness in the use and allocation of the .bw name space. Pursuant to this legal provision, a Technical Advisory Committee made up of the ‘Local Internet Community’ was established.