Sustainable infrastructure required for E-commerce growth – OGCIO

September 25, 2024 9:40 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Adorina Massing.

Sustainable infrastructure is needed to ensure strong connectivity in Vanuatu, enabling digital entrepreneurs to establish and expand e-commerce businesses.

The two-day Vanuatu E-commerce Symposium this week included informative discussions on how local businesses have succeeded through E-commerce. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) shed more light on this.

“We are planning to build a domestic cable, which is different from the regional submarine cable. This will benefit not only e-commerce, but also help address the impact of disasters, as Vanuatu is prone to them,” said Chief Information Officer (CIO) Gerard Metsan.

“Each time a cyclone strikes, it damages our towers, forcing the government and operators to invest at the beginning and end of each year to rebuild them.”

Mr. Metsan went on to explain that there are also plans to build two large data centres in Port Vila and Santo.

“Once we begin rolling out E-commerce, we will need facilities to store large amounts of data, enabling the government and private sector to conduct analysis and ensure businesses, policies, and regulations meet the needs of the population,” he said.

The CIO also confirmed plans to upgrade government infrastructure.

“There are two ongoing projects – Starlink, for which we issued a telecommunications licence last month,” he said. “And last week we granted its business licence, so we are now waiting for validation from the regulator for commercial operations. Once completed, we’ll be ready to move forward.”

Mr. Metsan added that Starlink allows for backhauling, meaning instead of relying on overseas internet, the network links can be shifted towards the islands (via Vodafone and Digicel towers) and connected to the main hubs in Port Vila, reducing dependency on overseas submarine cables.

“This will increase connectivity, lower costs, and improve access for people and businesses.”

Regarding the security of data transactions in E-commerce, the CIO confirmed a law on online data privacy protection will be introduced in the upcoming parliamentary session.

“This law will protect both buyers and sellers by ensuring the security of their online business transactions,” he said. “Penalties will also be introduced for hackers or thieves attempting to steal information or divert funds.”

The CIO noted that one of the advantages of e-payments or cashless systems is transparency, as there is always a record of online transactions, ensuring safety in all exchanges.

“This is one reason why large businesses abroad are moving towards digital platforms, as receipts for each transaction are always available,” he said. “Every transaction that occurs in cyberspace can be tracked, which demonstrates the reliability of e-commerce businesses.”