Research ICT Africa’s Digital Policy Project is happy to welcome a new senior fellow, Dr Cecilia Matanga, who has joined us as part of our policy team from August to support RIA’s activities in cyber policy. Cecilia completed her PhD in 2016 which focused on unravelling the role of parliament in ICT sector reforms in nascent democracies. Based on some of her findings, she is now embarking on this journey to support the development of a model law on the digital economy, a process that will bring together various key stakeholders including national parliaments, ministries, and think tanks to develop a guide of relevant legal standards. Ideally, parliaments can use these as a yardstick to develop national laws for the entire SADC region.
She brings a wealth of regional and continental understanding, appreciation and extensive knowledge of the African political landscape. In particular an understanding of SADC and AU democratic governance, the underpinning political, economic, institutional systems and intergovernmental processes from developing and delivering ICT policy programs for parliamentarians, having worked with the SADC PF (2005-2009) and UN DESA (2009-2012) to support African parliaments in this regard.
