Maputo - African countries should adopt pricing systems that allow the widest possible access to telecommunication services, said an official with Mozambique's telecommunications regulating authority on Monday.

Isidoro Pedro da Silva, chairman of the board of administration for the Instituto Nacional das Comunicacoes de Mocambique, made the comments at the opening of a four-day conference organized by INCM.

He said African countries should find ways of "adopting a telecommunication services pricing system with the ultimate goal of promoting universal access in the continent, where the majority of its population is still being excluded."

Da Silva said access to international linkage to the Internet, mobile telephone networks and other communications technologies were of great importance for Africa.

"It is our desire to see telecommunication service prices reducing to lower, acceptable and affordable levels to ensure that many do communicate with a minimum risk of being excluded and, thus actively participate in political, economic and sociocultural processes in their societies," he said. (dpa)