National Workshop on Information and Communications Technologies,
Policy and Strategy for Rwanda BRIEF CONTENTS 1. Introduction As the Information Age replaces industrialization in developed and some Third World nations, governments are facing historic challenges. The phenomenon is widely recognized around the world as fundamental and irreversible. Widely recognized too is that governments around the world are not performing enough, frozen in old structures, at risk of becoming irrelevant and loosing the confidence of their citizens. The problem is not wasting, fraud, abuse, poorly designed processes, lack of appropriate technology, or even bad management; those are just symptoms. The time has come for our government to think strategically and examine whether they are doing the right things poorly, or may, in fact, be doing the wrong things, although efficiently. This calls for a change in governance, adapting to the Information Age. This should be part of the "Modernization of public Administration" initiative and "Decentralization" process. As Rwanda moves toward decentralized, distributed models of governance, networks, information storage and retrieval and computer software applications will play a greater role in the way government autonomous units interact with each other, as well as with other entities at local or national level. Further more, information has become a critical force, shaping the world’s economic system. In the next century, the speed in creating information, its accessibility and its multiple uses will result in more fundamental changes in each nation’s economy. With this in mind, governments (including developing nations) have sharply focused their public policies and initiatives on the capabilities of their underlying information infrastructures. In Rwanda, a number of public and private institutions have indeed tried in recent years to improve their information systems by introducing advanced computer based information technologies but their efforts have not been very successful. This was due to lack of government commitment and of technical competence, resulting in lack of computerization plans and strategies, and most of all, the lack of proper coordination. The National Workshop on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Policy and Strategy for Rwanda, held in Kigali on November 30 – December 4, 1998, is for Rwanda a first step in addressing those problems. It was organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Transports and Communications and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, with the financial sponsorship of USAID, UNESCO and UNDP. The ICT Workshop is part of an African initiative, taken when the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa adopted, in May 1995, the resolution entitled "Building Africa’s Information Highway". A concrete expression of that initiative was the appointment of a high-level working group whose work resulted in the "African Information Society Initiative - AISI", adopted by the ECA Conference of Ministers in May 1996 and implementation of which must take place at country level. The Workshop was the first step for Rwanda in implementing the AISI. As outlined by the Organizing Team, the aim of the Workshop was:
As expressed by His Excellency Major General Paul Kagame, Rwanda Vice President and Minister of Defense in his opening speech, an expected output from the workshops was "…a compiled report containing recommendations on the process required to establish a national strategic framework and implementation plan for the development of a national ICT policy…" With this objective in mind, different national and international facilitators presented papers on various topics, including:
The different papers are found in APPENDIX of the report "PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS" Discussions were conducted among participants, both in plenary sessions and sectorial groups, and the results from the 3-days efforts are compiled in this report. The first and most important result from the workshop is an increased awareness, among participants in general, and top decision-makers in particular, of the importance that Information and Communication Technologies are irreversibly taking in individual and national life, and consequently, the need for Rwanda to take urgent steps to fill the gap in that area. After an overall assessment of the country’s potential and its ICT related problems and constraints, the workshop recommended steps by the Government towards the formulation and implementation of an ICT policy and strategy, the most important of which is the creation of a high level national ICT coordinating structure. The workshop went further and recommended ideas to be used as inputs by the national structure in defining the ICT policy and strategy. In this regard, the major ideas from the workshop are, in this report, grouped into different themes of national interest:
And finally, the report indicates which actions should be immediately initiated, as a follow up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Current Situation, Potential and Constraints During a few weeks prior to the ICT Workshop, the Ministry of Transport and Communication carried out some investigations to assess the current situation, in relation to the use of ICT in Rwanda. The investigations covered most of the Ministries and some parastatal institutions. Below is summary of the main findings, most of which were presented during the workshop; they give, as a starting point, useful information for planning future developments. An overview of past efforts for national plan on Information Technology. The first computer came to Rwanda in 1978, for the first population census. Timid steps for the generalized use of computers in public offices were recorded around 1985. But it was only in 1990 that there were some efforts by the Ministry of Planing to have a systematic approach for Information Technology development. These efforts resulted in the formulation of a National Policy in 1992 and a Government Master Plan on Information Technology in 1993. The 1994 tragic events did not allow any implementation, but today, the new technological developments make the Policy and Plan obsolete, particularly because of the established integration of Computer and Telecommunications technologies, which was not a major concern in 1992/1993. After the 1994 events, the first significant step for a National Policy and plan for ICT development is the National ICT Workshop. General description of the current use of ICT The use of computers is being more and more generalized in most institutions, but very few use them with data-processing applications for management or decision making purpose. In a few institutions with some computer-based applications, the communication feature is ignored. Networking computers within a building, a compound or beyond is inexistant for most institutions. Some of them do not even include networking in their formal or informal plans for future development. The lack of qualified human resources for planning and/or implementing ICT solutions for information management remains the most critical problem. There is also, at top management level, little or no understanding at all, of the importance and possibilities offered by ICT for achieving the respective missions in their organizations. It is, for example, reflected in the absence of any ICT-related structure on the organizational chart in most institutions. An overview of existing ICT projects ICT projects are currently being defined planned or implemented in some institutions, despite, though reflecting the problems described above (b). Such projects reflect the growing realization of the importance of ICT for effective decision making. However, if not well handled in the early stages, their implementation may result in some problems, including:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As information is playing a very crucial role in individual, national and international life, success in any of those areas lies more and more in the ability to control information processing and flow. The adequate use of information Technology (e.g. computers) improves efficiency, transparency and, in most cases reduces operating costs for organizations. Combining Information and Communication Technologies has made it possible to manage information in a decentralized, yet integrated and coherent way for the benefit of information producers and users. Therefore, as recommended by the National Workshop, The Government of Rwanda should be committed to promoting the development and use of Information and Communication Technologies in the direction of the realization of the socioeconomic objectives of the country. The decentralized use of Information and Communication Technology, reflected by the generalized use of personal computers (instead of the traditional centralized systems), personal and portable devices for telecommunication, is definitely a positive step in the current development. However, without any coordination, the situation presents some major risks including:
In order to reduce the risk, The Government should implement a mechanism to coordinate all ICT related activities, so that ICT development is cost effective, coherent and integrated at organizational and national level, within both the public and private sectors. The role of the Government is not only that of policy-making. In Rwanda, the Government remains the largest employer and potential consumer of Information and Communication Technology products and services. As such it can play a decisive role by promoting the use of ICT in the country and becoming a catalyser for new development. Therefore,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Overall Strategy However, the country’s potential lies in its human potential and the possibility of building modern telecommunication infrastructure for efficient communication services. The high population density, often seen as a handicap in developing nations, could allow a greater impact of new infrastructures and improve the cost-effectiveness of any human resources development program. Considering this,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Recommended Guidelines From the different papers that were presented during the workshop and the discussions in plenary sessions and working groups, some guidelines can be drawn as the contribution of the participants to the definition of a National strategy for ICT development. These can be grouped into 6 main themes:
5.1. ICT Coordinatinating Mechanism and Structure It was clearly outlined that the objective of a coherent, harmonious and integrated development of ICT cannot be achieved without a coordinating structure. It was therefore recommended that the Government urgently create a strong national coordinating structure for ICT development. For maximum efficiency, the structure should report to a high authority with a coordinating role (e.g. Office of Prime Minister, Vice President, or President). The experience of the former National Office of Information Technology (Service National de l’Informatique), a directorate within the Ministry of Planning, was not a success in some areas. It achieved some results especially in terms of defining a national policy and plan for Information Technology and conducting Computer training programs for a number of Government employees. But the office was not successful in harmonizing and coordinating IT development in different institutions; there were signs of failure in combining projects for economy and efficiency, integrating the needs for compatibility and communication between different organizations, and in enforcing standards. Reasons for the failure very likely included the fact that a Ministry could not overlook the action of other Ministries. The missions of the coordinating structure, as recommended by the workshop, would include:
5.2. Human Resources Development At many occasions during the workshop, the presentations and discussions converged on the human resources theme. The most challenging problems and constraints for ICT development in Rwanda are related to the lack of qualified personnel. It was recognized that the country’s ICT backwardness is mainly due to the fact that the human resources problem was not given its due importance in the past. Following are the main guidelines from the workshop. 5.2.1 Integrating ICT Training in Education at all Levels This requires major investment in ICT equipment and the country’s low investment capacity is a major constraint. However, it was recommended that the Government find ways to gradually include ICT training in curricula at all levels, including primary education. In the early stages of education, the focus could be on sensitizing, in order to give a vision of ICT possibilities and stimulate the interest of the youth, who will be the beneficiary and architects of our ICT future. The national coordinating structure should contribute in designing the curricula ICT content. 5.2.2 Formal and Professional Training in ICT Urgent steps should be made to include ICT courses, at graduate and post-graduate levels in all existing and future institutions of higher education. The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, the Adventist University of Central Africa (formerly located at Mudende, Gisenyi) and the National University of Rwanda have made or are making efforts in that direction. They deserve the Government support. Proper students guidance and motivation (see 5.2.4 motivating measures), combined with rational use of external funds and scholarships should allow to increase the number of ICT students in foreign countries. The workshop welcomed news, from the Ministry of Education, about a good number of ICT students already registered in Indian Universities. In general, the training of trainers should be recognized as the first and foremost priority. However, any program for promoting ICT training will fail if there is no action to uplift the teaching profession in general, and for ICT in particular. Not only do we need to have more ICT experts and incite them to work in public sector, we also need to motivate them to work in the education sector. Also, information came to light that Rwanda had been selected to host a Regional School on Information and Communication Technology. Concrete steps should be taken to implement it, as it will have a positive impact in boosting our ICT projects. 5.2.3. Using ICT for Human Resources Development One major constraint for implementing any education or training program is the lack of trainers. Investment efforts to increase their number, provided the required financial resources are available, will not yield results before some years. In order to use effectively the available human resources for training more people and thereby increase quickly the number of trainers in all fields in general and in ICT particularly, infrastructure and ICT equipment should be made available to be used in education and professional training. Recommended actions include:
At national level using ICT, including audio – visual, satellite broadcast technology and Internet would allow implementing more cost-effective training programs, using limited number of trainers. Special emphasis should be made on training trainers. At international level, with the use of ICT, more students would be able to benefit from international training programs without travelling. In this regard, the role of Government, with the ICT coordinating structure as its implementing tool, should include:
5.2.4. Informal
Training And Continuing Education Indeed, it is a real challenge, even for the initially well trained people, to keep pace with the fast changing technological environment. As brought to light by some of the workshop participants; ideas to explore includes:
5.2.5. Other Measures and Incentives It was emphasized that for the Government to have a leading role in implementing ICT policy, the modernization of its own administration through ICT is an essential. Therefore, in addition to efforts for capacity building, measures should be taken to avoid brain-drain to foreign countries, and to motivate ICT professional for public services jobs. It would be an illusion to think this is possible, with the current employment wages and benefits. At the same time, procedures for employing foreign ICT professionals should be made easier and the government should do away with the related fee. Also, participants recommended the development of a national database for ICT competence, the ICT coordinating would create and maintain it. 5.3. Modernization of Public Administration The development of ICT in Rwanda will be reflected by and dependent on the ability of the government to integrate the new technologies in public management for more efficiency and productivity. Investigations in several public institutions and discussions during the workshop emphasized that the main reasons for the backwardness in using ICT in Rwandan public institutions are related to the lack of qualified human resources. In addition to the recommendations in that area, guidelines are related to the following aspects:
5.3.1. Coordination of ICT Projects in Public Institutions The current trend, if left as it is, could lead to an incoherent ICT development in addition to the inevitable waste of resources due to duplication and, in some instances, projects which are not properly planned to achieve the expected objectives. Benefits from coordinating ICT projects in public institutions include:
5.3.2. Connectivity and Networking A very common feature in Rwandan public institutions is the use of stand-alone computers. Very few of use Local Area Network and only one Ministry (MINADEF) was found to have a Network extending connections beyond the headquarters main building. It was strongly recommended that a network system be designed and developed, connecting all government departments and public institutions. As a result, the following benefits can be expected:
5.3.3. Planning For ICT Development There is an alarming lack of planning in the way ICT is developing in public institutions. In some instances, because of the lack of qualified personnel for defining and designing ICT projects, the planning and design related tasks are handled by the same company that will supply equipment or software, or a related company. Without the required systematic approach, there is no guarantee that the resulting information systems will be efficient, integrate and maintained by the available resources in the organization. A systematic methodology should be used by all public institutions in defining, designing and implementing ICT related projects in public institutions. The national coordinating structure could play the role of defining and enforcing the methodology, and providing technical assistance when needed. Finally, it is obvious that any ICT plan should integrate the need to prepare automation by redefining procedures and, in many cases, the organizational structure. 5.3.4. Realistic, Sustainable ICT Projects The Government should resist the temptation of implementing hi–tech and sophisticated ICT projects unless there is evidence that the local personnel is able or being trained to maintain and upgrade the resulting systems. The risk of having "unrealistic projects" is particularly high when the project involves -, as it is frequently the case for the Rwandan administration - external funding and foreign technical assistance. 5.3.5. National Databanks One of the features of a modernized administrative system should be the availability of various types of information to the public, both at national and international level (Internet) The workshop urged the Government to initiate and coordinate creation of national databanks. Priorities need to be defined, and areas of information to be provided would include:
A number of ICT projects, which have been or are currently being initiated in different institutions, may partially cover some of the databanks requirements. There is a need to coordinate those initiatives and make sure they contribute to the development of a national information system. 5.4. The Role of the Private Sector The different presentations and discussions emphasized the importance of the private sector for ICT development. The large amounts required for investment in the sector, the necessity to provide cost effective services and the need to keep pace with the rapidly changing technology are such that the responsibility of ICT development cannot be left to the Government. Experiences from countries that have developed or are developing successfully their ICT sector confirm the necessity to involve the private sector. For the promotion of private initiative in the Rwandan ICT sector, some guidelines can be drawn from the workshop. They are mainly related to the development of infrastructure, liberalization and competition in the telecommunication sector, the creation of a regulatory body to oversee the Telecommunication market, the development of ICT related services industry, and the review of the existing laws and regulation. 5.4.1. Development of Telecommunication Infrastructure As clearly highlighted during the workshop, the main feature of the newly emerging technologies is the integration of the telecommunication, audio-visual and computer technologies. Therefore, the effectiveness of any information systems will depend upon on the development (both qualitative and quantitative) of Telecommunication infrastructure. With its limited resources, the Government of Rwanda, alone, cannot carry out the large investments that are necessary to take the country into the information age. Enabling mechanisms, (see 5.4.3 review of laws and regulation) should promote private investments in telecommunications, especially for those regionally integrated projects which will target, in addition to the limited national market, the commercialization of their products and services on a larger, regional market. As an objective the workshop suggested that each home in Rwanda should have at least a phone within 5 km. 5.4.2. Liberalization and Competition in the ICT Market The need for improved ICT services, with a positive impact on other socioeconomic sectors, calls for liberalization and competition in the ICT market generally. Management of telecommunication services particularly, should be based on commercial principles, with a greater number of consumers gradually resulting in reduced costs. The current situation, with a private company (RWANDATEL) monopoly, is perceived by many as worse than a state monopoly. With a legal mechanism to take into consideration the sovereignty and security concerns, private radios and TV should be allowed to operate. 5.4.3. Regulatory Body With greater involvement of the private sector and the establishment of the liberalization and competition principles, there is, as a result, a need for telecommunications regulation. The workshop recommended the creation of an independent regulatory body with, among others, the following missions:
5.4.4. Promoting ICT Services Industry It is clear that all the recommended efforts for ICT coordination, human resources development, modernization of public administration and more involvement of the private sector will gradually result in the development of ICT related industries in general. In addition, the workshop recommended that the government provide incentives for those who want to invest in ICT related services, particularly those providing the services in rural areas. Also, it is believed that the country has a potential for software development industry and Internet content development. If well promoted, local industries could satisfy the local market and reduce imports, and even target the regional market and thereby increase exports. 5.4.5 Review of Laws And Regulation While emphasizing the need for promoting private sector initiatives, the workshop participants did not loose sight of the need for the Government to have some control on strategic areas. Indeed, it is Government responsibility to guarantee that ICT is used for the interests of the nation as whole and of the individuals, without violating their rights. Such control, however, should not be an obstacle to progress. This is why it should be implemented on the level of laws and regulation. It was therefore strongly recommended that the Government initiate a review of legal and regulatory texts in order to take into consideration the emergence of new technologies and avoid the situation where inadequate laws would hinder to progress. Areas of concern to be taken into account include:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Immediate Action Many of the recommendations from the workshop will be valuable inputs when formulating policy and strategy on ICT, a process that may take some time. Also, without any appointed responsibility for the workshop results follow up, the recommendations may just enrich the national archives without being implemented. In addition, workshop participants realized that some of the problems discussed during the workshop require some urgent attention. It was therefore recommended that the Government initiate immediate action for:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Conclusion As one of the participants read from the recommendations concluding the Workshop, this was the first significant step into the Information Age. The three-day brainstorming process gave an opportunity to evaluate the gap to fill for Rwanda, the main challenges, constraints and opportunities on the journey. The workshop succeeded at least in raising awareness among the participants on the necessity to start the ICT journey without any further delay. It is hoped that the content of this report will, on one hand convince the Government on the need to take immediate concrete steps, and on the other hand, provide some useful ingredients for ICT planing and development. Whether and how the country embarks on the ICT train, to the "Information Age", for the well being of present and future generations, depends now largely on the Government’s decision. It is indeed the responsibility of our leaders to show the Rwandan society where to go and how to get there. The critical issue for Rwanda is how to bypass some of the industrialization stages and leap right into information age. From experience elsewhere it was found to be possible. The New Industrialized Countries (NIC) in South East Asia like Singapore or Malaysia are well known cases of economic success derived, in large part, from a national information technology strategy. From a poor country in late 70’s, Singapore enjoys today one of the highest per capita income level in the world, without any national debt. Governance is changing, as transparency and democracy are improving with networking. « With the Internet, a lot more people potentially will get involved in decision making. Constituencies will have more to say to institutions they belong to, » says Jerry BERMAN, Director of the Center for Information Technology and Democracy in Washington. Citizens from all nations are finding additional outlets for personal and political expression, using interactive forums on the Internet to voice their opinion and get the views of others. New models of commercial exchanges are developing as businesses and consumers participate in the electronic market place and reap the resulting benefits. Computer networks, particularly the Internet, have dramatically lowered costs, facilitating new types of commercial transactions in a flourishing Worldwide Electronic Commerce. This is to say how overdue the meeting on Information and Communication Technology was in Rwanda, for decision-makers. Leaders in the New Rwanda need to understand what these new technologies are about in order to monitor change rather than watching it passively. Although they do not need to understand how the inside of a computer works (most of those who drive have not seen inside the bonnet), they need to conceptually understand where technology can take them, their governments and citizens in future. Yet very few officials have a basic understanding of ICT to play a leading role in this Information era.This is why the Workshop Organizing Team requests the cabinet to seriously consider the Workshop recommendations, to organize more seminars for executive and decision-makers in the public and private sectors. For that, the creation of a strong ICT coordinating body is crucial. The missions of such a structure have been outlined in this report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Recommendations The National Workshop on Information and Communication Technologies held at Windsor Umubano, Kigali, on November 30th - December 3rd, 1998 can be seen as the first step to have a systematic and methodological approach for ICT development in Rwanda. The main results from the Workshop are presented in the Overall Report. Following are the main recommendations, drawn from the Report. More information and arguments in support of the recommendations are to be found in the Report. I. Global Objectives The Workshop identified and recommended to the government the following objectives:
II. Recommended Overall Strategy Because of the country’s low investment capacity, the recommended strategy for ICT development in Rwanda is to be mainly a user of existing technologies and make efficient use of information for socioeconomic development. As for production, the recommendation is to emphasize on ICT related services, relying more on the human factor. This two-folded orientation requires some initial investment for infrastructures and human resource development, as well as a set of measures to promote initiatives in the private sector. III. Recommended General Guidelines Concrete steps and actions to achieve the identified objectives were recommended by the Workshop; they are briefly presented below with an indication of the page in the Overall Report where more explanation can be found:
IV. Recommended For
Immediate Implementation
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