Bamako 2002 Conference

Business Forum,

Monday May 27 2002

President:            Mr. Mabousso Thiam, Executive Secretary, African Enetrprise Network.

Rapporteurs:            Mr. Oumar Diallo, Senegal ; Mr. Mamadou Mangue, Mali

1. The Business Forum Began with an opening remark of Ms. Karima Bounemra Ben Soltane, Director of the Development Information Services Division of the Economic Commission of  Africa.  The Fourum was chaired by Mr. Mabousso Thiam, Executive Secretary of the African Enetrprise Network. A round table on the role of the government in encouraging the private sector and strategies for private sector in developing and information society  was followed the opening. Mr. Johachim Tankano representing the government of Burkina, Mr. Mahib Cisse, the African Development Bank,  Mr. Aboubacar Diabate, Chamber of Commerce of Mali, Mrs. Anne Rachel Inne, West African Enterprises Network, Mr. Mohamed Diop, Next Global Solutions, Senegal , Mr. R. Koufiredji, Groupe Africa-concept, Benin and Mr. A. D’Almeida of the West African Bank for Development were the panelists.

2. The Forum considered the role of the private sector in promoting African information society and the role of the government in facilitating efforts of the private sector by creating enabling policy and regulatory frameworks. It was highlighted that:

§        The private sector has a key role in investing in ICT infrastructure particularly in the telecommunications sector development

§        Enabling policy and regulatory environment and incentives are critical for the private sector to play a key role in African information society

§        Capacity building for small and medium enterprises in embarking on e-business is fundamental particularly in the creation of ICT labour pool for the information economy

§        Reform of the banking and financial sector for creation of conducive environment for financing ICT programmes and facilitating electronic transactions

§        The private sector has a key role in global ICT governance and influencing policy processes at national and regional levels

§        Partnership between government, service providers, operators and consumers to sustain long-term development should be a goal for promoting the information society

3. It was recommended that African private sector should:

• Create a robust regional private sector network for information society based on existing initiatives such as the African Enterprises Network
• Organize regular forums to bring the private sector close to the issues of information society, to increase their capacity, to stimulate communication between public and the private sector and broaden the network
• Participate in long term investment in human resources for information age particularly in promoting ICTs in schools
• Play a key role in content development
• Participate in the development of policies and programmes within the framework of national ICT strategies
• Link up to multinational private sector in order to influence global ICT governance and national ICT policies

4. African government should:

§         Recognize that the private sector is the engine for growth and strive to create enabling policy and regulatory environment

§         Provide incentive and specific packages for ICT private sector to enable them to participate in infrastructure development

5. Development community should:

• Support capacity building efforts particularly changes of attitudes of the private sector, government officials and supportive institutions such as chambers of commerce
• Develop and support new investment and capacity building models that could be implemented both by the private sector and the government
• Create regional fund for promoting investment in the infrastructure
• Support the work of regional economic communities in advancing free trade areas, facilitating trade and promotion of investment in the ICT sector