The NICI Plan development process in Cote d’Ivoire was launched at the end of 1999. The Office of the President led the process. A Team of 40 National Experts were appointed from the various sectors of the economy to liaise with all the stakeholders (Government, civil society, private sector, professional organizations, research and training institutions, etc.) to develop an integrated and comprehensive national strategy. The National Council for the Information Highways – Conseil National des Autoroutes de l’Infomration, supported the NICI Team. A small team of five experts mandated by the National Team of Experts developed the final document. The NICI plan – Plan de Developpement de l’Infrastructure Nationale de l’Information et de la Communication 2000 – 2005 was approved by the Council of Ministers in July 2000.

The participating entities in the process were:

• Ministry of Mines and Energy

• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock

• Ministry of Education

• Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

• Ministry of Economy and Finance

• Ministry of Defense

• Ministry of Health

• Chamber of Commerce

• Ministry of Planning, Development and Governmental Coordination

• The State General Auditor

• Representative of the private sector

• Prime Minister’s Office

• Telecommunication Regulatory Agency

• Representative of regional organizations

• National Informatics Development Agency

• Academia

• Regional Computer Centre of Cote d’Ivoire

• Bureau National d'Etudes Techniques et de Développement

• National Committee on Geo information

• Polytechnics

• Organization representing the civil society

Côte d’Ivoire’s NICI vision aims at using ICTs to spearhead the country’s economic, social and cultural development to sustain the key sectors of the economy and society by improving access and delivery of public service, and developing a competitive service industry to contribute growth, job creation, and ensuring to Côte d’Ivoire its regional leadership.

The NICI plan aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Democratize access to ICTs

• Put in place promotional programmes and incentives

• Build capacities

• Develop reliable and high capacity infrastructure and appropriate applications

• Improve public service delivery

• Develop content and sustain the democratization process in the country

The areas of focus identified by the NICI plan of Côte d’Ivoire are:

• Agriculture and natural resources

• Culture

• Education, training and research

• Good governance

• Private sector

• Health

• Women in development

• Tourism

• Media

Following adoption of the NICI plan by the Council of Ministers, a national coordination and monitoring mechanism was set up with focal points at the Government as well as private sector and civil society levels.

Some of the top priority projects which were identified in the NICI plan are as follows:

• Connecting the various Ivorian cities using up to date technology

• Starting a Government Intranet

• Connecting the universities and the high schools

• Content development

• Developing an African Regional ICT Hub

Aware and conscious of the challenges of ICTs for development, the Government of Cote d’Ivoire has created a Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to implement the NICI Plan.

In general, the NICI plan development process has achieved the following:

• A NICI Plan

• A Decree for adoption of the NICI

• Creation of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology

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