The Vision for Rwanda: Transforming Rwanda into an Information Rich Society and Economy

17. The GOR acknowledges the need to clearly define and state its overall Vision for Rwanda -- the realization of which will transform Rwanda into an information-rich knowledge-based society and economy --- with a middle-income status within 20 years. The GOR’s Vision for Rwanda has three component: the Global Vision, the Vision 2020 framework for socio-economic development and the ICT-led Development Vision.

• The Global Vision

To improve the quality of life of the people of Rwanda by enriching their social, economic and cultural well-being through the modernization of the economy and society.

18. The GOR through its Vision for Rwanda, does not envisage the future of Rwanda only in economic development terms; ----- The Vision also acknowledges the need for Rwanda to develop politically, socially and culturally to foster: political stability, good governance and system of government; improvement in the quality of life for of the people of Rwanda; national unity and reconciliation; social interaction, cohesion and integration; social justice; environmental protection and the fostering of the cultural heritage of Rwanda. The Vision for Rwanda also aims at enhancing the pride and confidence of the people of Rwanda in their abilities and capabilities develop Rwanda into a prosperous nation that is at peace with itself territorially and ethnically.
    
19. To contribute to the realization of this Global Vision, the GOR is further committed the Vision 2020 and the ICT-led Development Vision.

•  The Vision 2020

To develop Rwanda into a middle income country by Year 2020

• ICT-led Development Vision

To modernize the Rwandan economy and society using information and communication technologies (ICTs) as an engine for: accelerated development and economic growth; national prosperity; and global competitiveness.

• Missions for Realization of the Vision for Rwanda

20. Main Mission

To achieve for Rwanda a middle income status by Year 2020 and transform its society and economy into an information-rich knowledge-based society and economy by modernizing its key sectors using information and communication technologies.

21. Sub-Missions

•  To develop an ICT Industry for Rwanda
•  To develop a highly competitive value-added service sector with the potential to develop into a business-hub of the region.
•  To promote social and cultural interaction and integration at all levels of the Rwandan society.

• Strategies for Achieving Stated Missions

22. The GOR is committed to the implementation of the following broad strategies towards the achievement of the Missions for the realization of the Vision for Rwanda:

Strategy A:

To transform Rwanda into an IT literate nation

Strategy B:

To promote and encourage the deployment and utilization of ICTs within the economy and society.

Strategy C:

To improve the efficiency of the Civil and Public Service

Strategy D:

To improve the information and communications infrastructure of Rwanda.

Strategy E:

To transform the educational system using ICTs with the aim to improving accessibility, quality and relevance to the development needs of Rwanda.

Strategy F:

To improve the human resource development capacity of Rwanda to meet the changing demands of the economy.

To develop the legal, institutional and regulatory framework and structures required for supporting the deployment and utilization of ICTs within the economy and society.

To facilitate the process of national reconciliation and reintegration by promoting social and cultural interaction within the society.

39. The GOR acknowledges that, its full endorsement and ownership of the Vision for Rwanda and its Missions will be crucial for the realization of the Vision. The GOR has identified the following critical factors that will be necessary for the realization of the Vision for Rwanda and it is committed to ensuring that these critical factors and requirements are met:

• The GOR leadership and total commitment to the realization of the Vision for Rwanda

• The GOR endorsement and commitment to the Missions and the corresponding Strategies designed to contribute to the realization of the Vision for Rwanda

• The goodwill and the support of the people of Rwanda and their endorsement of the need for the Vision for Rwanda

• A high profile national leader to champion the cause of the Vision for Rwanda

• A strategic Government Ministry to provide national leadership on behalf of the GOR

• Dedicated policy and decision makers, professionals, cutting across the public and private sector committed to the mission for attaining the Vision for Rwanda

• The identification and the setting of realistic objectives and targets that can be achieved within a given time frame

40. The Government recognizes that one of its key role will be ensuring a favourable enabling political and socio-economic environment for facilitating the process of establishing Rwanda’s information society and economy.
    
41. The GOR is therefore totally committed to providing and facilitating the necessary enabling political, economic, regulatory, legal and institutional environment to support the process of moving Rwanda from a predominately agricultural economy to an information-rich knowledge-based society and economy.
    
42. The Government further acknowledges that: to facilitate the process of promoting the development and exploitation of ICTs in the economy and society, the GOR will need to put in place special policy packages, incentive programmes and policy instruments.
    
43. The Government is therefore committed to taking the necessary policy and programmatic initiatives that will include implementing the necessary policy programmes and instruments, tax and other incentive packages targeted at aiding, facilitating and supporting the development of the Rwandan information society and economy. The Government is further committed to put in place the necessary instruments to strengthen its participation in WTO negotiations.

44. The GOR acknowledges that: the extent to which Rwanda will benefit from the advances and the opportunities of the emerging information age will depend on how Rwanda is capable of developing and harnessing its human resources to initiate, support and maintain its socio-economic development towards an information and knowledge economy.
    
    
45. The GOR further acknowledges that the young population of Rwanda can be transformed into an asset by adding value to human resources and provide the environment for utilizing these resources for socio-economic development process ---- and that ICTs could play a major role in this area.
    
    
46. The GOR is therefore fully committed to putting in place and facilitating the implementation of a comprehensive human resource development programme to support the development of the Rwandan information society and economy. The GOR firmly believes that: human resources is the ultimate resource – more so for a nation like Rwanda without key natural resources. The development of people to support the process of moving Rwanda into an information society and economy is therefore top priority of the Government and the crucial role that ICTs can play in this area is fully recognized and promoted by the government.

47. The GOR acknowledges the key role that ICTs can play in educational delivery and training and the need for ICT training and education in schools, colleges and universities. The Government further acknowledges, the role that ICTs can play in literacy education and need to improve the educational system as a whole.
    
    
48. The GOR as part of its ICT Strategy to speed up the process of the deployment of ICTs in the society and economy; to develop an IT literate nation and to support the development of human resources in ICTs and other key professional skill areas is therefore committed to the rapid deployment, utilization and exploitation of ICTs within the educational system from primary school upwards. The GOR in this respect will be initiating a comprehensive programme for the deployment and exploitation of computers in schools, colleges and universities.

49. The GOR acknowledge the crucial role that ICTs can play in the delivery of Government Services; in bringing government closer to the people; and in facilitating the implementing of the Government’s decentralization and villagization policy to support the activities of the local administrative units.
    
    
50. The GOR is therefore committed to the deployment, exploitation of ICTs to support the operations and activities of the Civil and Public Services as part its commitment to the modernization of the Civil and Public Services to facilitate administrative cost reduction and the promotion of efficiency in the delivery of government services to the people of Rwanda.

51. The GOR fully acknowledge the need for Rwanda to develop a regional competitive advantage in the area of ICT exploitation and production through the development of a competitive ICT industry and service sector.
    
    
52. The GOR believes that ICTs can serve as the engine for developing these targeted lead sectors of the economy into a competitive regional business service hub.
    
    
53. The GOR further believes that Rwanda, by extensively deploying ICTs to support the development of its service sector can serve as the Dubai of the region and provide ranges of off-shore, banking and financial services to business community in the region and beyond.
    
    
54. The Government is therefore determined to facilitate the development of the Service Sector of the economy into the Business Service Hub of the Region through the deployment and exploitation of ICTs.

55. The GOR recognizes the critical role that the private sector can play as a key partner in the process of moving Rwanda into an information and knowledge economy. The government is therefore committed to promoting and facilitating the role of the private sector in the development and participation in the Rwandan information society and economy.
    
    
56. Apart from its commitment to facilitate the private sector through the creation of the necessary enabling environment and putting in place the necessary policy programmes, and incentive packages, the Government is further committed to the creation of a stable economic and investment climate that will assist both domestic and foreign private sector organizations in the development of: the physical telecommunication and communications infrastructure and other ICT infrastructure; information resources and systems "infostructure" to support the activities of various sectors of the economy as well as in the development of human resources in ICT and other skill areas required by the information economy; and in the mobilization of financial resources and other technological resources to aid the process of developing and exploiting the opportunities of the information economy.

57. The GOR acknowledges the need for the establishment of a specialist ICT training Institute for Rwanda. The GOR is therefore committed to facilitating establishment of the proposed Regional Information Technology (IT) Institute in Rwanda. The Government acknowledges that Rwanda's bilingual status makes it an ideal country for such an Institution which could attract both English and French speaking students from the region and beyond. There is also the need to develop training and education facilities in spatial data management at the university of Rwanda.

58. The Government is committed to: improving communication facilities and to diversifying the means of access through the utilization of appropriate telecommunications systems.
    
    
59. The Government as part of its strategy in this area will be increasing access to telecommunication facilities; facilitating the rehabilitation and strengthening of telecommunication and communication facilities. There are plans to liberalized the telecommunications and communications sector to encourage investment and competition in the sector.
    
    
60. Government Policy in the Mass Media and Information sector is to promote information in order to facilitate the achievement of social welfare and to foster national reconciliation and unity. The Government will be pursuing a policy of diversifying and improving the quality of information; increasing accessibility to ranges of information within and outside the country and creating a supportive environment for the development of the private press. The Government is also committed to plans to liberalize this sector and privatize the services of ORINFOR. – the Government Information and Mass-media agency.

61. To enhance Rwanda’s capacity to develop, produce, manufacture and assembly ICT products and services as a step towards developing a local globally competitive ICT service sector and industry, the GOR is committed to promoting and supporting R&D initiatives in Rwandan Research Institutions, Universities and Colleges.
    
    
62. The Government as part of its strategy in this area will be encouraging partnership, collaboration and linkages between local R&D Institutions and foreign Centers of Excellence to speed up the process of knowledge and know-how transfer to Rwandans.

63. Apart from the development and mobilization of human resources, as critical factors for ICT development, deployment and exploitation in the society and economy, the Government is fully committed to facilitating the mobilization of the necessary financial and other technological resources through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Domestic investment to aid the socio-economic development process in Rwanda.

64. The GOR acknowledges that the level, scale and speed of the socio-economic development envisaged in the Vision for Rwanda cannot take place without the necessary modern physical infrastructure: roads and general utilities; social infrastructure; telecommunications and communication infrastructure. The GOR is therefore committed to the rapid development, upgrade, improvement and deployment of the necessary infrastructure in all key areas. In this regard, the development of a reputable geographic information infrastructure will prove an important asset to support the development of the physical infrastructure.

64. The GOR acknowledges that the deployment, exploitation and the development of ICTs in Rwanda will need to be guided by appropriate Standards, Best Practices and Guidelines. The GOR is therefore committed to facilitating this process.

65. The GOR acknowledges that: the development and the exploitation of ICTs in the economy and society as well as the development of the information and knowledge economy will need to be supported and facilitated by appropriate legal provisions and legislation; regulatory framework and provisions as well as institutional structures. The Government is therefore committed to implementing relevant and appropriate sections of the "African Telecommunication Policy and Regulatory Framework Development Programme --prepared by the Africa Ministers of Communication --the African Connection) at African Telecom'98 in Johannesburg, May 1998 in areas like:

• Separation of Government regulatory and operator duties
• Establishment of independent regulatory institutions
• Universal service and access to basic and value added telecommunications services
• Creation of conditions for an investor friendly telecommunications environment
• Development of local communications industry towards competitiveness
• Liberalization and encouragement of private investment in the ICT sector
• Establishment of national regulatory institutions
• Establishment of a mechanism for co-ordinated spectrum management and frequency planning

66. The Government is also committed to the enactment of the necessary laws and legislation in area like: Intellectual Property Law; Telecommunication Law -- to govern and regulate the activities of the telecommunication sector and in passing the necessary legislation to facilitate electronic commerce and other Internet-related activities in the country.

67. As a key aspect of its ICT Policy and Strategy for developing the Rwandan information society and economy, the GOR is committed to putting in place and implementing four 5 year NICI Plans (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th NICI) over the 20 year time span of the Vision 2020 socio-economic development programme. The individual time span and goals of the each the NICIs are:

68. The GOR is fully committed to putting in place and facilitating the implementation of the a number of programmes and initiatives within the 1^st NICI Plan. Some of these are:

• the implementation of special government policy and budgetary packages, tax and investment incentive programmes, policy instruments and lead sector promotion packages and incentives to promote the exploitation and development of ICTs in the economy and society to facilitate and accelerate the process of moving Rwandan economy towards predominately an information and knowledge-base economy;

• the development and implementation of a comprehensive human resource development programme to improve the human resource development capacity of Rwanda to meet the changing demands of the ICT sector and other key sectors of the economy;

• the implementation of a number of national ICT applications across all sectors of the economy;

• the mobilization and the deployment of the necessary financial and technological resources to support the implementation of targeted programmes and initiatives;

• the modernization of the civil and public service, -- one aspect of this being the computerization of their activities and operations;

• the promotion and supporting of R&D initiatives directed at the development and the exploitation of the opportunities of the information society and economy;

• the development of standards, best practices and guidelines to guide the deployment, exploitation and development of ICTs in key sectors and

• the provision of the necessary legal, regulatory and institutional framework to support ICT development in Rwanda.

69. The GOR is committed to setting up the necessary National ICT Structures and Bodies to coordinate, support and facilitate the implementation of its ICT Policies, Strategies and Plans. A number of these structures and bodies are envisaged. To start with the GOR is setting up: the National Information Technology Commission (NITC), the NITC Working Groups, the National Geographic Data Committee (NGDC) and the Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA).

70. The NITC will be a high powered body whose membership will be made up of a number of Cabinet Ministers from key Ministries and representatives from the Private Sector, Academia, Labour Organizations, etc. The NITC will be chaired by the President ----- the National ICT Champion
    
    
71. The NITC on behalf of the GOR will be responsible for: (i) coordinating the development of Rwanda's ICT Policy, Strategies and Plans (ii) supervising the work of RITA and other government agencies involved in the implementation of programmes, projects and initiatives that forms part of government ICT Policy, Strategies and Plans and (iii) commissioning and setting up the NITC Working Groups, and supervising their work.

72. The NITC Working Groups will be set up to address specific national ICT issues and priority subject areas of ICT Policy, which the NITC will from time to time identify for attention. Some of these NITC-WGs will address specific technical issues while some will be set-up to advise the NITC on specific policy matters relating to specific sectors of the economy and society as well as deliberate on specific subject matters that need to be addressed within the Government's ICT Policy or Plan.

73. The NGDC will coordinate the development and maintenance of geospatial data at national level. It will define the nature and characteristics of the geoinformation infrastructure and supervise its implementation and functioning. It will also be an advisory body to the government.

74. The Rwandan Information Technology Authority (RITA) will be the National ICT Implementation and Coordination Body under the supervision of the NITC. RITA is being set up as an autonomous body with linkages to the IT Divisions/Directorates of the Ministries as well as with other ICT-related organizations in the public and private sector.
    
    
75. RITA will among other things have the responsibility for: co-ordinating National ICT initiatives and projects; facilitating the implementation of NICI Plan programmes; facilitating the work of the NITC, the NITC-WGs as well as IT Division/Directorates of Government Ministries; providing advisory and technical support services to the NITC, the NITC-WGs as well to public and private sector organizations.
    
    

76. RITA will also have the responsibility for developing National ICT Standards and Guidelines and will have ICT Consultancy role as well as public awareness and education role in the area of information and communications technologies.