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Indicators |
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Tanzania |
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Report of the Workshop on the Elaboration of an Information and Communications Policy and Plan for the United Republic of Tanzania, 12 - I5 May 1997
compiled by Francis Inganji
Development Information Services Division, Economic Commission for Africa
I. Introduction
Background
The information poverty that has characterized the socio-economic development planning efforts of many countries on the continent since their attainment of political independence has contributed to Africa's lack of development over the years. The prevailing situation is not because the planning mechanisms of these countries lack data on which to base various meaningful socio-economic planning exercises. Rather, the problem has been the inability of African countries to develop and maintain appropriate information infrastructure. Understanding African development problems and implementing the appropriate solutions require substantial amounts of correct information input, and the information needs change with evolving development.
For example, agriculture is regarded as a cornerstone of the economy in sub-saharan Africa. The present emphasis in development strategies in favour of agriculture and agro-industry, therefore, becomes one of the foundations for the priorities in information activities. Many African countries already possess agricultural statistical units, libraries and documentation centres. The problem is how these largely traditional document-oriented institutions could meet the needs of multi-disciplinary, agricultural development concerns and the heterogenous user environment of the present day. Only the recent technological advances in remote sensing, communication and data processing possess the potential that can meet the challenges of innovative information collection, processing and delivery methods, and continuous research and development and updating of those methods.
The information revolution along with its attendant explosive growth of knowledge, and the related phenomenon of the globalization of the world economy have brought about the Information Age, which affects all aspects of economic, social and political activity. Insufficient appreciation of this phenomenon leaves African countries on the short end of an information and technology gap, the disparity between information rich and information poor.
Recent Regional Initiatives
At the urging of the member States of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), ECA has taken the lead in helping prepare African countries to overcome this gap and utilize these new forces to promote social and economic growth in the region. The process began in April 1995 with the African Regional Symposium on Telematics for Development organized by ECA, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This Symposium brought together some three-hundred information technology experts, senior government officials, and private sector leaders from over fifty countries and resulted in further conceptualizing an African information infrastructure.
In May 1995 the twenty-first meeting of ECA Conference of African ministers of social and economic development and planning adopted Resolution 795(XXX) entitled "Building Africa's Information Highway". In response to this resolution ECA appointed a High-level Working Group on Information and Communications Technologies in Africa to draft an action framework to utilize the information and Technologies in Africa to draft an action framework to utilize the information and communications technologies to accelerate the socio-economic development in Africa.
The High-Level Working Group consisited of eleven experts on Information and communications Technology in Africa. The group met in Cairo, Dakar, and Addis Ababa and communicated further by electrnic mail. The result of its work is the document "Africa's Information and Communication Infrastructure". Secondly, in May 19996 the twenty-second meeting of the ECA Conference of Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning approved (through its resolution 812 (XXX), the African Information Society Initiative: and action framework to build Africa's information and communication infrastructure. The action framework calls, inter alia, for the elaboration and implementation of national information and communication infrastructre plans involving development of institutional framework, human, information and technological resources in all African countries and the pursuit of priority strategies, programmes and projects which can assist in the sustainable build up of an information society in African countries. The initiative was also endorsed by the African Regional Telecommunications Development Conference (AF-RTDC-96), organized bythe ITU and held in Abidjan in May 1996 as well as by the Organization of African Unity at its July 1996 Summit in Yaounde, Cameroon.
In addition, two major United Nations initiatives are currently underway addresssing the challenge of building Africa's Information Society. Firstly, the United national system -wide Special Initiative on Africa, launched in March 1996, delineated the priority area of "Harnessing Information Technology for Development" (SIA/HITD) under the theme of "Give Development A Chance". It calls for the undetaking of certain key activities in individual African countries as well as at the regional level to help build the necessary infrastructure for the African Information Society. Among the activities in support of this are national plicy workshops on regulatory issues, installation of Internet nodes, technical and user training in computer networking, applications development and dissemination and electronic clearing house on African development information. In pursuit of this, the workshop on the elaboration of an information and communications policy and plan was organized for the United Republic of Tanzania.
II. Objectives of the Workshop
The intended impact of the African Information society Initiative (AISI) is that African member States give serious policy consideration to the implications of the global information revolution in their countries. The development of national information and communication infrastructure plans would be important indicators that African governments have taken the challenge of building theire information society seriously and are positioning their countries to be competitive within the global economy, using the tools of information technology. The overall aim of the workshop was to ensure a national consensus in the elaboration of a national information and communications policy, on objectives and priorities for action and to draw up an implementation plan.
Within this overall concern, specific objectives of the workshop included:
To secure the commitment of the Government of Tanzania to the process of formulating a national information and communications policy and plan.
To set up national mechanisms to assist in the development, coordination and follow up of and implementation plan.
To develop strategies for resource mobilization.
III. Components of a National Information and Communications System
The national information and communication systems components include among others:
National Information and Communication Policy:
Issues discussed included:
- Institutional arrangements
- The goals of a national information and communications policy
- Assessment of existing policies related to information and communications sector
- Promotion of standards and methodologies
- Acquisition and utilization of information and communications technology
- The concept of information networking at national level
- Issues related to laws and regulations on information flow, handling, use and inormation technology
- Education and training
Obstacles which inhibit the development of national information services and connectivity within Tanzania and to the global information infrastructure :e.g. financial, regulatory, lack of appropriate enabling environments for the creation of African information products, lack of understanding of the importance of the development of information and telecommunication infrastructure and insufficient commitment to the use of information and communication technologies.
IV. Presentations and Discussions
The following presentations were made:
Group discussions took place on the following topics.
Group One: The need for National Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan for Tanzania.
Group Two: Strategies for resource mobilization for strengthening of the information and communications sector in Tanzania.
Group Three: National Mechanisms to assist in the development, coordination, follow up and the implementation plan for information and communication plan for Tanzania.
V. Opening Session
In his opening statement which was read on his behalf by the Deputy Principal Secretary, Mr. C. Mutalemwa, the Principal Secretary of the Planning Commission welcomed participants to the workshop. ~ He stated that the workshop provided the participants the occasion to discuss issues related to the strengthening of the information and communications infrastructure of the United Republic of Tanzania. He noted that the workshop provided a unique opportunity to Tanzanians to exchange views on some of the critical information challenges facing Tanzania.
The Principal Secretary noted that Tanzania is committed to the strengthening of the Information and Communications sector and welcomed any support from international communities in the strengthening of this sector. The principal secretary stated that the information challenges facing Tanzania were immense and Tanzania needed to pursue its efforts to participate in the global economy, and the strengthening of the information and communications infrastructure was a prerequisite. He highlighted the initiatives of Tanzania in this area (See the attached speech of the Principal Secretary in Annex II).
In a message read on behalf of the ECA Executive Secretary, the representative of` the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) noted that for
Africans to be part of the global economy, they should make full use of information technology of which telecommunications were the base. He noted that for Tanzania to strengthen its information and communications infrastructure, three issues have to be addressed, namely: establishment of national policies for information and communications infrastructure, encouragement of the national telecommunications offices to be more involved in information infrastructure development, and attraction of private capital for development of the infrastructure.
The representative of ECA further noted that in order to accelerate information development, regulatory issues including policies on coordination, and social issues had to be dealt with. He urged Tanzania to benefit from an improved and efficient telecommunications sector by letting this sector operate on a commercial basis, which, if motivated, could leverage its existing telecommunications networks and skills to develop national information infrastructure. He concluded his presentation by advising that, with appropriate policies, the barriers towards building the African ouramps to the world-wide information super highway can be lowered and Africa could begin the 1st century plugged into the global information economy.
VI. Presentations and Discussions
The following presentations were made and discussed in plenary:
African Information Society Initiative (AISI) and the elaboration of an Information and Communications Policy and Plan
Participants noted that AISI was an action framework to build Africa's information and communication infrastructure. It was further noted that AISI was about Africats development its challenges and opportunities in an information age and addresses the role of information, communication and knowledge in shaping African Information Society to accelerate socio-economic development.
Participants further noted that the Initiative aims to support the development of Africa's role and policies in a future where information is a crucial economic and social resource, and where electronic networks and information technology present a new venue for socio-economic and cultural activity, at both local and global levels. It was observed that the Initiative's call for the formulation and development of National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) plans in every African country including Tanzania.
In discussing this Initiative, participants noted that the vision set at the year 2G10 seemed to be too far away. Participants wondered as to what could be done to have Tanzania progress at a rapid pace in the strengthening of the information and communications sector. It was agreed that in order for Tanzania to participate in the global economy, policies had to be promulgated that support the strengthening of the information and communications infrastructure. Participants also noted that in strengthening the infrastructure due consideration should be placed on the development of the content i.e., the information that has to be transmitted. It was observed that Tanzania should not only be a consumer of information, but had to produce information and information products as well.
Goals of a national Information and Communications Policy
Participants observed that the main goal of the Initiative was to harmonize and coordinate information and communication services and make them more competitive. Participants emphasized that the main goal of a national information and communications policy should be to improve the information flow at all levels and facilitate the participation of Tanzania into the global economy.
Importance of Tanzania becoming part of the Information Society
Participants discussed at length the concept of an "Information Society", with some emphasizing that Tanzania was already part of the information society.
However, it was noted that the information activities being carried out at national level were too rudimentary to qualify Tanzania as part of the Information Society. Participants emphasized that Tanzania should improve the methods of collecting, processing, and disseminating of information, using modern information technology. Once Tanzania has the capacity to participate in the global economy using modern and appropriate information and communication technology, and once the regulations at national level will have been changed to facilitate free access to information then Tanzania would be considered as part of the Information Society.
Participants noted that there were several benefits for Tanzania by becoming part of the Information Society, among them being: ability to participate in the global economy, ability to access information globally and nationally and ability to inter-Africa trade using the modern information and communications technology.
Issues related to the development of National Information Infrastructure (NO) and Connectivity to the Global Information Infrastructure (GII)
Participants observed that there were certain critical issues which are important in the development of NII and connectivity to the GII. They examined the importance of joining GII and why it is important for countries like Tanzania to create NII. While it was clear that there are risks involved in creating NII and joining GII there are nevertheless potentials of having these systems. It is therefore appropriate to assess the potentials and benefits of GII and NII and have strategies and policies that link GII NII to overall national strategies and development priorities.
Other issues discussed included commitment and stakeholders involvement of which the government is still seen to have a role to play in ensuring, through regulation, that the poorest people benefit in GII and NII and the culture diversity is preserved.
Other stakeholders to be involved include business sector and media. On policies and strategies, Me participants emphasized that in order to maximize benefits and minimise problems and risks of GII and NII there is need to draw up policy and strategies and that such policies need to be "mother" of all policies. Issues to be included were enumerated and aims and objectives to be achieved were linked. Additional issues covered include infrastructure mainly telecommunication and human resources covering aspects of telephone density and aspects of training, education and promotion. Finally the participants discussed cultural issues and content and codification of information.
During discussions it was clear that issues of creating information culture were crucial to enable Tanzania take advantage of GII. The mode of education should also change to be geared to participatory. There was also a strong feeling that more discussion need to be done to remove bottlenecks in information flow. Commitment was important and so was manpower development. Finally there was an agreement that some complete reengineering and investment were required to make GII and NII successful in Tanzania.
Issues related to Laws and Regulations on Information flow, and Information and Con~nunications Technology in Tanzania.
Participants observed that the existing laws and regulations and institutions responsible for regulatory functions were not backed by any information and communications policy. An Information and Communications policy should be formulated to facilitate the revision of the existing regulatory framework in its wider scope.
There was a general agreement that most of the existing regulatory mechanisms be reviewed with a view to upgrading them within the context of a national information and Communications policy.
Existing policies related to the Information and Communication sector for Tanzania
Participants observed that since the development philosophy of Tanzania is based on self-reliance, self-motivation and initiative, information and communications as a sector becomes of paramount importance for creating development awareness through public information and mass education campaigns, based on multimedia techniques.
Tanzania does not have an organised information and communication policy, although there are a number of policy statements, acts of parliaments from which the mission, functioning and general operational and accountability perspective of individual media and communication institutions can be derived from.
The public media, which are government owned, play a significant role in development communication and support but they are without exception underdeveloped, unmotivated and technologically backward. There is need for capacity building and modernization.
The private media are largely commercial entities and their existence and editorial policies would mean to depend on this patronage. The drive for private but developmental oriented media institutions should be encouraged by legislation and investment incentives.
Participants further noted that Tanzania falls far behind the global information society, and as such, urgent effort is needed both in terms of redefining the function of the information and communication sector in a changing global and national, political and economic scenario. In the same vain media institutions, both public and private, should realize that their survival depends on the professional and technological mobilit,v, which implies a sustained awareness on the need to change, be more creative, diversity and create a conducive climate for competition and quality products and services.
The rural/urban imbalance in information and communication flow should be redressed by establishing regional broadcasting stations, newspapers and telephone systems.
Investors should be encouraged to take part in this development effort through incentives.
On the other hand, major projects developed by different ministries should have, as a prerequisite, an information and communication component outlining the role of Public Information in the project, particularly, where the participation of local population is an important aspect.
There is need to sensitize information and communication leadership and practitioners to the appreciation of new technology and possibilities brought by the new technology in this sector, both at the macro and micro level.
Proposals on Institutional Arrangements for Information and Communication Policy for Tanzania
Issues related to the various agencies and mechanisms for the coordination of various information systems, services, programmes, and activities as well as the legal, regulatory, and institutional practices which enhance the development of the information society in Tanzania were addressed by the participants.
Proposals for a national mechanism for coordination included the establishment of an Information Commission in the President's Office. The commission would have organs responsible for policy and decision making, executive and advisory roles.
The development of sectoral information systems, capable of providing analysed, accurate, timely and reliable data, with a management structure similar to the national coordination mechanism was emphasized. Organisational charts for the proposed national and sectoral coordination mechanisms were to be provided by the proposed steering committee.
Concerns for the current working environment are expressed with proposals for its improvement. The implications to the government in areas such as elecommunication, intellectual property, privacy, free-flow of information, involvement of the private sector and the mass media were highlighted with proposals for action.
Workshop Consensus
After receiving and deliberating on the above presentations, both in plenary and in working groups, the workshop agreed on the position reflected in the workshop communique attached here to as Annex I.
VII. Group Discussions
Group One
The need for a National Information and Communications Infrastructure Plan for Tanzania
The need for a plan cited above is not debatable; Tanzania certainly needs one, for the sake of facilitating her social and economic development planning as well as marching with the global information and communication changes.
Definition
Information
Information is organised data. An illustrative case of an attendance register was cited. What is recorded in the register is data. When the data is processed, then it is transformed into information. An administrator, for instance, notes, by assessing the data, that 20 per cent of the staff of a given company reported late for duty, because they signed the register below the red line. Information was summarised as something that is secured through reading, seeing and hearing. Newspapers, magazines, television sets and radio stations fit into that framework as information sources.
Communication
Communication is the process of transmitting information from point to point; person to person or group to group. A chat between two fiends is one of the simplest forms of information transmission. People get information through sophisticated channels like radio, newspapers, television, telephones and telefaxes.
Infrastructure
A sound infrastructure is basic for the transmission of information. It constitutes KEY PLAYERS who operate in various specialised fields, under the auspices of particular agencies. They include the government; telecommunication companies; the hardware and software industry; publishing companies; the electronic media (radio, TV; print media, newspapers, magazines); Internet providers; training and research institutions; library and data centres.
"The infrastructure should also include information and communication producers such as owners of contents; packages and intermediaries who provide commercial services; network operators; developers of various kinds of equipment, including semiconductors; switching and transmission equipment, computers, radio and television."
The Need for an Information and Communication Plan
Stakeholders
It is necessary for Tanzania to participate in the global information societies articulated by the AISI Resolution 812 (XXXI) to which Tanzania is a signatory. The plan provides a vision, ensures government commitment, coordination, resource mobilization strategies and plan of action.
The key players are divided between regulatory bodies, operators and users. The government, at the apex, oversees policy, through agencies that include the Tanzania Communications Commission, Tanzania Broadcasting Commission, the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology and the Civil Service Department.
Operators include the Tanzania Telecommunications Company, broadcasting station, newspapers, libraries and data bases. Users include policy and decision makers, the general public, researchers, etc.
The plan
The thrust of the plan is that information should be made available and accessible, as it is a human right. To facilitate convenient and effective flow of information, appropriate technology should be selected to suit a particular environment, it should be sustainable.
Plan components
A set of short-term and long-term components of the envisaged plan was floated; anchored on a proposal that someone in senior executive authority, preferably, the President, should pronounce a target year; say 2010.
Short-term components
- Every Ministry should have its own information and communication technology plan and a unit for implementing it. The President's and Prime Ministerts Offices should spearhead the initiative.
- Storage of information should be improved.
- A stock should be taken of existing local area networks, and a method of linking them sought.
- Senior administrators should be computer-literate, and the conditions should ultimately trickle down to their subordinates. (Human resources development). Stock should be taken of training centres to gauge this suitability of the courses they are offering.
"The infrastructure should also include information and communication producers such as owners of contents; packages and intermediaries who provide commercial services; network operators; developers of various kinds of equipment, including semiconductors; switching and transmission equipment, computers, radio and television."
Long-term Components
Computer should be used as a training tool at all levels.
Summary of Group II Discussions
Topic: Strategies for Resource Mobilization for Strengthening Information and Communication Sector in Tanzania.
Key words were identified as follows:
- Resources
- Strategies
- Mobilization
Under the key word Resources three types of resources were identified:
- Financial
- Human
- Capital and equipment
Under capital, the group identified existing institutions as part of the capital stock.
It was appreciated that all the resources required imply task was to state clearly why we needed funds. The following needs were identified: financial needs. Therefore the establishment of a small secretariat to handle the day to day activity of the steering committee and to undertake specific studies and research to generate necessary information and data e.g. needs assessment, creation of demand centres for information
Funds are required to train and develop human resources in the communication and information sector. this includes:
- Training at all levels
- Sensitization beginning with the top government officials
- If information and communication become priority areas in national development strategies and plans, this in itself will attract funds.
There is need to identify existing expertise in the sector as well as existing institutions. Appraise training institutions - facilities, curriculum, certification and see whether or not regulation is necessary. At present there is too much liberalization. Training tends to be purely commercialized.
Funds are required to undertake stock of capital and equipment available and needs for the sector e.g. identify existing facilities, extent of use or disuse; identify requirements.
How to get funds:
Sensitize high level authorities in Tanzania so as to put the project in the annual budgetary process
Prepare a project document that will show clearly, objectives and needs of all stake holders.
Approach both bilateral and multi-lateral funding agencies with the project document
Government to create a conducive environment for the private sector to invest in the information and communications sector.
Information users and centres should be identified and possibilities be explored for them to share costs e.g. employees to be given loans to acquire IT technologies e.g. cellular phones, computers, Already employees are being given loans to buy expensive vehicles.
In the villages information centres could be the ward secretary's office, the school, the health centre/dispensary. A produce sales cess (tax) could be introduced to pay for some of the technologies and information needed by villagers.
Government and other agencies should be urged to increase budgetary allocations to information institutions such as libraries, documentation centres, etc.
Voluntary contributions should be encouraged from business entities that stand to gain by having a more and better informed population.
The first task which requires immediate attention is the sensitization and creation of awareness, especially in getting the "political will". Methods for raising funds for this activity must be immediately sought.
It is recommended that the Planning Commission be the focal point for the policy on communication and information. A secretariat should be established by the Planning Commission in collaboration with other participating sectoral ministries e.g. Communications and Transport.
An information and communication trust fund be established through the Planning Commission with contributions from other stakeholders mentioned earlier.
National Mechanism to assist in the development, coordination, follow up and implementation plan for Tanzania
Group Three
In order to examine the national mechanism for coordination, follow-up and implementation plan for Tanzania, the different stake-holders and the different actors, and the mechanisms for their operations were addressed:
1. identifying the stakeholders and the different actors
2. The mechanisms for their operations.
Identification of stakeholders:
To ensure the involvement of all sectors, the information cycle approach was used as guidance, thus having all the major players at each stage of the information cycle.
The stages and stakeholders are:
a. Information generators.
- Researchers
- Authors
- The government (i.e., government departments)
b. Information processors.
- Publishers
- Systems analysts
- Data processing units
- Printing processes
c. Information Disseminators
- Information Users
- Information Disseminators
- Mass media
- Extension services
- Libraries
- Libraries and documentation centres, Archives
d. Information Users
- Policy and decision makers
- Researchers
- General public
- Student, teachers etc./academia
- Business community
e. The IT sector
- Computer vendors
- Communication and telecommunication sector
IT professionals, Information storage, Libraries, Archives are information providers.
Organizational framework for implementation
The Planning Commission as a Secretariat should be the Coordinator of the National Mechanism for the development, coordination, follow-up and implementation of the National Information and Communication Policy for Tanzania.
A National Steering Committee on Information and Communications should be formed by the government.
The Steering Committee will address among other things the following:
- Ensure that Tanzania moves towards the information society.
- Ensure the formulation and oversee the implementation of a National Information and Communication Policy and plan for Tanzania.
- Mobilization of resources.
- Ensure participation of all stakeholders including the private sector.
Annex I
COMMUNIQUE OF
A WORKSHOP ON THE ELABORATION OF AN
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND PLAN FOR
THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
We the PARTICIPANTS of the workshop on the "elaboration of an information, communications policy and plan" for the United Republic of Tanzania representing various institutions, concerned about the absence of a national policy and plan for the strengthening of the information and communications sector, deliberated on this issue at the Kilimanjaro Hotel 12-15 May 1997. We noted that the information, along with its attendant explosive growth of knowledge, advances in IT and the related phenomenon of the globalisation of the world economy, have brought about the Information Age, which affects all aspects of economic, social, and political activity. Insufficient appreciation of this phenomenon leaves Tanzania on the short end of an information and technology gap.
We noted with appreciation the efforts being made by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in taking the lead in helping prepare African countries to overcome this gap and utilise these new forces to promote social and economic growth in our countries. We further noted with appreciation the adoption of the "African Information Society Initiative, an Action Framework to Build Africats Information and Communications Infrastructure" (AISI), at the Twenty-Second Session of the ECA Conference of Ministers in May 1996, by Resolution 812 (XXXI) of which the Republic of Tanzania is a signatory.
We appreciate the fact that the implementation of AISI will take place at country level, starting with the development of National Information and Communications Infrastructure plans. We note that this workshop was organized at the right time considering the advance taking place in the Information and Communications sector. We further note that building Tanzaniats Information Society will help the country to accelerate the implementation of its development plans, stimulate growth and provide new opportunities in education, trade, health care, job creation and food security, helping Tanzania to leapfrog stages of development and raise its standard of living. We urge the government of Tanzania to enhance the building of information and decision support systems in all sectors of the economy to enhance policy formulation, fostering a new generation of Tanzanians capable of using information and communication technologies, building Tanzanian information resources and linking Tanzania regionally, internationally and globally to the information age.
In this connection, we note the past initiatives to date by the institutions in Tanzania to improve the information and communications services. In order for Tanzania not to lose the momentum that has been set by this present workshop, we recommend the following:
a. The Government of Tanzania should at the earliest convenience preferably within the next six months set up a steering committee with its secretariat at the Planning Commission to enhance the process of formulation of a national information and communications policy and plan for the United Republic of Tanzania.
- The created Steering Committee should prepare a programme of action towards the preparation of a policy for the consideration of government.
- In addition to the efforts of the Government of Tanzania to mobilise resources, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission of Africa is being requested to assist the Government of Tranzania in the mobilisation of additional financial resources for the elaboration and implementation of a Tanzanian Information and communications policy and plan.
We note with appreciation the efforts todate that have been made by the Plannin Commission and the Economic Commission for Africa for spearheading activities towards the strengthening of the Information and Communications Sector of Tanzania, and urge the two institutions and other interested stakeholders to continue with these efforts until Tranzania becomes part of the Information Society.
Done at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 15 May 1997.
