PICTA Bulletin
is a monthly publication that provides information on activities
of members in the Partnership for ICTs in Africa (PICTA), as
well as news on ICT-related activities in Africa.
Sustainability
cases show that ICTs can enhance development
Case studies of 12 development projects examined how NGOs are
seeking to mediate ICTs to their wider, non-connected communities.
Prepared by Gamos for the UK Department for International Development
(DFID), the research shows that ICTs can enhance development
projects. The research has not conclusively proven that an ICT
activity directed at increasing income for the poor can, on
its own, generate cost recovery inclusive of set-up and replacement
costs, i.e. achieve economic sustainability. However, the studies
do indicate that this is beginning to happen, and that the prospects
for the future are encouraging. More importantly the case studies
clearly show elements of institutional and social sustainability.
They also show significant developmental impact, and there are
indications that ICT activities can be regarded as cost effective.
The cases highlighted factors that were a hindrance to the success
of the ICT activity and factors that contributed to the successful
implementation. More: http://www.iicd.org/articles/iicdnews.2006-10-02.9354276233
ICTs
for agricultural livelihoods: Impact and lessons learned from
IICD supported activities
A new book by the International Institute for Communication
and Development (IICD) highlights the lessons learned and achievements
of IICD and its partners in using ICT4D to support agricultural
livelihoods. The projects described in this booklet were carried
out by IICD and its partners over a six-year period and provide
examples of the many ways in which ICTs contribute to poverty
alleviation in the agriculture sector. By sharing its experiences
in this booklet, IICD aims to contribute to a better understanding
of the opportunities of employing ICTs and their contribution
to reaching the Millennium Development Goals in the agricultural
sector. The 76-page booklet is available online in PDF format.
Printed copies are available upon request. More: http://www.iicd.org/articles/booklet-impact-agric
GKP’s
3rd Global Knowledge Conference (GK III)
The
Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) announced that GK III would
be held from 11 - 13 December 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
on the theme “Emerging People, Emerging Markets, Emerging
Technologies”. Over 2,000 leaders, practitioners and policy-makers
in Knowledge for Development (K4D) and Information & Communication
Technologies for Development (ICT4D) from Government, business
and Civil Society from all over the world are expected to attend
the conference. GK III will also be the first global follow-up
to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process.
It is targeted to make the future, bridge differences and strengthen
effort to achieve a global Knowledge Society, showcase and share
creative and empowering solutions, build multi-sectoral K4D
and ICT4D collaborations, and add value to the global Knowledge
Community. Special thematic parallel events include “Youth
- Spearheading the Future”, “Governance - Devising
the Future”, and “Gender - Equalising the Future”.
More: http://www.globalknowledge.org
African
Journalists receive Information Society awards
At
the 2006 AISI Media Awards, ECA and its partners honoured eighteen
winners and finalists for reporting on the effective use of
ICTs in development on the continent. The awards ceremony was
held during the annual Highway Africa Conference that took place
from 11 – 15 September 2006 in September in Grahamstown,
South Africa. The conference was attended by over 500 journalists
from over 40 countries and is dubbed "the biggest annual
media event in Africa". The 2006 AISI Media Awards programme,
now in its fourth year is aimed at supporting African media
to create greater awareness on the role of ICTs in socio-economic
development, as well as supporting their use by African media.
"African journalists are key actors in the Information
Society, which requires a multi-disciplinary approach to reporting.
This in turn means linking ICTs to Africa’s development
challenges in areas such as health, education, governance commerce
or trade," said Ms. Aida Opoku-Mensah, Officer-in-Charge
of ECA's ICT and Science & Technology Division (ISTD). She
added, “The increasing number of entries each year signifies
a maturing of ICT reporting in Africa, ranging from Algeria
to Cameroon and Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia.” The partners
involved in the AISI Media Awards include German Technical Corporation
(GTZ), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Institute
for Information Communication and Development (IICD) and the
Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). More: http://www.uneca.org/aisi/mediaaward.htm
“Africa
on the Road to Athens”
The African Preparatory Meeting on Internet Governance was held
from 18 – 21 September in Cairo, Egypt on the theme “Africa
on the Road to Athens”. The meeting resulted in a communiqué
addressing a number of issues on Internet Governance covering
technical, political, legal, social and economic aspects. It
was attended by Government officials, private sector, academia,
civil society and the international organizations operating
in Africa. The meeting highlighted the significance of capacity
building at all levels, including access to the Internet as
well as security, diversity and openness of the Internet. The
meeting recommended the annual convention of an African Internet
Governance Forum (AIGF). It also recommended the establishment
of national taskforces and national strategies for Internet
Governance. Participants highlighted the importance of concerting
African efforts and coordinating African stances on all levels
to address common challenges ahead. More: Makane Faye (mfaye@uneca.org).
Sub-regional
ICT strategy for Central Africa underway
ECA is cooperating with the Economic and Monetary Community
of Central Africa (CEMAC) and the Economic Community of Central
African States (ECCAS-CEEAC) for the development of an ICT strategy
for Central Africa. The strategy aims to provide a framework
for the harmonization of national ICT strategies and plans,
and contribute to building the Information Society in the sub-region.
ECA, through its sub-regional offices in Central and East Africa
as well as the ICTs, Science and Technology Division (ISTD),
has engaged a consultant to develop the strategy in the sub-region
based on consultations with various stakeholders. A workshop
is planned for October 2006 to discuss on the draft strategy
document. More: Mohammed Timoulali (mtimoulali@uneca.org).
ICT4D
media Campaign launched in the Gambia
In strengthening the role of journalists in participating in
the implementation of the National Information and Communication
Infrastructure (NICI) policy and the e-Government strategy in
the Gambia, ECA is supporting the Gambian ICT4D Media Network
campaign. At the launching ceremony which was held on 29 September
2006 in Banjul, Ms. Neneh MacDouall-Gaye Secretary of State
for Communication Information and Technology, said that “the
main objective of the ICT4D Media Network is to create a conducive
and enabling environment to involve the media in reporting,
simulating debates, raising awareness on the potential of ICT
through the production of radio and TV broadcasting programs,
and newspaper articles, as tools for development and achieving
the MDGs.” The Secretary of State reaffirmed that the
Gambian Government would create the enabling environment to
allow stakeholders’ effective involvement in building
an inclusive Information Society in the country. Focal points
within the Ministry have been appointed to deal with each ICT4D
network to promote collaborative framework between stakeholders.
ICT4D Youth Network bureau and representatives from other Ministers
attended the launching. More: Thierry Amoussougbo (tamoussougbo@uneca.org).
ARAPKE
discussed at the Digital Solidarity Agency (DSA) meeting
ECA presented the African Regional Action Plan for Knowledge
Economy (ARAPKE) at the DSA meeting that took place from 11-14
September 200, Lyon, France. The DSA was established following
the first phase of the WSIS to promote and coordinate implementation
of Digital Solidarity Fund projects and projects undertaken
by the French decentralized cooperation with developing countries,
including Africa. Some of the recommendations of the meeting
include exchange of information on ARAPKE projects implemented
at the local level, use of African experts for implementation
of ARAPKE projects, and methodological support to local authorities
to implement the projects. In addition, a meeting was proposed
every 2 or 3 years during the Lyon-Dakar rally to ensure a continuous
and sustained virtual and physical campaign on ICT for development
in support to the implementation of the African Digital Agenda.
The rally would culminate with the African Union ICT week. More:
Makane Faye (mfaye@uneca.org).
First
Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Conference of Ministers
in Charge of Communications and Information Technologies
The African Union Conference of Ministers in Charge of Communications
and Information Technologies, held in Cairo in April 2006 adopted
a structure for implementing its decisions. It was in this context
that The Minister of ICT of Egypt, as Chairperson of the African
Ministerial Conference, convened the First Meeting of the Steering
Committee in Cairo from 17-18 September. Furthermore, a Working
Group was established on the African Regional Action Plan for
Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE) to facilitate implementation of the
Action Plans. ECA was unanimously elected as Chair of the Working
Group, participants agreed on the selection criteria for ARAPKE
projects and a resource mobilization workshop is planned for
December 2006 in Cairo, Egypt. More: Makane Faye (mfaye@uneca.org).
Development
of a Legal Framework for e-commerce in ECOWAS
Based on a request from the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) and the Union Economique et Monétaire
Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), ECA has commissioned a study on the
development of a legal framework for e-commerce in West Africa
supported by the Global ePolicy Resource Network (ePol-NET).
The report presents an analysis of the situation in some countries,
and makes recommendations for the development of a harmonized
legal framework for ICTs in the sub-region. A review workshop
is planned for November 2006. More: Mohammed Timoulali (mtimoulali@uneca.org).
OTHER NEWS .....
OTHER NEWS .....
OTHER NEWS .....
WIPO
release on proposed broadcasting treaty: Negotiations on the
protection of broadcasting organizations enters final phase
A key committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) agreed on 14 September 2006 to convene a diplomatic conference
from July 11 to August 1, 2007 to update the rights of broadcasting
organizations. The objective of this diplomatic conference,
the last phase of treaty negotiations, is to conclude a treaty
on the protection of broadcasting organizations, including cablecasting
organizations. Updating the IP rights of broadcasters, currently
provided by the 1961 Rome Convention on the Protection of Performers,
Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations, began
at WIPO in 1997. A growing signal piracy problem in many parts
of the world, including piracy of digitised pre-broadcast signals,
has made this need more acute. More: Media Relations and Public
Affairs Section (publicinf@wipo.int).
Slow
start for African fibre traffic despite EASSy
A recent report on African satellite markets from Balancing
Act strikes a cautious chord on the building of the East African
Submarine Cable System (EASSy). EASSy, with its fibre cable
system set to commence operations in 2008, its backbone running
the length of Africa, and its cabling crossing national borders,
must surely be set for immediate success, as fibre traffic takes
off on a steep growth curve? According to the report from Balancing
Act, we will have to wait up to five years to witness an increase
in traffic of this nature and scale. Balancing Act sets the
scene for its arguments by reminding the tele-community that
approximately 80% of Africa's voice and data traffic is carried
by satellite. This figure is in turn likely to fall as the continent
embraces fibre. Enter SAT3, Africa’s in-place fibre link,
at present carrying pretty much all the non-satellite traffic.
Balancing Act estimates that current plans and favourable pricing
adjustments to SAT3 will mean that the 20% of traffic which
is presently non-satellite will rise to 30% and no more in the
next three years. More: http://www.balancingact-africa.com
Nigerian
Government Gives IT Training to Women
The Office of the Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor
(Women Affairs) in conjunction with the Office of the Special
Adviser on Education and Information Technology has commenced
an IT training for women. The objective of the programme is
to make women computer literate so that they will not be left
out of the information society. The training has been embarked
upon as part of the implementation of the State’s ICT
policy. Fifty women took part in the two-week long training.
http://www.citad.interconnection.org
FOSSFA
's call to African Heads of State, African Policy Makers, and
all Africans on Software Freedom Day - September 16, 2006
The Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA),
on the occasion of the Software Freedom Day, made a call to
support open and free content so as to reap the benefits that
FOSS can bring to Africa’s development. The call reiterated
that the FOSS model emerges as a powerful model for African
development in contemporary Africa where knowledge and skills
are scarce. It argued that a FOSS model incorporating open content
would allow the creation of knowledge and ideas in forms that
allow instant and free distribution and adaptation. Its benefits
include security, local support, local capacity development,
reductions in costs, innovation and creativity, economic independence,
and sovereignty. The statement said that “free access
to public information and the ability to interact with government
as citizens, businesses, or other organisations without impediment
- whether in terms of cost or in terms of freedom - should be
an essential value. It is clear that the use of open standards,
open formats, and FOSS best supports that endeavour. Governments
should avoid proprietary standards, formats, and software in
order to avoid restricting this free access.” More: http://www.fossfa.net
10
– 12 October 2006, the second Connecting Rural Communities
Conference, Abuja, Nigeria
Organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
(CTO), the event will be hosted by the Nigerian Ministry of
Communications. This is the second in a four-event series, which
focuses on the development of ICTs and in particular the progress,
which is being made in connecting rural communities. The agenda
will cover several topics essential to enhancing company’s
understanding of the market, including latest regulatory initiatives
for promoting ICTs in rural areas; marketing strategies to drive
rural revenues; best practice case studies of successful rural
communications projects; an overview of the variety of current
and upcoming ICT technologies for connecting rural communities;
how ICTs can be used to deliver e-health, e-education, e- agriculture,
e-government and e-commerce to rural areas; future financing
mechanisms for setting up rural communications; Governments’
plans to expand rural ICT access; and developments on mobile
and satellite communications. http://www.cto.int/crcafrica06/
16
– 20 October 2006, Workshop on the formulation and the
implementation of the ICT policies in Africa, Dakar, Senegal
As a follow up to the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS), ECA, l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
(OIF), the USAID, the NetTel@Africa network as well as the governments
of the UK and Canada (through E-Policy Resource Network (ePol-NET)
in collaboration with the Ministry of telecommunications and
new technologies of Senegal, are organizing this workshop under
the theme "formulation and implementation of ICT policies
in Africa”. The workshop is organised for French-speaking
African countries. It constitutes the second of a series of
four seminars being held in various regions of Africa. Participants
include the representatives of Governments, regulators, institutions
in charge of implementation of national ICT policies, operators
and service providers, associations of the consumers, private
sector, civil society, research institutions, development partners,
etc. More: Makane Faye (mfaye@uneca.org).
26
– 27 October 2006, “ICT4All Forum Tunis+1”.
Hammamet, Tunisia
The Forum is organized by the Government of Tunisia under the
High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic,
Mr. Zine El Abidine BEN ALI, in collaboration with the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), on the
occasion of the first anniversary of the second phase of the
World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in
Tunis in November 2005. The Forum will address issues related
to ICT investment in Africa, including enabling environment
for ICT development, e-strategies in Africa, trends of FDI in
ICTs, the role of TNC through partnership, and opportunities
for investment in ICTs. The Forum will be attended by policy
makers, officials and potential investors. More: Thierry Amoussougbo
(tamoussougbo@uneca.org).
31
October – 2 November 2006, The West Africa Satellite Communications
Summit, Abuja, Nigeria
The Summit aims to answer the question “Does broadband
satellite make sense for West Africa?” and members of
the ‘Leadership Insights Panel’ will each present
their perspectives relating to this vitally important question.
The Summit is dedicated to promoting and provisioning the dialogue
surrounding the deployment of satellite-based communications
solutions across the region. More: http://www.gvf-events.org/1.html
16
– 18 November 2006, The Fifth African Development Forum
(ADF V), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ADF V will be held on the theme “Youth and Leadership
in the 21st Century”. The Forum is organised by the ECA
jointly with its strategic regional partner, the Africa Union
and in collaboration with other stakeholders in African development.
ADF is a multi-stakeholder platform for debating, discussing
and initiating concrete strategies for Africa’s development.
The Forum initiated in 1999, has already been held four times
with very good concrete outcomes including the initiation of
a programme to support national ICT policy formulation and implementation
in Africa. The objective of ADF V is to give meaningful expression
to the recognition of youth as a development asset and to deepen
strategies at the regional and national levels for translating
the potential of youth as a development asset into practical
benefits for Africa’s democratic, gender-equal, peaceful
and rights-based development, in line with the objectives of
the African Union Youth Charter, NEPAD and internationally agreed
development goals including MDGs. As a parallel event, the ICT,
Science and technology Division (ISTD) will organize a session
on “ICT and Youth entrepreneurship” on the 16th
November 2006. The breakout session will look at the issue of
creating the enabling environment for realizing the potential
of young people as leaders through ICTs and to examine how adequately
prepared countries are to harness ICTs for youth employment
and entrepreneurship. In addition, ICT social enterprise, youth
career guidance strategy in Africa will also be addressed. An
online discussion is underway in preparation for the Forum.
More: Thierry Amoussougbo (tamoussougbo@uneca.org).
Harambee:
Reinforcing African voices through collaborative processes -
Call for applications for small grants
The Harambee Project, conceived by the Association for Progressive
Communications (APC), Bellanet and the ECA, and funded by Connectivity
Africa and Hivos, is designed to support increased capacity
among a range of Africa-based networks and communities to coordinate
and facilitate the interactions of their respective constituencies.
The project coordinators are announcing a small grants facility
(SGF) to provide a number of sectoral-based networks and communities
in Africa with funding for the development of greater collaborative
capacity. The SGF will provide a one-time grant of up to 5,000
USD per network for a maximum period of six months. A network
applying for the SGF must be a recognized legal entity or hosted
by one. Preference will be given to networks with an institutional
base in Africa. Applicants are required to submit, by email,
a brief Concept Note (1-2 pages) by 13th October 2006. The concept
note should include the name of the applicant organisation and/or
network, contact information, title of the proposed activity,
description of the problem/issue the proposed activity will
address, outline of the proposed activity including a description
of how a small grant of up to $5000 USD would be used, beneficiaries
and impact of the project and the expected duration of the activity.
Concept notes will be evaluated and selected applicants will
then be invited to submit a more detailed proposal (5-6 pages).
Announcement of grant awards will be made on December 22nd,
2006 and implementation of activities will commence in January
2007. More: http://wikis.bellanet.org/harambee/index.php/SGF_Call_for_Applicants
“IMARK
digitization and digital libraries” is now available in
French
The Information Management Resource Kit (IMARK) released the
second IMARK module in French entitled "Numérisation
et création de bibliothèques numériques"
which offers 31 lessons concerned with the creation of digital
libraries and the preservation of materials in digital format.
Also included are lessons covering copyright issues, electronic
formats for text and images, metadata and subject indexing,
as well as a comprehensive overview of the creation and management
of digital documents. The module was developed by Cirad, FAO,
UNESCO and CTA. IMARK activities are coordinated through a Steering
Group whose members include the Association for Progressive
Communications (APC), FAO, the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie
(AUF), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
(IICA), the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche
agronomique pour le développement (Cirad), the Technical
Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO). More: http://www.imarkgroup.org
OR http://www.itrainonline.org
The
Millennium Development Goals in Africa: Progress and Challenges
This document is a status report on progress towards each MDG
in Africa and offers a review of the challenges impeding progress
and details proposals for member states and their citizens to
overcome these challenges. This report also offers practical
policy advice on how Africans in government, business, civil
society and other sectors can work together to accelerate progress.
More: http://www.comminit.com/africa/materials/ma2006/materials-2999.html
Information
and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Small Enterprise in
Africa: Lessons from Botswana (by Richard Duncombe
and Richard Heeks)
This report investigates what role new information and communication
technologies (ICTs) can play in small enterprise development
in Africa. Drawing on field research in Botswana, the project
analyses the information and communication needs of a variety
of enterprises and assesses opportunities for ICT application.
More: http://www.comminit.com/africa/strategicthinking/st2003/thinking-655.html
Archives:
(Note:
All documents are in PDF) To view PDF files, download the Adobe
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
