:: About the AISI Radio Series?

The African Information Society Initiative (AISI) is an action framework that has been the basis for information and communication activities in Africa since 1996. AISI is not about technology. It is about giving Africans the means to improve the quality of their lives and fight against poverty.  The AISI Radio Series is based on the Harnessing ICTs for Development programme of the Economic Commission for Africa. The Radio Series is aimed at creating greater awareness on the information society, serving as a tool for media practitioners, especially radio broadcasters to engage various groups in debating the role of ICTs in the development process.

The series examine people’s understanding of the role and impact of ICTs and raises questions on the issues of access and disparities in the African information society. Whilst one of the programmes provides an overview of the information society in Africa, the other three are based on the state of ICTs in Ghana, Mali and Uganda. One of the programmes, ICTs and Mali, was broadcast by the English Language Service of Radio Netherlands, and was a special edition in their weekly development programme, A Good Life.

The programme will also be made available through Radio Nederlands’ affiliate stations such as World Radio Network (WRN) broadcast worldwide with specific feeds to National Public Radio (NPR) in North America, SAfm, South Africa, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and the Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The programme was made possible with funding from the Africa Region of the World Bank. It is produced by Veronica Wilson, who is veteran Radio Nederlands broadcaster.