EXPERT ROUNDTABLE ON INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION FOR

DEVELOPMENT (ICT4D)
23 November 2009
Dear SAFIPA Colleague

Connectivity—whether the internet or mobile phones—is increasingly bringing market information, financial services,
health services—to remote areas, and is helping to change people’s lives in unprecedented ways. New information and
communications technologies (ICT), in particular high-speed internet, are changing the way companies do business,
transforming public service delivery, and democratising innovation. With 10 percent increase in high-speed internet
connections, economic growth increases by 1.3 percent.

The South Africa-Finland ICT Knowledge Partnership Programme (SAFIPA) and the Meraka Institute, in conjunction with
the World Bank Resident Mission in South Africa, would like to invite you to an expert roundtable on the World Bank’s
2009 Information and Communication for Development Report. The summary of the report is included.

We intend for the event to focus on the key ICT development and innovation issues identified in the report. The objective
is, therefore, to stimulate discussion and debate on how access to affordable broadband internet and mobile phone
services enables development across all levels of the economy and society.

Expert panellists:
o Mark Williams – World Bank ICT Division Head
o Mandla Msimang -- ICT Policy Expert
o Willie Currie -- Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
o Rudolf Muller -- mybroadband.co.za

The roundtable will take place on:

Date -- 4 DECEMBER 2009
Time -- 10:00 to 13:30
Venue -- Department of Science and Technology (DST) Auditorium, 43 Meiring Naudé Road, CSIR, Brummeria,
Pretoria

Correspondences should be directed to embili@csir.co.za -- Tel No: 012 841-3808

Yours sincerely
Edward Mbili