UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

The Role of Development Information

in African Economies

October 2007
Acknowledgements section, indicating roles;

1
Table of contents:

DEFINITION OF TERMS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ACROYNMS AND ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................................7
Section A: The Context......................................................................................................................................... 9
Section B: Conceptual framework of DI............................................................................................................. 9
B.1. Definition and role of DI..............................................................................................................................9
B.2. Macro aspects of DI...................................................................................................................................10
B.3. Micro aspects of DI....................................................................................................................................11
B.4. ICT producing and using sectors Impact...................................................................................................12
B.4.1. ICT Producing Sector....................................................................................................................12
B.4.2. ICT enabled services......................................................................................................................13
B.4.2.1. e-commerce/e-business................................................................................................................13
B.4.2.2 m-commerce..................................................................................................................................14
B.4.2.3. e-banking......................................................................................................................................15
B.4.2.4. Business-Process Outsourcing...............................................................................................15
B.4.2.5. ICT and community development................................................................................................16
B.4.2.6 ICT and Tourism.....................................................................................................................17
B.4.2.7. ICT and Transport..................................................................................................................17
B.4.2.8. ICT and Agriculture.....................................................................................................................17
B.4.2.9. ICT and education........................................................................................................................17
B.4.2.10. ICT and health............................................................................................................................18
B.4.2.11. Environment, disaster preparedness and management..............................................................18
B.4.2.12. Knowledge/information management........................................................................................19
B.4.2.13. Scientific research and R & D....................................................................................................19
B.4.2.13 ICT, democracy and transparency..............................................................................................19
B.4.2.14 e-Government.............................................................................................................................19
Section C: How to make DI work for Development.........................................................................................20
C.1 The African Information Society Initiative (AISI)....................................................................................21
C.1.1. National Policies as enabler for economic growth..............................................................................21
C.1.2. Regional Policies for sub-region integration and economies of scale..............................................22
C.1.3 Africa Initiatives: WSIS, MDGS........................................................................................................23
C.1.4 Assessing the impact of ICT sector and enabled services..................................................................23
C.2 Challenges...................................................................................................................................................24
Section D: Sectoral Recommendations..............................................................................................................29
D.1. The Role of Statistical Information...........................................................................................................29
D.1.1 Background....................................................................................................................................29
D.1.2 Statistics and Information..............................................................................................................29
D.1.3 Why is Statistics Important for Development...............................................................................30
D.1.4 Challenges facing Africa...............................................................................................................30
D.1.5. Selected Strategies to Overcome the Challenges...........................................................................31
D.1.5.1 Advocacy.....................................................................................................................................31
D.1.5.2 Coordination of Statistical Capacity Building Activities.........................................................31
D.1.5.3 Training........................................................................................................................................31
D.1.5.4 Household Surveys Capabilities...............................................................................................32
D.1.6 ECA’s Response to the Challenges...............................................................................................32
D.1.6.1 The African Centre for Statistics.............................................................................................32
D.1.6.2 African Population and Housing Censuses Programme..........................................................33
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 D.1.6.3 Re-engineering of Household Surveys in Africa....................................................................33
D.1.6.4 Economic Statistics..................................................................................................................33
D.1.6.5 Statistical training.........................................................................................................................34
D.1.6.6 Coordination of statistical development activities....................................................................34
D.1.6.7 Statistical data management.........................................................................................................34
D.2. The role of Geoinformation......................................................................................................................34
D.2.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................34
D.2.2. Geoinformation insight..................................................................................................................35
D.2.3. Database building..........................................................................................................................35
D.2.4. Role of government.......................................................................................................................36
D.2.5. The e-Government Initiatives........................................................................................................36
D.2.6. Planning management.........................................................................................................................36
D.2.7. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals............................................................................37
D.2.8. Improving decision-making at local level.....................................................................................37
D.2.9. Challenges......................................................................................................................................37
D.3. Issues and Policy Dimensions Related to Knowledge, Libraries and Information Services.....................38
D.3.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................38
D.3.2. Conceptual and Strategic Framework............................................................................................38
D.3. 3. The Major WSIS Issues Related to Libraries................................................................................40
D.3.3.1. The Creation of enabling environment through policies, strategies and legislation....................41
D.3.3.2. Adequate support for libraries to enable them perform their educational role, including support
for life-long learning and e-literacy...........................................................................................................41
D.3.3.3. The role of libraries in poverty reduction and attainment of development.................................41
D.3.3.4. Rights-based access to information, knowledge and ICT as public goods through the provision
of community access points.......................................................................................................................42
D.3.3.5. Creation of digital public library and archive services, digitization, long-term preservation of
intellectual and cultural goods and artifacts..............................................................................................42
D.3.3.6. Freedom of information...............................................................................................................42
D.3.3.7. Rights to privacy, and assurance of security and safety..............................................................42
D.3.3.8. The need for inclusiveness and diversity in the information society...........................................42
D.3.3.9. International cooperation and dialogue among cultures and civilizations in the development of
the information society..............................................................................................................................43
D.3.3.10. Intellectual property rights and open source technology...........................................................43
D.3.3.11. Capacity Building......................................................................................................................43
D.3.3.12. Information and communication infrastructure as an essential foundation for the information
society........................................................................................................................................................44
D.3.4. Access to information, knowledge in Africa.................................................................................44
D.3.5. Recommended policy and strategic framework for libraries..............................................................45
D.3.5.1. The leadership role of library associations in developing new visions of the countries as
knowledge societies...................................................................................................................................45
D.3.5.2. African libraries’ MDGs related community programmes..........................................................46
D.3.5.3. Regional Curriculum Review of Library Schools.......................................................................46
D.3.5.4. Information literacy, including e-literacy and e-learning as part of every library’s activity.......46
D.3.5.5. Create National Virtual Library Network to Pool Resources for E-programmes........................47
D.3.5.6. Initiate “campaign for libraries”..................................................................................................47
D.3.5.7. Adopt the American-Style Library Districts Model to Create a Public library Networks.........47

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Definition of terms

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are the result of a combination of

telecommunications and audiovisual informatics. They range from “old” technologies (radio, land-line
telephones and television) to “modern” technologies (computers and computer applications, touch-screen
kiosques, mobile phones, personal assistants, satellites, wireless technologies and the Internet. They are
characterized primarily by the digitization of information.

The information industry, the scope of which is difficult to define accurately, now includes the media,
informatics, telecommunications, book publication, video games and production of a wide range of information
goods and products directly or indirectly associated with these sectors. For several decades, it has provided jobs
for most of the active population of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
countries and is the most wealth-generating economic sector.

The term “Information Society” refers to a society in which information technologies play a key role; it
is most often used in the context of the industrial society. The concept of a “knowledge-based society” is
sometimes used in preference to that of an information society.

The information economy involves assessment of the economic logic of activities carried out on the
major communication networks, including the Internet, and of the impact of information and communication
technologies on the economic system as a whole. We will discuss the impact of these technologies on
organizations (relations between, and internal functioning of, businesses), markets (market efficiency, e-trade,
types of competition and sectoral regulation) and new forms of dissemination, including the adoption of
products and services through the changing practices of businesses as consumers.

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ACROYNMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

AFREF African Geodetic Reference Frame

AEGM Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting
ARAKPE African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge Economy
ARICEA Association of Regulators of Information and communication in Central and Eastern Africa
AISI African Information Society Initiative
AU African Union
CODI Committee on Development Information
CODI-KLIS Sub-Committee on Knowledge, Libraries and Information Services for its Committee on
Development Information
COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
DI Development Information
ECA-SA Economic Commission for Africa, Southern Africa Office
FDI Foreign Direct Investment
FOI Freedom of Information
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GIS Geographical Information Systems
GPS Global Positioning System
ICT Information and Communication Technology
IP Internet Providers
IT Information Technology
KM Knowledge Management
LIS Library Information Services
MAPS Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics
MDGs Millennium Development Goals
NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development
NICI National Information and Communication Infrastructure
NSOs National Statistical Offices
NSS National Statistical Systems
PoA Plan of Action
PPP Public Private Partnership
PRS Poverty Reduction Strategies
R&D Research and Development
RECs Regional Economic Communities
RISDP Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan
RICI Regional Information and Communication Infrastructure
RRSF Reference Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical Capacity Building in Africa
SADC Southern African Development Community
SDI Spatial Data Infrastructure
SMART Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Reliable, and Timely
WSIS World Summit on Information Society

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 List of tables, charts, boxes;

Boxes

Box 1 : ICT-Producing industries impact on Malaysia Economy , page 11

Box 2 : Rural Cellphone banking in South Africa - Bringing Cellphone Banking to the Unbanked,
page 14
Box 3 : Multi-purpose community centres in Senegal, page 15
Box 4 : Cameroon Single Processing Window for External Trade, page 19

Charts

Fig 1: ICT growth 2000-2006, page 12

Tables

Table 1: MDG Goals and associated targets , page 39

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Section A: The Context

1. Information is intrinsically linked to human beings, groups and society and is the basis for their capacity to
perceive, interpret, understand and transform the world. From the dawn of human society, information has
always been a crucial factor in arousing curiosity, stimulating thought, underpinning decision-making and, in a
word, making action possible. Since the end of the Second World War, information has taken on unprecedented
scope as a result of the rise of the mass media (which have made its large-scale dissemination possible), the
advent of information technology (which has automated its processing), the spread of telecommunication
networks (which has speeded up its flow and extended the frontiers of its dissemination), and the convergence
of information technology, telecommunications and audiovisual technologies made possible by the digitization
of information in all its forms (text, still images, motion pictures and sound). Now that information has become
much easier to create, gather, process, store, disseminate and use in day-to-day activities, it has become a
strategic resource for all manner of social activities and, most of all, for the economy. It has the virtually
unique capacity to be used, reused, processed, shared and exchanged without losing value; indeed, it generates
added value through this process.

2. A distinction must be made, however, between data, information, know-how and knowledge. Data are
simply elementary bits of information which, in themselves, have no meaning and, as such, have little or no
value. It is not until it is interpreted by the human brain, which alone can give it meaning, that a piece of data
really becomes information. This body of information, when structured, analysed and incorporated into a larger
context, is a building block of knowledge. As learned information with direct meaning for an individual,
knowledge becomes a key factor in competitiveness. It follows that the real difference between actors in
society, and especially economic actors, lies in their capacity to use their knowledge in day-to-day life in such a
way that they derive the maximum benefit from it. When so used, knowledge becomes a body of applied
knowledge, learning and know-how enriched by experience. Thus, we can legitimately say that a business’s
real strategic resource is learning because this is what embodies its practical capacities.

3. This report takes a broad look at the role of information on African economies both theoretically and
empirically to understand the development possibilities and the attendant challenges associated with
information. It incorporates the regional and sub-regional development strategies and action plans such as
WSIS, AISI, NEPAD, ARAKPE, and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) of SADC,
COMESA, and related AU initiatives.

Section B: Conceptual framework of DI

B.1. Definition and role of DI

4. Development Information can be defined as. “Knowledge which engenders awareness, understanding and
empowerment for sustainable growth”.

5. The need for Development Information (DI) has become an important driver of the modern economy. It is
strategic for development and planning, policy making and underpins innovation and creativity across the whole
spectrum of the economy by acting as the main driver of productivity growth in the modern economy. It also
helps in understanding the main societal challenges such as population growth, unemployment as well as the
threats and opportunities presented by liberalization and globalization. Furthermore, the emerging knowledge
economy is information-based and heavily dependent on labor force with ICT skills and this further strengthens
the case for up-to-date development information.

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6. The development and proliferation of ICT’s has accelerated economic and social change across all areas of
human activity worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) are central to the creation of a global knowledge based economy and can play an important role in
accelerating growth, promoting sustainable development and eradicating poverty in developing countries. This
in turn facilitates effective integration into the global economy.

7. Information (statistics, geoinformation) has become one of the primary resources and a powerful tool for
enhancing government transparency, accessibility and accountability whilst improving the delivery of, and
access to, basic services. The crosscutting and pervasive nature of ICT means that the potential can be tapped
from both within and across countries, sectors, and enterprises resulting in new opportunities for economic
growth and development in the form of new products, services and markets heralding new revenue streams. In
addition to the traditional resources of capital, raw materials and labor, ICT’s are now considered as a factor of
production and economic growth. It is the accessibility of ICT that allows for the creation of the learning
environment essential for innovation. And it is innovation that drives competitiveness in the economy. ICTs
have been transforming businesses and peoples’ lives throughout the world. ICT accelerates the movement of
goods, services, ideas and people, which fuels the globalization process.

8. The accessed information, be it statistics and geoinformation, is the key ingredient of products and services of
the Information Economy as well as an economic asset itself. Specifically, geoinformation, or geodata, could be
a service which generates incomes to the government and employment opportunities, while the data and
information assist individuals, businesses and government in making informed decisions based on analyzed and
accurate information. There is a broad consensus among African countries and development partners about the
need for better statistics, as a tool for evidence-based policy and planning and to effectively support policy
implementation, monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes and impacts of development initiatives.

9. African countries and Africa’s development partners are becoming increasingly aware of the need to pay
more attention to the development of information and ICTs. This approach underpins both the international
community’s decision to make the promotion of ICTs one of the 18 target areas for the eight objectives
established in the Millenium Development Goals, and the recent establishment of the Digital Solidarity Fund) in
preparation for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

B.2. Macro aspects of DI

10. There is a broad acknowledge that the world is witnessing the emergence of a “new economy”, based on
information and ICTs, which both stimulates and is supported by the progressive dominance of the service
sector in the world economy and by liberalization of the trade in goods, services and ideas. This globalized
“new economy”, which has rendered the concepts of borders and time virtually obsolete, is seen in the
integration of financial markets and the rapid expansion of e-trade, in “re-engineering” the production methods
of companies that depend heavily on investments and intangible assets (such as qualifications, organization,
innovations, software and networks) as a basis for their competitiveness and growth. It also provides enormous
opportunities for the creation of new jobs: qualified and unqualified, direct and indirect. .

11. In light of the benefits offered by ICTs, several countries are seeking to make information the engine for
their development by adopting a clearly articulated vision. Thus, The Economist 1 ranked Finland as the most
competitive country in the world as a result of its capacity to innovate and to promote the development of the
ICT industry, including through active cooperation with the Government, the private sector, research bodies and
citizens. Canada, which has become a worldwide leader in e-trade, now aspires to become the first country to

1
“Computing the Gains", The Economist, 23 October 2003.
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build an “e-economy” in the twenty-first century.2 Singapore is advertising itself as an “intelligent island”,
Malaysia has its “Multimedia Super Corridor”, India has become a major ICT exporter and Ireland hopes to
become the European “e-hub”.

B.3. Micro aspects of DI

12. The potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a medium for information,
knowledge and wisdom and for accelerating socioeconomic growth is no longer a myth. In fact, the computing
power of microchips, which underlies the rapid progress in productivity of ICT, has kept on doubling every 18-
24 months, as Moore’s Law3 rightly predicted in 1965. The surge of IT investment after 1995 was a response to
the sharp acceleration in the rate of decline of prices of IT equipment and software (due to increased market
competition) and this acceleration was due to a shift in the semiconductor product cycle from three years to two
years in 1995 (Jorgenson, 20014). The rapidly falling prices of ICT products and services coupled with
increased efficiency and quality has impacted positively on socioeconomic sectors.

13. ICT can shape and enhance a wide range of development applications in sector such as government
administration, transportation, education, manufacturing and trade, tourism, and financial services, thus
enhancing opportunities of accessing world markets and accelerating economic growth. The role and
contribution of ICT-producing industries to the economy, especially in their share in Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), capital investment, and in contributing to labor productivity continues to growth particularly in the
telecommunication sector on the continent.

14. There are however no studies which would estimate the contribution of ICT to growth and productivity on
African economies. This paper makes a first attempt, at estimating the contribution of ICT’s to economic
growth based on the report of the fourth ECA Committee on Development Information (CODI IV).

More analytical studies should consider a number of interrelated issues, namely:

 ICT production sectors, which directly contribute to an increase in the aggregate valued added
generated in an economy;
 The increase in total factor productivity in the ICT sector;
 The effect of ICT investment on growth through capital deepening;
 The risk of job losses in the short term, although there is necessity and benefits of conversion
through training and transfer of personnel across sectors in the long term. It is the responsibility of
the education system to provide basic skills, whereas firms should provide continuous and on-the-job
training (through public and private partnership); and
 The increase in total factor productivity in non-ICT producing sectors due to spillover effects of ICT
production and use.

2
Lecture: “Du commerce électronique à la cyber-économie : Stratégies pour le 21e siècle », Ottawa, 27-28 September 2004.
3
Gordon Moore (1965) - co-founder of Intel observed that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled
every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future
4
Jorgenson, Dale W. (2001), “Information Technology and the U.S. Economy”, American Economic Review, Vol. 91, No. 1, March,
pp. 1-32
10
B.4. ICT producing and using sectors Impact

B.4.1. ICT Producing Sector

15. According to OECD5, the ICT-producing sector comprises the following sub-components:

Manufacturing:
- Manufacture of office, accounting and computing machinery
- Manufacture of insulated wire cable
- Manufacture of electronic valves and tubes and other electronic components
- Manufacture of television and radio transmitters and apparatus for line telephony and line telegraphy
- Manufacture of television and radio receivers, sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus and
associated goods
- Manufacture of instruments and appliances for measuring, checking, testing, navigating and other purposes
except industrial process control equipment
- Manufacture of industrial process equipment

Services:
 Goods related:
- Wholesale of machinery, equipment and supplies (where available)
- Renting of office machinery and equipment (including computers)

 Intangible:
- Telecommunications
- Computer related activities.

16. As predicted, global information and communication technology (ICT) markets have had a positive impact
in terms of growth for countries which effectively support the industry (Box 1). According to the ICT
intelligence firm IDC6, emerging markets are expected to witness technology sales grow by 11% a year for the
next five years, reaching $230bn. In Africa, the impact of ICT on economy growth is evident particularly as a
result of the mobile revolution (Fig1.).
17. The liberalized and deregulated
Box 1. ICT-Producing industries impact on Malaysia Economy telecommunication sector, for
instance, is offering lucrative African
ICT-producing industries played an important role in the process of economic markets for investors. It has created
transformation and economic growth in Malaysia in the last two decades.
Among the driving forces that brought the ICT industries to an important status the kinds of environment in which
in the economy is the steady flow of foreign capital and technology in seventies mobile telephony can flourish. In
and eighties. This is partly due to the pull factor offered by the economy through 1993, there was no country with a
FDI friendly industrial policies. These policies designed to encourage export-led competitive market environment for
industries through tax incentives and the establishment of industrial estates and telecommunication. Last year, 41
free trade zones.
Riding on the success story of global ICT industry in 1990s and eagerness to countries had opened up (Knight &
catching up with the technology leaders, Manson, 2005: 377).
Malaysia launched the Multimedia Super Corridor in her efforts to overcome the
technological hurdle in local entrepreneurships.
Ref - The contribution of ICT sector in Malaysia
(purple.giti.waseda.ac.jp/ Bulletin/2002/2002papers/2002original2_4_abas.pdf -)
5
OECD,
6
IDC – Global Market Intelligence firm –www.idc.com
7
Knight, James & Manson, Katrina. (2005). Digital Dividends – ECA WSIS Investor Toolkit. Africa Investor. May-August. pp 33-46.

11
18. Since 2001, when Uganda became one of the first African countries to have more mobile phones than fixed-
lines, since then, this phenomenon has been witnessed in more than 30 countries. In Morocco, Kenya and
Nigeria, mobile subscribers outnumber fixed-line users at an incredible ratio of 6:1. South Africa, with its
booming economy, has the continent’s largest mobile phone market, with nearly 25 million subscribers,
followed by Nigeria with the world’s fastest growing mobile telephony market with subscribers increasing by
143 per cent since June 2003. The least developed countries have also followed suit with the Democratic
Republic of Congo, (population of 60million) having 10,000 fixed telephones and more than a million mobile
phone subscribers. In Chad, the fifth-least developed country, mobile phone usage increased from 10,000 to
200,000 in three years. Recently, Celtel, one of the largest mobile operators in Africa was sold for $3.4 billion.
This sale represented one of the largest corporate disposals of assets and demonstrated the existing potential in
ICTs.

19. The on-going reforms in the ICT sector have led to significant benefits for both the users and operators.
These reforms have contributed to the realization of the central role ICTs play in development. Competition and
the introduction of prepaid services have seen the exponential growth of cellular services and other wireless
technologies in the past few years.

20. Very few African privately owned companies produce capital goods that can be sold in local and global
markets. The long-term success of such enterprises presupposes, not only the creation of an enabling
environment for the development of local private sector, including the offer of incentives, but also, the
availability of highly qualified manpower. Because of this low level of competitiveness, the production of
technological equipment in Africa cannot succeed in the short term without a regional strategy focused on
developing a critical mass. In many instances, the liberalized ICT environment is spinning off new industries in
Africa e.g. technology parks, call centres, cyber-cities and a growing software development sector which can
tap into the global $260 billion software industry. It is also anticipated that African software companies have the
potential to become the single largest contributor to respective GDP’s.
B.4.2. ICT enabled services

21. ICT enabled services have increased during the past few years and the supply in that area is already creating
many new opportunities led by the spill over effects of ICT. These include: faster production, diffusion, and
sharing of knowledge, faster pace of innovation, changes in business models and increased investments in
human capital.

B.4.2.1. e-commerce/e-business

22. The powerful presence of the Internet is providing the impetus for on-line transactions and current
revolutionary transformations in business processes are embodied in the advent of e-commerce presenting a
new model for trade and business. Electronic transaction of business activities has 'redefined' the concepts of

12
'market', 'seller' and 'buyers', as they all converge in the electronic space namely, the Internet. Billions of dollars
worth of transactions are completed on the Internet. These developments present African countries with
unprecedented opportunities for increasing economic development in the creation of new industries, rural
development and tourism promotion.

23. Over the past five years, the dynamic growth of the Internet, e-commerce and e-business has continued,
with the total worldwide e-business market reaching $1.7 trillion in 2004. The process of economy-wide
innovation, driven by supply chain transformation and online marketplaces, has widened and intensified in
every major economy. The value of e-commerce transactions, accordingly, has multiplied in past years. The
figure in the Asia and the Pacific region alone was expected to increase from $76.8 billion in 2001 to $338.5
billion in 20048. The global Business-to-Business (B2B) transaction was estimated to increase from $226.2
billion in 2000 to $3,774.8 billion in 20049.

24. The ECA is currently assisting ECOWAS in the development of a harmonized legal framework for e-
commerce at the sub-regional level. The adoption of such a legal framework would also constitute part of the
efforts by ECOWAS in the implementation of the Plan of Action adopted at the World Summit for the
Information Society (WSIS10) in December 2003 and would be an enabler of the development of e-commerce
within the region.

25. Under the auspices of the Global policy Resource Network (ePol-NET), established by Canada in 2002 as
part of the G8 African Action Plan in support of NEPAD, the ECA convened a Forum on ICTs, Trade and
Economic Growth11 (14 - 16 March 2006) to address the role ICTs play in enhancing trade leading to economic
growth. The Forum culminated in the launch of the African ICTs, Trade and Economic Growth Initiative. The
goal of this initiative was to build African capacity in creating policy frameworks and e-strategies for the
adoption of ICTs in trade. This initiative was undertaken as a follow up to the WSIS and was also aimed at
measuring the impact of ICTs on macro-economic growth in African countries.

26. An experts meeting on the same was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 29 - 31 May 2006 and was
attended by trade and ICT experts from six African countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and
South Africa). The experts meeting launched country studies on ICTs, Trade and Economic Growth in the six
countries. By the beginning of January 2007, the country studies in five of the countries except Egypt were
completed. The outcomes of the country studies were expected to focus on modalities for partnerships, methods
for ensuring access and training for women and entrepreneurs in rural regions, and capacity in the creation of
enabling policy frameworks. The initiative at large was expected to develop guiding principles,
signposts/roadmaps for the development and execution of e-strategies, which would enable the use of ICTs for
Trade and Economic Growth.

B.4.2.2 m-commerce

27. The vibrant mobile market in Africa has led to innovative ways of conducting business using the mobile
phones, paving the way for m-commerce (mobile commerce). M-commerce or mobile commerce is the
electronic means of buying and selling goods and services through electronic mobile devices and has a future in
Africa. The cash-centric nature of African societies — based on a mixture of formal and non-formal economies
— provides the basis for the upsurge of m-commerce on the continent. Approximately 0.03% of Africans own
bank accounts compared to 6% of Africans who have access to mobile telephony.

8
“eMarketer” 2001
9
“eMarketer” 2001
10
www.itu.int/wsis/
11
www.uneca.org/e-trade/main.html
13
28. Even though the number of phones per 100 people in poor countries is much lower than in the developed
world, they can have a dramatic impact: reducing transaction costs, broadening trade networks and reducing the
need to travel, which is of particular value for people looking for work (The Economist, 2005: 1112) The article
concludes that “plenty of evidence suggests that the mobile phone is the technology with the greatest impact on
development and can reduce transaction costs, broaden trade networks and substitute for costly physical
transport. In addition, subscriber growth in several sub-Saharan African countries exceeded 150% last year, and
there are now eight mobile phones for every 100 people in Africa, up from three in 2003.”

B.4.2.3. e-banking

29.

Box 2. Rural Cellphone banking in South Africa - Bringing Cellphone

Banking to the Unbanked

WIZZIT will provide the mass market with a fully functional interoperable
bank account regulated by the South African Banks Act, a Maestro debit
card for transactions in the formal sector and software that will enable their
cell phone to effect person to person transfers, person to business
transactions, pre-paid purchases and any other internet enabled banking
process. It will also act as a point of sale device in the informal sector.

WIZZIT has already given opportunities to 1,500 unemployed people. It

provides affordable transaction fees, including no monthly fees, easy
account opening, no minimum balance, real-time transfers and 24 hour
balance enquiries, air time purchases and transfers.
Ref: http://www.wizzit.co.za

B.4.2.4. Business-Process Outsourcing

30. In this increasingly global ICT driven marketplace, low-end data-processing jobs were being gradually
migrated to low-wage countries. Based on current estimates, the offshore outsourcing market would likely
balloon to about $35 billion by 2008. Many companies were favoring near shoring to Central and Eastern
European and African countries. Technology analyst Data monitor 13 predicts that the most popular near-shore
destinations would be the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, the Baltic’s and North Africa. BPO was becoming
a key generator of employment in countries such as Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. However, in this sector,
which relies heavily on the outsourcing of activities from the North to the South, wages were relatively low and,
more importantly, there was a high degree of dependence on the market in intermediary agents. As a result,
there was a real risk of such activities disappearing overnight as a consequence of their transfer to other
countries that offered better comparative advantages or an appropriate legal and regulatory environment.

31. Elsewhere in Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal and South Africa are becoming increasingly popular
destinations and inward investments are getting bigger and bolder. Affiliated Computer Services, a Dallas-
headquartered outsourcing company, for example, is building a new data-input centre in Accra, Ghana, that will
employ 2000 workers. UNCTAD’s World Investment Report, 2004 confirms that central and Eastern Europe

12
The real digital divide - The Economist, 12-18 March, Vol. 374, No. 8417, pp. 11, 78.
13
Datamonitor - market analysis and business intelligence focusing on financial services, technology, healthcare, consumer, energy etc
(www.datamonitor.com)
14
and many developing countries are increasingly benefiting from the off shoring trend. Between 2002 and 2003
their share in the total number of related FDI projects rose from 37% to 51%.

32. Another best practice example is that of Bangalore in India. Some 20 years ago, Bangalore was a sleepy
garrison town, known as a pensioner’s paradise. Today Bangalore was considered as the Silicon Valley of India
as was home to the headquarters of such organizations as WIPRO Technologies India 14, Infosys15 and offices of
several US Silicon Valley companies. These Silicon Valley companies use their branch offices to work 24 hours
around the clock and take advantage of the time difference for on-line software transfers between the US and
India.

B.4.2.5. ICT and community development

33. ICTs can also provide the poorest population segments with improved access to information. Lack of
access to information and knowledge renders it difficult for poor people and vulnerable groups to make sound
decisions concerning their daily lives, their future and that of their children. One of the greatest contributions
that ICTs can bring to poverty alleviation efforts is to enable individuals and groups to expand their
opportunities in every area by making information and knowledge accessible to as many people as possible
through diversified appropriate channels.

Box 3: Multi-purpose community centres in Senegal

Information and communications technologies can strengthen the abilities of grassroots organizations and
offer solutions to the issue of poverty reduction. The pilot phase of the Initiative Acacia (Canada)
demonstrated this ability by creating Community Resource Centres (CRCs) in highly unstable urban and
outlying Dakar communities.  Results obtained during the pilot phase identified economic entry points. These
appear to present new opportunities for favourable local development.  The project’s general objective is to
contribute to the viability of human, technical, and financial resources and processes that facilitate the long-
term use of ICTs while supporting local development within a framework of improving the working and living
conditions of the working-class sector. The specific objectives are :
- Proceed with an economic, financial, and technical diagnosis of Community Resource Centres in order to
implement a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening the integration of new economic services and spaces
within local development strategies;
- Analyse the development of activities and trades in the working-class sector economy resulting from the use
of new information and communications technology services;
- Support the creation of structured contents that endorse major economic grassroots innovations: medicinal
plants, alternative education, local arts and crafts, and activities that are generate revenues.

Source: www.idrc.ca/acacia

14
WIPRO Technologies, India – provider of integrated business, technology and process solutions on a global delivery platform (www.wipro.in)
15
Infosys Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: INFY) - provides consulting and IT services in strategic offshore outsourcing of software services
(www.infoysis.com)
15
B.4.2.6 ICT and Tourism

34. As one of the world's largest and most pervasive industries, the travel and tourism sector was as exposed as
any other to the forces of change and attendant benefits that were being brought about by ongoing developments
in the ICT arena. The Internet, in particular, had been useful in many regards to the travel and tourism sector. It
was used to provide multimedia information about destinations to prospective travellers.

B.4.2.7. ICT and Transport

35. The Internet also affected auxiliary industries, such as the transport sector, which played a major role in the
tourism industry. With the aid of ICT applications, prospective travellers could view destinations, book
accommodation, book flights and other forms of transport and remit online payments. The International Air
Transport Association (IATA), an industry body coordinating aviation rules and standards, had commenced
introducing e-tickets whose issuance costs $1 as compared to $10 for a paper ticket. This way the industry could
save over $2.7 billion a year.

B.4.2.8. ICT and Agriculture

36. There are a number of ways ICT is enhancing rural productivity16. ICT enables solution sharing between
local people and communities, providing access to practical information on small business accounting, weather
trends and farming best practices, for example. Timely access to market information via communications
networks also helps farmers make astute decisions about what crops to plant and where to sell their produce and
buy inputs.

B.4.2.9. ICT and education

37. One of the most clearly demonstrated education applications is distance education17. Distance education has
been a particularly successful model in developing countries where affordability and geography have been real
barriers to access. In the case of primary and secondary education, ICT has been found to significantly enhance
the learning process by enabling increased access to knowledge and more collaborative and interactive learning
techniques, but is not an effective substitute for close personal supervision from teachers or parents. The
development of scientific research networks on a worldwide basis, usually over the Internet, is also helping to
empower indigenous research and development programs in developing countries. Virtual research groups—
composed of interconnected specialists in different parts of the world—allow databases to be shared,
conferences to be organized, papers to be circulated and discussed, and collaborative research and reporting to
be undertaken. A proliferation of such collaboration is occurring on both a North-South and South-South basis.
The African Virtual University, for example, provides online communication tools such as chat rooms, email,
bulletin boards and home pages to encourage shared research efforts among both academics and students.
Another rapidly growing area of ICT-mediated learning is in the delivery of technical and vocational training.
Because ICT can facilitate sophisticated and customized performance simulation at low marginal cost, many
organizations and vocational training facilities are employing ICT to train workers in an array of functional
areas—from healthcare to IT services—even to train teachers themselves. ICT-enabled solutions also present
significant opportunities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of education administration. Through
the use of ICT data repositories and networks, curricula can be developed collaboratively, educational materials
can be procured more cost effectively, staff and student time can be scheduled more efficiently, and individual
student performance can be monitored more closely.

16
“Creating a Development Dynamic”, Final Report of the Digital Opportunity Initiative, July 2001
17
Idem
16
B.4.2.10. ICT and health

38. Some of the most promising and clearly demonstrated applications for ICT in development are in the
improvement of health care delivery 18. ICT is being used in many developing countries and communities to
facilitate remote consultation, diagnosis and treatment. In Gambia, for example, nurses in remote villages use
digital cameras to download images of symptoms onto a PC and transfer them to nearby towns for examination
by doctors. The same model is being applied to facilitate collaboration among physicians themselves. When an
expert opinion is required, doctors in rural towns in Gambia send the images captured by the nurses to
specialists in the United Kingdom for advice. The principle of ICT-facilitated collaboration extends to medical
research also. This is illustrated in West Africa, where malaria researchers use a network of satellites and
ground stations to submit data for clinical trials conducted at tropical disease research facilities in London and
Geneva. Health workers in developing countries are accessing relevant medical training through ICT-enabled
delivery mechanisms. Several new malaria Internet sites for health professionals include innovative 'teach and
test' self-assessment modules. In addition, centralized data repositories connected to ICT networks enable
remote healthcare professionals to keep abreast of the rapidly evolving stock of medical knowledge. In
Bangladesh, for example, the local MEDINET system provides access to hundreds of medical journals via
email for less than US$1.50 per month. When applied to disease prevention and epidemic response efforts, ICT
can provide considerable benefits and capabilities. Public broadcast media such as radio and television have a
long history of effectively facilitating the dissemination of public health messages and disease prevention
techniques in developing countries. The Internet also can be utilized to improve disease prevention by enabling
more effective monitoring and response mechanisms. For example, across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Internet is
used to monitor daily cases of meningitis and to help coordinate mass vaccination programs when threshold
levels are reached.

B.4.2.11. Environment, disaster preparedness and management

39. ICT can make a valuable contribution to sustainable environmental management by improving monitoring
and response systems, facilitating environmental activism and enabling more efficient resource use19. Used to
collect, process and disseminate information, ICT enables a better understanding of issues such as climate
change and biodiversity and helps to monitor ecological conditions so that prevention and mitigation measures
can be activated. SIDSNet, for example, provides a medium for sharing information and good practices among
the forty-three Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on common issues such as biodiversity, climate change,
coastal and marine management and energy sources. ICT is also being deployed extensively to monitor and
respond to environmental disasters in developing countries. This is demonstrated in Mexico, where fire
emergency services are using satellite images to direct response teams to critical areas—resulting in significant
reductions in casualties and property loss.

40. The power of ICT as an information and networking medium can also enable citizens to act as
environmental enforcement agents, alerting decision makers to compliance infringements and leveraging the
27

power of ICT to reach and influence public opinion. In Indonesia, officials discouraged by weak enforcement of
water pollution standards created a public access database for rating the degree of factory compliance. Citizen
groups have used the ratings to pressure under-performing factories. Within the first 15 months of activism,
one-third of non-complying factories had met regulations.

41. ICT applications can be used to reduce the consumption of energy, water and other essential natural
resources through more efficient agriculture and industrial procedures. For example, precision agriculture
techniques using GIS and GPS systems can facilitate weather and soil monitoring, crop forecasting and the
28

18
Idem
19
Idem
17
ability to optimize farm return on investment ensuring more efficient use of scarce resources. In the future, ICT
may also play an important role in the fight against pollution—not only by providing more useful metrics and
information, but also by enabling population decentralization and large-scale telecommuting.

B.4.2.12. Knowledge/information management

42. As a competitiveness factor, information represents a virtual value chain, as opposed to the physical value
chain which it may also constitute when used as an input for the production of information products and
services. In order for this virtual value chain to exist, businesses must put in place a whole series of systems,
including technology watch, knowledge management, economic intelligence and benchmarking, all of them
based partially, but not exclusively, on information management systems.

B.4.2.13. Scientific research and R & D

43. Convergence between DI and globalization and scientific discoveries, create a virtuous circle (each element
reinforcing the others). In order to gain fully from the development in RD, it is necessary to ensure
involvement of academia and research institutions.

B.4.2.13 ICT, democracy and transparency

44. Access to information facilitates citizen’s involvement and participation, accountability and monitoring. It
also facilitates transparent electoral processes. Furthermore, State transparency is an essential aspect of a
country’s good governance; it has been shown that a culture of secrecy is fertile ground for the propagation of
corruption and the implementation of inadequate public policies.20 For this reason, the information asymmetry
between the governors and the governed should be reduced by obliging the former to be accountable for their
actions with full transparency. For example, governments must post on the Internet the essential databases that
allow people to follow on a daily basis the way public affairs are being handled. In the fight against poverty, the
information of the populations concerned is also a precondition for their effective contribution to programmes’
success.

B.4.2.14 e-Government

45. One of the key challenges facing many African countries was how they could introduce information and
communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance government efficiency. E-government presented an opportunity
for governments to use the new technologies to provide people with convenient access to government
information and services and to empower citizens through access to information and participation in public
policy decision-making.

46. ICTs had a modernizing influence on governments by enhancing and updating internal systems and
procedures even before electronic transactions were introduced to citizens and businesses. E-government
therefore tackled fragmentation and improved alignment, thus enabling a more networked style of government,
where agencies acted more coherently, making government as a whole easier to deal with (UNECA, 200521).

20
Stiglitz: “On Liberty, the Right to Know, and Public Discourse: The Role of Transparency in Public Life”, Oxford Amnesty lecture,
Oxford UK, January 27, 1999. See also Amartya Sen on the links between famine and the lack of a free press.

Government with an e: The potential of ICT’s in the African Private Sector, 2005
21

www.uneca.org/aisi
18
47. E-government included electronic interactions of three types: government-to government (G2G);
government-to-business (G2B) and its reverse; and government-to-consumer/citizen (G2C), and its reverse.
Many rural citizens still travel long distances to government offices in search of services e.g. submission of
applications for licences, birth/death certificates, obtaining public records or requesting for information on land,
health or agricultural prices etc. This was normally a costly and futile exercise, which the rural citizens could ill
afford. The availability of accessible e-Government services (Government to Citizens) could reduce this
financial burden whilst also resulting in an informed citizenry. E-government can be multi-purpose- providing
greater access to government information; promoting civic engagement by enabling the public to interact with
Government officials; ensuring government accountability by making its operations more transparent and thus
reducing the opportunities for corruption; and delivering services on line, saving time and reducing costs thus
benefiting rural and traditionally underserved communities.
Box 4: Cameroon Single Processing Window for External Trade
Launched in August 2000, the Cameroon Single Processing Window for External Trade project was aimed at primarily
reducing the processing time and improving service quality at the Douala port. This US$1.5 million two-phased project
was initiated as part of the government ICT-based reform in the customs arena. The first phase consisted in establishing
a physical one-stop office for all customs related services at Douala port. Various actors of foreign trade such as the
Douala port, banks, customs, and the national treasury that were dispersed in the city were successfully housed in one
office. The challenge of the second phase was to computerize the activities of the one-stop office. In particular, the
government wanted to ensure that the computer links between the tax and the customs information systems were
operational, so as to facilitate the exchange of data between the two information systems.
After three years of operation, the Cameroon’s single processing window for external trade had yielded some positive
results. Although there had been no particular increase in trade so far at Douala port, the system had significantly
curtailed time costs. Port authorities reported that overall import/export operations typically took 15 days prior to
computerization. By 2001, this had been reduced to three days, and to two by 2002. Processing time reductions were
experienced in the areas of customs service reports, revenue collections and banking.

Section C: How to make DI work for Development

48. A strong commitment to promoting access and use of ICTs was a key ingredient to successful development.
The United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development report 22 (UNCSTD, 1997)
concluded that developing countries needed to intervene strategically if they were to successfully integrate ICTs
and sustainable development. This intervention should be in the form of effective national ICT policies, which
should support the introduction of the new regulatory frameworks, promote the selective production and use of
ICTs and harness their diffusion in order to contribute to the development of organisational change in line with
development goals. ICT strategies and policies linked to development objectives needed to redefine sectoral
policies, institutions and regulations, taking into account the need to be responsive to the issues of convergence.

49. Indeed, African leaders understood this when they adopted the African Information Society Initiative
(AISI) in 1996. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) also incorporates the development of
information and ICTs as a key component. Similarly, the Commission of the African Union has included
bridging the divide that separates Africa from other regions in the area of ICTs and Internet access as an Action
Sheet in its Strategic Plan.

22
United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 1997 Report of the Working Group on ICT’s for
Development prepared for the 3rd Session, 12 May, Geneva, Switzerland, 1997.
19
C.1 The African Information Society Initiative (AISI) 23

C.1.1. National Policies as enabler for economic growth

50. In the implementation of the WSIS Action Plan and recognizing the important role ICTs play in facilitating
the attainment of development goals and responding to the challenges of the Information age, the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) launched the African Information Society Initiative (AISI)
in May 1996.

51. The current move by African countries to develop national e-strategies, or National Information and
Communication Infrastructure Plans (NICI), signifies that governments are recognising the importance of
mainstreaming ICT’s in development goals. For countries, which have formulated policies, the focus was now
on implementation, and evaluation of the impact on economic growth. For instance, Rwanda had completed its
five-year national e-strategy plan and had sought ECA’s assistance in reviewing the implementation plan and
preparing for a second strategy. President Paul Kagame24 of Rwanda put it succinctly that, “the first NICI Plan
(2001-2005) laid the foundation for the development of Rwanda’s Information Society and economy. It focused
on the development of human resource capacity, infrastructure, and the use of ICTs to support key sectors of the
economy. The second phase (2006-2010) will lay emphasis on developing Rwanda’s production capacity in
ICTs as an economic sector, while at the same time emphasising its use to develop other sectors of the
economy.”

52.
There is clear evidence to suggest that African leaders are increasingly recognising the role of ICTs in economic
development the appreciation of ECA’s role in facilitating ICT adoption. Some countries, notably Comoros,
Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and the Gambia had integrated, Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and MDGs
into their respective e-strategy processes.

53. An ECA survey conducted in some NICI countries revealed that in countries where ICT was considered a
priority sector, national budget allocations constituted a significant proportion of the national budget, signifying
governments’ commitment to creating an information-based economy. Closely linked to e-strategy
development, was the support rendered to African Universities in Research and Development capacity-building
activities aimed at nurturing innovation. The universities serve as public sector incubators for improving the
operation of the private sector in ICT innovation, as well as creating new job opportunities. The involvement of
all stakeholders, in particular the private sector is key to fostering partnerships in the area of information for
economic development. It is important to ensure that information and communication policies and attended
resources in Africa also adequately addressed women’s needs including empowerment. Deliberate strategies
are required in order to address this imbalance e.g. adopting gender-sensitive information policies. In response
to this, the Enterprise Development Facility (EDF) was launched by ECA and UNDP to empower African
women entrepreneurs and facilitate their participation in the information economy. This was as a result of the
recommendations adopted by the Africa-Asia Forum on the Economic Empowerment of Women in 1997. In
fact, ICTs constitute both a goal and a tool for empowering and increasing participation of women in society.
Similar initiatives should be developed for Youth, physically-challenged people and Civil Society
Organizations (CSO’s) in order to build an all inclusive information economy and break the digital divide. In
particular, use of information by youth could be promoted through competitions at all levels.

Conference of African Ministers in May 1995 adopted the African Information Society Initiative (AISI). See www.uneca.org/aisi
23

24
Speech by His Excellency, Paul Kagame, President of The Republic of Rwanda during the African Regional Preparatory
Conference of the WSIS, 2 February 2005, Accra, Ghana.
20
C.1.2. Regional Policies for sub-region integration and economies of scale

54. Realizing that borders do not limit the diffusion of ICTs, it becomes important that regional e-strategies are
undertaken in such a way that they link and are compatible to national e-strategies. Therefore, the Regional
Information and Communication Infrastructure (RICI) is a framework for harmonizing national strategies at the
sub-regional levels by Regional Economic Communities. This is consistent with regional economic integration
goals in the area of ICTs. The RICI addresses regional communications policy, financing and regulatory issues
in a way that provides a framework for the development of information and communication infrastructure. This
framework also provides an impetus for strengthening capacity at the sub-regional level in ICT for development
whilst also building a critical mass to facilitate regional economic integration through ICTs. Regulatory
integration at the regional level would create and strengthen the community/associations of regulators to
facilitate cross-boarder interaction and market enlargement. A key component of the harmonization process at
sub-regional could be an Economic Policy establishing common tariffs for ICT products and services across
borders. It could also offer a potential for cost sharing in executing joint projects at sub-regional and regional
levels, particularly the financing and strengthening of sub-regional and regional backbones to enhance
connectivity in the region.

55. In this regard, there is need to establish a model to ensure harmonized assistance to the RECs through the
ECA sub-regional offices (SROs). For this reason, the ECA has been working with several Regional Economic
Communities (RECs) including ECOWAS, UEMOA, COMESA, EAC and UMA to develop Regional
Information and Communication Infrastructure (RICI) Initiatives.

56. These activities include assistance to COMESA in the formulation of an ICT Strategy through a broad
participatory process. COMESA had initiated programmes to harmonize ICT policies in the region as a basis for
creating large markets to attract foreign investment to the region. It had adopted a drafted Model ICT policy,
which drew heavily on the SADC experiences. An Association of Regulators of Information and
Communication in Central and Eastern Africa (ARICEA) had been established to stimulate regulatory
harmonization based on the experiences of the Telecommunications Regulators Association of Southern Africa
(TRASA). An important undertaking is the study on ICT policies in the member states.

57. With respect to the SADC sub-region, ICT activities include a number of initiatives. One is the adoption
of a SADC Protocol on Education and Training that promotes the use of ICTs in curriculum development and
teaching and learning. Another is the SADC’s protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, which
focuses on the creation of reliable infrastructures in transport and communications to speed up development and
facilitate trade among member states. The protocol itself is a commitment by member states to embark on
fundamental reforms in the transport and communications sectors. The Southern African Transport and
Communications Commission (SATCC) Model Regulatory Framework for Telecommunications (1998) paved
the way for enabling regulatory framework in the region; and for the creation of the Telecommunications
Regulatory Association of Southern Africa (TRASA) to promote regulatory harmonization in the region.
TRASA had developed the following:
 A Model Telecommunications Bill;
 Guidelines on universal access and services, licensing, fair competition wholesale pricing and,
Interconnection;
 Tariffs and a frequency band plan for the 2.0MHz -30.1GHZ range;
 Guidelines in the area of wireless and satellite regulation are currently under development;
 A partnership with NetTel@Africa and an E-learning platform for training regulators in aspects
ranging from ICT applications to spectrum management.

21
58. SADC had made considerable progress in supporting Member States in their efforts to liberalize their ICT
sector as specified in the SADC protocol on Transport and Communications through SATCC, TRASA and
SATA. The work was on going as CRASA had come up with more technical guidelines in 2004. ECA was
currently engaged in consultations with CRASA and SADC in a bid to identify areas of potential cooperation.
One of such areas was the formulation of an ICT Strategy and ICT Statistics appear to be priority areas for this
cooperation.

59. In the framework of ePolnet, ECA had assisted the East Africa Community (EAC) in developing an e-
Government Strategy for the Sub Region. The EAC Regional e-Government Framework considered an action
roadmap in strategic areas supported by enabling legal environment, secure information infrastructure and
adequate human resources. On the policy front, the strategy outlined the agreements and protocols that should
be in place to sustain e-government services, applications and content in a harmonised manner across the
region. The policy issues also proposed a review and adaptation of legislation at national and EAC level to
ensure interoperability, competitiveness and reducing legal obstacles relating to online services. The
framework also includes the following strategic areas: Customs and Immigration Control, e-Parliament, e-
Health, e Banking & e-Procurement, e-Commerce and e-Tourism, Meteorological and Tidal Information.

60. The ICT Strategy development for Central Africa is currently underway with the support of ECA for the
Communauté Economique des Etats d'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC) and Central African Monetary and Economic
Community (CEMAC). The scope of the programme extends the eCEMAC 2010 to all CEEAC countries as a
framework for the implementation of the Information Society in the Sub Region.

61. For the ECOWAS sub-region, a study on a harmonized legal framework for e-commerce was conducted.
The study highlighted the state of e-commerce in ECOWAS member states. This included an analysis of
existing legislation, proposing a legal framework for e-commerce and providing possible options towards the
development of a harmonized legal framework for e-commerce. The study provided substantive
recommendations on policy and legislative priorities for the successful development of e-commerce in
ECOWAS.

62. In North Africa, a study was currently underway in collaboration with the Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA)
on the status of e-commerce development in the sub-region and this would result in the development of an
online platform for e-commerce.

C.1.3 Africa Initiatives: WSIS, MDGS

63. The Plan of Action adopted at the WSIS in December 2003 included a comprehensive list of activities and
actions to be undertaken by Governments, the international community, the business sector and civil society.
All aspects of the information society, ranging from economic, legal, health and education matters to media,
culture and the environment were addressed in the Plan of Action. As the regional focal point for Africa’s
participation and preparation for the next phase of the Summit, ECA was supporting its member states in the
implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action. Among other things, the Plan of Action emphasized the role of
national e-strategies as key instruments for the advancement of the Information Society in developing countries.
It was in this vein that ECA was addressing the role of ICTs in the MDGs as well as ensuring that its member
States implemented the Geneva WSIS Action Plan.

C.1.4 Assessing the impact of ICT sector and enabled services

64. Given the impact of ICTs on economic growth, indicators have gained increasing prominence as an
effective methodology for measuring this impact as well as the Information Society (Action Plan - WSIS,
2003). A realistic international performance evaluation and benchmarking (both qualitative and quantitative),
22
through comparable statistical indicators and research results, should be developed to follow up the
implementation of the objectives, goals and targets in the Plan of Action, taking into account different national
circumstances. a) In cooperation with each country concerned, develop and launch a composite ICT
Development (Digital Opportunity) Index. It could be published annually, or every two years, in an ICT
Development Report. The index could show the statistics while the report would present analytical work on
policies and their implementation, depending on national circumstances, including gender analysis.25

65. For Africa to be part of the “new and emerging information economy”, it becomes crucial for countries to
be able to measure the impact of the ICT sector and enabled services on the economy or otherwise risk further
marginalization. Furthermore, for ICT policies to be effective in addressing development priorities there was a
need for relevant data and information to formulate those policies and support their implementation. As a result,
the ECA in partnership with the Acacia Programme of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD) and the European Commission launched
the SCAN ICT initiative.

66. The SCAN ICT project had been undertaken in a number of country studies (Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco,
Mozambique, Senegal, and Uganda) to assess the penetration of ICTs, in the various sectors of the economy
including businesses. In the case of Ghana, 81 percent of firms surveyed had Internet access, 35 percent had a
Web presence and 16 percent were engaged in e-commerce. In other countries, SCAN ICT had obtained
different insights related to ICT use by businesses. For example, lack of an e-commerce regulatory framework
and adequate infrastructure was identified in Mozambique as an impediment to the development of e-business
in the country. In Ethiopia, a ‘closed market’ (government monopoly) posed obstacles to the development of
ICT infrastructures and services, and there was a lack of awareness of the wider business applications of ICT.

67. The SCAN project would enable countries to plan in terms of where to focus their energies with respect to
ICTs as an economic enabler. According to UNCTAD, 2004: 19,26 virtually all statistics on ICTs have focused
on production and trade amongst the developed world. The available data shows that international trade in ICT
goods and services had grown in recent years at a faster rate than total international trade and remains robust.
Reductions in transactions and information-gathering costs enabled developing-country enterprises to broaden
their customer base and to participate in international supply chains. The possibility of delivering online
services as opposed to through a physical presence, would allow developing countries to benefit from their
comparative advantage in some ICT-enabled labour-intensive services.

C.2 Challenges

68. Though promoting ICT utilization in all sectors of the economy was a standard prescription now for
economy growth, it was not a panacea either. Utilization should be coupled with a package of e-readiness that
necessitates the formation of critical mass of ICT applications in the economy.

69. In order to extend the reach of the majority of African countries, an enabling environment for ICTs needs to
be created at the national and international levels. At the national level, the promotion and facilitation of the
adoption of ICTs by the local business community should be encouraged. Among the particular challenges
faced by the African private sector, especially SMEs, include, the use of ICTs for business development, aspects
such as awareness, skills-building, access to finance for investment in ICTs and obstacles associated with the
utilization of online payment facilities. In addition, as discussed earlier, changes are necessary in productive

25
WSIS Action Plan: Document WSIS-03/GENEVA/DOC/5-E, Section E28
26
UNCTAD. (2004). E-Commerce and Development Report. New York and Geneva:
23
processes in companies, where the full effect of ICTs in terms of productivity and competitiveness can only be
realized with attended structural transformation.

70. For instance, in its 2004 E-Commerce Report, UNCTAD cites the case of Uganda, where only a few firms
(3 out of 84 surveyed) were at an advanced level of e-business adoption. Most used the Internet for e-mailing,
and little e-business in production processes or supply chain management was evident. The authors concluded
that in these cases, e-business adoption was mainly driven by vendors, rather than by a change in the firms’
business strategies. Firms engaged in trading (such as in the food and beverage sector) were greater users of e-
business than those in manufacturing, mainly for coordinating their activities with customers and suppliers
(UNCTAD, 2004: 36). A similar survey in Nigeria covered 105 SMEs and micro enterprises (fewer than 10
employees) in the engineering sector. More than one-third of the firms did not use ICTs, primarily those whose
managers had a low standard of academic qualifications. Those firms that adopted higher levels of e-business
were all run by managers with an engineering background, and had more skilled employees (engineers and
graduate degree holders) among the workforce. In other words, limited skill levels in SMEs were a key factor
for low ICT usage (ibid).

71. Undoubtedly, harnessing ICT for economy growth poses many challenges for African countries and
businesses. These challenges include the following:

Enabling ICT Strategies and political will for implementation were a must in shaping economic growth,
productivity, employment and business performance as well as ensuring that benefits were widely shared. This
called for the adoption of strategies for developing dynamic and coordinated national ICT policies, standards
and guidelines and crafting investment incentives. The strategies should also be localized and target universal
access policies and models at the national level, institutional collaboration (e.g. clearinghouse strategies) and
harmonisation at the sub-regional level.
The strategy documents which have thus far been developed by various African countries (with support from
the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)), such as the National Information and Communication
Infrastructures (NICI), are sufficiently complete to serve as an action framework. All that remains is to
transform them into benchmarks focused on preparation for entry into the Information Society, earmark
adequate budgetary resources for the goals established, and set in motion a thorough follow-up and assessment
process. The countries concerned will need to make spending on information and ICTs a clear priority because
it has a genuine multiplier effect on economic growth and, ultimately, helps eradicate poverty. They could also
incorporate an information dimension into all future public policy structures.
In addition, implementation of MDGs must be localized and relevant DI strategies identified and implemented
for each of them. This should take into consideration the existing development and cooperation protocols in the
region. Education campaign (Awareness raising and advocacy) on Development information including policies,
strategies and plans (PoA) should be intensified.

National bodies on development information should be set up to coordinate and harmonize activities on DI.
The committee should be made up of public authorities and key stakeholders.

Limited availability of infrastructure - especially telecommunication networks and services, which required
development and expansion. An OECD study reiterated that the rollout and use of quality and affordable
infrastructure was the foundation of the Information Economy and Information Society. 27 Telecom services
should be available and affordable to individuals and businesses as a prerequisite to their entry into the
Information Society. The infrastructure development includes not only physical but also legal, technical and
commercial aspects so as to create a sustainable and reliable environment to create and disseminate information.

27
“ICT, E-Business and SMEs,” OECD, 2004
24
The high costs of telecommunication services could be reduced by the development of an African satellite
programme.

Financing the development of the infrastructure and ICT initiatives - extensive efforts were required not
only to extend and develop the existing ICT infrastructure, but also to maintain and upgrade the same
considering the dynamism in the sector. The basic infrastructure development and maintenance is typically a
capital-intensive exercise. Cooperation and partnerships with international organisations and private sector
investors was necessary especially in the development phases. It was of paramount importance that
governments played proactive roles in creating a conducive environment for various financing mechanisms.
These efforts should be applied to both quantity and quality. By quantity, we mean the need to cover all national
territories, including rural areas, and to provide adequate connections at the national level between land-line and
mobile telephones, among land-line telephone companies and among Internet service providers, and also to
establish structures for traffic exchange (Internet, roaming and land lines) at the international level. In terms of
quality, there is a need to use the latest technology such as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL) so that
small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small- and medium-sized industries (SMIs) can gain low-cost
access to high-output technology and even to Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), which would promote mobility. The
implementation of adequate telecommunications infrastructures necessitates the establishment of related
policies; market liberalization is essential because it produces a real drop in prices and an improvement in the
quality of services provided to individuals and businesses as a consequence of competition.

However, competition must be healthy, fair and transparent, and this requires a suitable juridical and legal
framework and, in particular, a regulatory body that is independent of all stakeholders (the State, companies and
consumers) and that has, above all, the human, technical and financial resources and legal competencies to carry
out its mandate. This body should set out to establish the conditions for new companies to enter the market
(invitations for tenders or bids for licences); draft requirements while taking into account the need to protect the
public interest; address the issue of universal access in order to correct the imbalances created by the market in
terms of geographical coverage and the affordability of services; approve and monitor rates; and manage scarce
resources (such as frequencies and telephone numbers). In addition, regulation should apply to the conditions of
service rather than to technologies, as is too often the case at present (for example, banning the use of the
telephone via the Internet).

The State must also implement taxation and customs policies that can act as incentives. Computer
equipment, in the broad sense of the term (hardware, software and consumables), telecommunications
equipment and information products and services should benefit from low tax rates or even be exempt from
domestic, import and export taxes. The aim is to thus promote rapid development of the sector and to allow
SMEs and SMIs to equip themselves and to use ICTs extensively with view to both modernizing and increasing
their competitiveness and to ensuring that their potential client base (citizens, schools and local administrations)
expands and provides new opportunities.

The financing of upgrading is a major problem for businesses developing in the ICT sector or seeking to
invest in the ICT equipment required for modernization. It is thus advisable to set up promotion, support and
financing mechanisms that are mainly aimed at SMEs and SMIs, to encourage the establishment of ICT
business incubators and science parks that offer all the facilities required (such as a secure power supply, high
output and offices) and that benefit from special status (such as customs-free areas).

Facilitating universal access to information- Governments should also facilitate universal, affordable or free
access to knowledge (via internet, libraries, radio, TV, etc.) for their citizens by establishing cybercafés and
local access centres in order to prepare them to become stakeholders in the “new economy” and to bridge the
digital divide. Associations, local administrations, the State or development partners can implement these

25
centres, which could be connected to the Internet by ADSL and have 5/10 machines connected to a printer
through a network and overseen by instructors who can assist users with their work.

The challenge is also to reduce asymmetry of information in the society. In fact, the question of whether to
share or protect information may seem to be a dilemma. In reality, this is not the case; businesses and other
bodies should be capable of both sharing and protecting information. Internally, the sharing of information is
essential within the framework of knowledge management and the implementation of intelligent business.
Externally, whether information is shared or stored, it must be protected like any other important resource.
In another vein, some believe that information must be considered a universal public asset, which the economist
Samuelson defines as an atypical form of property that is “non-rival” (its consumption by one person does not
deprive another person of that same information), “non-exclusive” (everyone can have easy access to it, like the
air that we breathe or the beam of a lighthouse), and it generates network externalities. Samuelson therefore
argues that such property can be regulated only through policy decisions. Once a piece of information or a
cultural text exists and is stored digitally, it can be copied identically and circulated at the flick of a switch
without specific costs (except for those of setting up the network, servers and work stations). The marginal cost
thus becomes negligible, and this is completely different from many economic goods. For this reason, the State
has a particularly important role to play in setting up publicly financed information systems that are freely
available to as many people as possible.

Legal and regulatory frameworks, ICT security and privacy conducive to sustainable multi-stakeholders’
partnerships, to promote competition, local and foreign direct investment in ICT, were required as a result of the
recognition that no one sector on its own could overcome the challenges of harnessing information for socio-
economic development. The framework should also address the management of intellectual property rights.
These requirements should be included in policies when the enabling environment was created. At the same
time, creating public confidence and trust for e-society, information transparency and process openness should
be balanced with the needs for information security and privacy.
The aim of information security is to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of businesses, reduce the risks to a
minimum, maximize returns on investments and provide market outlets. Moreover, Standard No. ISO/CEI
17799:2000 provides very useful recommendations for information security management aimed at those
responsible for introducing, implementing and maintaining security within an organization.
It might also be necessary to resort to legal protection through intellectual property law (copyrights) and
industrial property law (patents and registered trademarks) that grant inventors a temporary monopoly on the
proceeds, rewarding their research efforts. The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS), concluded within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is the most
comprehensive multilateral agreement to date in the area of intellectual property.
Indigenous knowledge should be protected to avoid its exploitation by others without benefit to Africans.

Ensuring that standards and benchmarks for collecting, acquiring, processing, storing and disseminating of
development information are developed and used. International organizations in collaboration with national
institutions should facilitate development of standards and best practices on DI;

Promoting regional integration could create a market and help attract investments. Improving information
flow and communication on statistical activities in Africa by increasing the use of ICTs and publishing Regional
Statistical Newsletters, among other technical publications, would be a starting point. Harmonisation would
assist in bridging varying legislative/legal/policy frameworks to provide for cross-jurisdictional acceptance of
authentication services and for legal effect of electronic signatures in the case of e-commerce, environmental
concerns, etc.

26
Human capital was another key policy area in the Information Economy as new types of workforces were
required for innovation and growth. It became necessary therefore to monitor the supply, demand and
development of ICT skills and human resources. This was of paramount importance especially bearing in mind
that, unlike the current technological ‘revolution in India,’ our social and organisational ability to adapt to new
technologies could not keep up with the pace at which the technology was introduced. Similarly, it would be
necessary to develop targeted curricula and training geared towards African needs and capacities, and to
strengthen DI aspects of higher learning institutions, including universities.

72. As the penetration of ICTs increased, it became imperative to examine the economic and social
implications of the development, diffusion and use of geo/information, the Internet and e-commerce. The
challenge was to assess the precise economic impacts and identify strategies to build individual and institutional
capacity to meet new and emerging challenges of the Information Economy. The analysis and assessment
should take into account gender perspectives and how information impacts gender specific issues.

73. Local Content creation and national heritages should be encouraged through strengthening digital and
virtual libraries with a view to responding to data needs emerging from new development frameworks and
initiatives such as the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers (PRSPs) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For instance, the Business Process
Outsourcing (BPO) opportunities could be harnessed, given the trends of increased outsourcing. Institutions
could save time and costs associated with information gathering. Access to existing regional and international
trade networks could be another.

74. The private sector played an important role in terms of industrialisation, trade and even as an infrastructure
investor. It could be facilitated through the establishment of techno parks and incubators. The private sector also
appreciated political stability and commitment to agreed engagements. A strong ICT industry sector was also a
driving factor for the Information Economy.

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Section D: Sectoral Recommendations

D.1. The Role of Statistical Information

D.1.1 Background

75. The demand for statistics had increased massively during the last decades because of initiatives such as the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), poverty reduction strategies (PRSs), and the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Accordingly, African States should develop their statistics capabilities so that
they could support their economic, political and social development efforts in a sustainable manner and ensure
the production of good statistics for planning, monitoring progress and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of
development initiatives.

76. The main reason to develop capacity in the National Statistical Systems (NSS) to produce good official
statistics was that a wide range of users could then determine where development efforts were best targeted and
how successful existing initiatives were. Good official statistics were characterized by their quality,
accessibility and efficiency, as well as whether they were up to date. How well they met the needs of the users
was the main criterion to judge whether they were good or not. They needed to be available to a broad range of
public and private users and to be trusted as being objective and reliable.

77. Well-developed NSS could provide governments and the private sector with sound and transparent statistics
that were essential for policy making and investment decisions based on good analysis of accurate evidence.
Statistics assisted governments and others to identify the best courses of action in addressing problems, they
were essential to the deliver of basic services effectively and they were indispensable for accountability and
transparency. They also provided a sound basis for designing, managing, monitoring and evaluating national
policy frameworks, such as the PRSs and progress towards the MDGs. In this regard, good statistics were part
of the enabling environment for development.

D.1.2 Statistics and Information

78. One of the most important role of NSS was to provide quality statistics that would help the society make
informed decisions. Statistical information was used widely by governments, business people, doctors, farmers,
teachers, students and other stakeholders. The provision of accurate and authoritative statistical information
strengthened modern societies as it provided a basis for decisions to be made on such things as where to open
schools and hospitals, how much money to spend on welfare payements etc
Data are made of facts or figures from which conclusions could be drawn. Before one could present and
interpret information, there had to be a process of gathering, processing and presenting data. Data were the raw
material from which information was obtained. Once data had been collected and processed, they could be
organized into information. This information led to knowledge about issues, and helped individuals, groups, and
entities make informed decisions. Information could be considered as data that had been recorded, classified,
organized, related, or interpreted within a framework so that meaning emerged.

79. Statistics, as a science, played an important role in the entire process leading to helping individuals, groups,
and entities to make informed decisions. It, in fact, appeared to be at the forefront of the information process as
it helped to gather, process, present, interpret, and analyze data.

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D.1.3 Why is Statistics Important for Development

80. Demand for statistics in Africa had seen unprecedented increase as policy makers and others sought to be
informed on national and international development progress in the current and previous decades. The NEPAD,
MDGs, PRSs, the sub regional economic and monetary integration frameworks and specific sectoral
frameworks were all monitoring systems for the new development agenda. They had created a culture
championing rigorous monitoring and evaluation of outcomes and evidence-based policy making. This had both
challenged already weak and vulnerable NSS and presented new opportunities for raising public awareness of
statistics and harnessing both national and international resources for developing capacity in NSS.

81. Unfortunately, in the past African States tended to ignore statistical development to the point that policy
makers and other stakeholders were not confident to report on national progress towards achieving the MDGs,
poverty reduction or other targets of the national and international development agendas. Reversing this trend
was critical to Africa's sustainable development.

82. The African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development at a Conference in Nigeria, May
2005, underscored the importance of good statistics in their following statement: “Recognizing the crucial
importance of reliable statistics for gauging and monitoring progress toward the MDGs, we will give greater
attention to the development of strong statistical capacity at both the national and regional levels and urge
donors to do likewise.”

83. Efforts were being made at international, regional, sub regional and national levels to develop Africa's NSS.
However, most African countries still did not have statistical systems that were capable of providing, in a
sustainable manner, good statistical data and information required for evidence-based planning and making
policy, for democratic governance and accountability, and for political and personal decisions.

D.1.4 Challenges facing Africa

84. There were many issues and challenges to developing capacity for good official statistics in Africa. Tackling
them would be according to priorities. Some of the most important issues and challenges facing NSS included:

 Weak political commitment to statistical production, especially at the national level with the
National Statistical Offices (NSOs) often relegated low status in the government hierarchies. A
change in the current situation would involve advocacy on the importance of statistics and data so
that national governments accorded high priority to statistical production and use. Data users -
especially planners, policy makers and decision makers - needed to be more aware of the strategic
importance of statistics in their work, particularly in economic management, policy formulation and
measuring and monitoring poverty based on evidence.
 Lack of coordination and collaborative framework: stakeholders do not coordinate, collaborate,
network and share enough information at national, sub regional and regional levels. Those delivering
NSS should promote coordination and synergy among institutions involved in statistical activities.
 Weak institutional capacities, including limited human and other resources to produce statistics.
Human capacity should be developed and managed in order to enhance organizational performance,
broaden the base of knowledge and strategic skills, and motivate staff.
 Limited response to the increase in demand for the statistics needed to inform national and
international development agendas. NSS should upgrade national capabilities for planning and
conducting household surveys.

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  Inability to comply with current conceptual frameworks such as the 1993 System of National
Accounts (1993 SNA), which should be adopted and implemented much more widely and urgently.

85. A System of National Accounts consisted of a coherent, consistent and integrated set of macroeconomic
accounts, balance sheets and tables based on concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules have
been agreed upon internationally. These provided a comprehensive and detailed record of the complex
economic activities taking place in the economy. They were designed to provide a set of information useful for
analysis, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for measuring economic growth. They also ensured that
macroeconomic information was harmonized and comparable from one country to another. Recent assessments
indicated that African States were progressing relatively slowly in adopting and implementing of the 1993 SNA.
African countries and partners should strengthen national capacities for this, with emphasis on providing
advisory services, group training, developing and disseminating methodological guidelines, manuals and
software, and research activities.

D.1.5. Selected Strategies to Overcome the Challenges

D.1.5.1 Advocacy

86. Advocacy for statistics included raising awareness of their importance among statistical producers, users,
and other stakeholders. This could be achieved by putting statistics firmly onto national agendas, demonstrating
to government planners, policy makers, managers, administrators, legislators and other users the power of
statistics, promoting a culture of making policy and decisions based on real evidence, and mobilizing national
and international resources for developing the NSS and statistics.

D.1.5.2 Coordination of Statistical Capacity Building Activities

87. One key reason for a lack of progress in statistical development was that past efforts had been undertaken in
an uncoordinated and unsustainable way. African countries should be encouraged to participate in: the work of the
United Nations Statistical Commission; coordination meetings on statistical development in Africa at all levels; and
in the work of various task forces and workshops on statistical development. There should be better information
flow and communication on statistical activities in Africa by increasing the use of information and communication
technologies (ICT) and publishing regional statistical newsletters and other technical publications so as to avoid
duplication of efforts.

D.1.5.3 Training

88. At the national level, STCs could provide technical support to in-service and mid-level statistical training
programmes and training for statistical personnel in subject matters such as national accounts, basic economic
statistics, and social statistics. The however, face difficulties in mobilizing enough human resources to carry out
their statistics programmes. Statistical training centres (STCs) had a vital role in producing technicians and
professionals. They should have access to enough resources to fulfill the objectives set forth in their
programmes and the outputs expected of them. STCs needed help in developing or strengthening their
programmes so that they could respond adequately to data needs for the purposes of PRSs, MDGs, NEPAD and
other development plans. National, regional, sub regional and international organizations should provide
technical and financial assistance to the centres.

30
89. At sub regional and regional levels, training of statisticians in African academic institutions should be given
a high profile and adequately funded, teaching consultancy in specialized areas should be provided to African
STCs, training materials should be developed, and equipment in the form of computers, books, etc supplied to
the centres. Partnerships should be promoted between statistical training centres and other centres of excellence
that taught statistics within and outside Africa.

D.1.5.4 Household Surveys Capabilities

90. Statistics had to be used in designing national development strategies and monitoring progress towards the
MDGs and so a wider variety of social statistics were needed. Household surveys were the basis to produce
such statistics and so African States and their partners should continue promoting household surveys by:

 Assessing country needs for producing integrated household surveys, including surveys of how
people used time, which were critical for instance, for measuring African women’s real contribution
in national economies and for guiding policy making and allocation of resources;
 Upgrading national capabilities for planning and conducting household surveys; and
 Providing technical support and advice on processing, analysing and disseminating data from
household surveys.

D.1.6 ECA’s Response to the Challenges

91. The ECA had assisted African countries to build and strengthen their capacity in various areas of statistical
development through: providing advisory services, preparing guidelines for assessing statistical needs,
developing strategies, training, preparing and adapting handbooks and manuals, and coordinating technical
cooperation. During the period 1970-1993, ECA launched regional technical assistance programmes, with the
support of bilateral and multilateral cooperation agencies. These programmes had great impact on the
development process of African statistics. The programmes covered four important areas. One is the African
census programme, which offered advisory services and technical assistance to help countries to plan and
undertake census operations. The second is the African household survey capability programme, aimed at
strengthening countries’ capacity to conduct household surveys. The third is the National accounts capability
programme for States to adopt and implement the SNA. The fourth is the statistical training programme for
Africa to enhance skills and competencies in various areas related to statistics.

92. ECA was also involved in launching the International Comparison Programme (ICP) -Africa, a region-wide
initiative to build statistical capacity within the framework of the global ICP, covering the period 2002-2005.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), ECA and the World Bank launched the programme jointly to provide
a comprehensive and coherent regional capacity building support, with the view of meeting the urgent demand
for reliable and timely data to support MDGs and PRSPs. The objectives of the programme were: to strengthen
national statistical capacity in national accounts; make the ICP an integral part of the NSS; bring purchasing
power parities for the poor into the mainstream of the ICP; and promote use of ICP data for formulating policy
and monitoring progress both at the national and international levels.

D.1.6.1 The African Centre for Statistics

93. In 2006, the ECA undertook a repositioning exercise aimed at serving Africa better. One of the main areas
considered in the repositioning process was statistics and statistical capacity building in the African region. A
chain of events, resolutions and adoption of significant frameworks aimed at placing statistics at the core of the
African development agenda, had culminated in the creation of the African Centre for Statistics (ACS) at the
divisional level.

31
94. The repositioning of statistics was expected to enable the ECA to play its rightful role in statistical
development by enhancing statistical capacities of African countries for better economic management and
tracking of progress towards the achievement of gender equality and internationally agreed development goals
including the MDGs. The ACS had developed a programme aimed at revitalizing and improving statistics
coordination at ECA Secretariat, and strengthening capacities of statistical systems in Africa. It took into
account the core functions of ECA as handed down by the UN Secretary General and the work programmes of
various stakeholders in statistical development in Africa ensuring that duplication was avoided and synergy was
created among the actors. The programme had six components, namely:

 African Population and Housing Censuses Programme;

 Re-engineering Household Surveys in Africa;
 Economic Statistics;
 Statistical Training;
 Coordination of Statistical Development Activities; and
 Statistical Data Management.

D.1.6.2 African Population and Housing Censuses Programme

95. Preparation for the 2010 round of Population and Housing Censuses was one of the six action areas
identified as priority for improving development statistics by the Marrakech roundtable meeting and the
Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics (MAPS). This component includes key actions ECA would take to assist
countries prepare for the 2010 round. A key feature of ECA’s response is on capacity building through a
combination of mutually re-enforcing actions. One is through workshops for building capacity for census
planning, enumeration, analysis, and data dissemination, etc. Another is in the form of advisory services to
build covering such subjects as post-enumeration surveys, analysis of census data, National Demographic
Survey and on-the-job training in various areas related with census taking. Actions to promote awareness are
mainly through the elaboration of census materials and software; and dissemination of the materials.

D.1.6.3 Re-engineering of Household Surveys in Africa

96. Since other sources of household statistics e.g. Population and Housing Censuses, registration systems and
administrative records did not always provide the required data in a timely manner, household surveys had
become the dominant source of current statistics on the household sector in developing countries. The re-
engineering of household surveys aimed at assisting countries build capacity for household surveys involves a
number of activities including, a seminar to launch the African Household Survey Programme; workshops
(survey methodologies, questionnaire design, data processing and analysis); elaboration of Household Survey
Guides and Standards; pilot Surveys; and technical assistance.

D.1.6.4 Economic Statistics

97. This component would aim to improve economic statistics in Africa through better data management to
enhance economic measurement. It will involve workshops on basic statistics and SNA implementation; pilot
studies, preparation of methodology guides and standards; and Software as well as the provision of technical
assistance.

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D.1.6.5 Statistical training

98. This component was aimed at assisting countries develop their human resources through the transfer of
knowledge, broadening and deepening strategic skills base. This would be achieved through knowledge
management and capacity building programmes targeting National Statistic Offices, trainers and training
institutions. It will involve curricula development, workshops, provision of advisory services, fellowship
programmes, on-the-job training at NSOs, twinning arrangements, and development of methodology;
guides; and standards.
D.1.6.6 Coordination of statistical development activities

99. There were many institutions and agencies involved in statistical development work in Africa. It was crucial
that their efforts were coordinated in order to achieve synergy and avoid working at cross-purposes. This
component aimed at promoting coordination of statistical development a number of activities to generate the
most impact and will include among others partnership building for the implementation of the Reference
Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical capacity building in Africa (RRSF) and the National Strategies for
the Development of Statistics (NSDS). The ECA will leverage on its convening power to create platforms for
experience sharing and exchange. This will include meetings such as the StatCom-Africa (meeting of Directors
of national statistical offices in Africa); meetings to prepare for UN Statistical Commission (UNSC); Africa
symposia on statistical development; Forum on African Statistical Development (FASDEV) meetings;
convening Advisory Board on Statistics in Africa (ABSA) meetings and seminar on statistical legislation. The
celebration of African Statistics Day will constitute an important aspect of the information exchange
programme.

D.1.6.7 Statistical data management

100. This component aimed at improving data management in countries and within ECA Secretariat, with
emphasis on enhancing statistical production systems and information networking services including the
technological aspects, data applications and related software. One area of focus is database development
covering the regional, sub-regional and national level data needs including household surveys and censuses.
Another area is capacity building and information exchange to include workshops on data management;
building of electronic exchange platforms; and elaboration of guides and standards. ECA will also explore joint
programmes with UN agencies and other partners. in all aspects of statistical data management.
The following measures should be taken at national level:
 Make legislation on NSO and NSS relevant to current challenges, especially in relation to coordination
of data collection across the whole spectrum of economic and social sectors;
 Encourage creativity in the involvement of the private sector in the DI production, collection and use;
 Reduce turn-around time for statistics collection, analysis and publishing; and
 Promote Census@School programmes aimed at sensitization of the whole population on value and use
of data collection.

D.2. The role of Geoinformation

D.2.1. Introduction

101. Information Development is now a critical factor of production, distribution and consumption of goods and
services, as well as the management of natural resources, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship. This is further
emphasized by the impact of rapid globalization and the emerging new global economic order dominated by
information and knowledge products as raw materials that has come to characterize the world economy. In
33
specific terms, the information revolution has been a major driver of economic change, restructuring businesses,
affecting skills and employment, contributing to growth, and facilitating the opening up markets through the
wider and faster flow of information and knowledge. The current nature of the global information economy is
based on forms of intangibles, information, innovation and creativity for expanding economic potentials. The
essential elements include: computerization and intensive use of information, codification of knowledge,
transformation of information into commodities, and new ways of organizing work and production.

102. Consequently, an information-based economy is based upon the premise that information has economic
value and requires an information marketplace in which such value can be exchanged. Information reduces
uncertainty thereby leading to better decisions and optimal choices, which results in increased level of utility,
efficiency and productivity. It permits individuals to increase the expressed utility of their decisions to improve
the use of other resources, increase the effectiveness of capital, labor and productivity.

D.2.2. Geoinformation insight

103. Geoinformation is becoming known worldwide as an Information Development tool in the Economy. This
advanced technology has recently gained increased visibility particularly in developing countries. It was a
common tool in developed countries as components of economy drivers but today applications of
Geoinformation in the information systems development for Africa goes beyond the cover of priority areas such
as environment monitoring, water resources management and optimal site planning of human development, in
particular industrialization.

104. Satellite remote sensing has become a common tool of investigation, prediction and forecast of
environmental change and scenarios through the development of GIS-based models and decision-support
instruments that have further enhanced and considerably supported decision-making as part of information
development. With the advent of new high spatial and spectral resolution satellite and aircraft imagery, new
applications for precision mapping and accurate monitoring of statistical data analysis have become feasible.
The integration of multi-source geo-referenced spatial data within a real spatial database, allows a synergistic
processing of a considerable amount of information, the standardization of data and the elaboration of digital
maps that are the basis of decision-making.

105. The Geoinformation in economy development have influenced decision-support systems strongly in
evaluating alternatives to enhance decisions and to achieve specific objectives. Geo-information technologies
enable the collection and processing of land-related data efficiently, rapidly, and cost-effectively - using global
positioning systems, computer mapping, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS) - making it
possible to relate economic and development decisions to specific locations or markets.

106. Today, there is increase awareness of African governments and other sectors of society on the importance
of Geoinformation in socioeconomic development as a tool to facilitate spatial data collection, access and use in
the decision-making processes, both nationally and regionally, through a participatory approach. Emphasis is
therefore placed on the whole structure for the acquisition, management and use of spatial data, and not only on
the technology.

D.2.3. Database building

107. The main Geoinformation technology components consist of hard- and soft-wares: GPS, Total Station,
photogrammetric workstations, satellite imagery, and software packages that are capable of integrating spatial
and non-spatial data to yield the spatial information that is used in decision making. They are computer-based
equipment, procedures and techniques for manipulating spatial or map data.

34
108. In most cases data that are collected for a particular project are useful for other projects. This is more so in
the integrated planning environment required for sustainable development, which is where the emphasis should
be in Africa. Sustainable development also requires that all wastes are minimized and resources re-used as
much as possible. The need to re-use spatial data is also dictated by the recent “commoditization” of data and
information.

D.2.4. Role of government

109. The goals of a good government are to inter alia: harness the nation’s natural resources to create wealth in
a sustainable manner, and distribute same justly and equitably to the citizenry; provide social and industrial
infrastructure for the development and industrial growth of the country; provide equal opportunities for every
member of the society to develop his/her latent potentials to the fullest, and partake of the nation’s wealth in
accordance with his/her ability, ever consistent with the public good. The basic infrastructure for achieving
these goals is accurate and up-to-date Geoinformation on the nation’s land area, including the sea surface and
bottom, and the relative positions, nature and status of all her natural and marine resources. Governments
should therefore set up a national mapping agency, create national topographical databases, and fund surveying
and mapping in accordance with the United Nations’ resolution, of which they are signatories, that each
member nation should set aside 2% of its annual budget for surveying and mapping.

D.2.5. The e-Government Initiatives

110. e-Government introduces applications to support various dimensions and ramifications of government and
has the delivery of public services, where there is an online, Internet-based, or electronic aspect to the delivery
of the services. [E-government allow also the conduct of government business where the activities of those
involved in the process of government itself (such as legislators and the legislative process) where some
electronic or online aspect is under consideration. E-Government provides many opportunities to improve the
quality of services to the citizen (G2C), to business (G2B, B2B) as well as to government institutions (G2G), as
detailed many Web- pages about e-government initiatives in many countries].

111. Geoinformation enable member’s States to perform on-line delivery of location-based services. This means
the capability to analyze, query and locate based on existing spatial information. For example: Traffic
information (“You are about to join a ten-kilometer traffic queue, turn right on the A3 ahead.” Emergencies
information, (“Help, I'm having a heart attack!”; Roadside Emergency, (“Help, my car has broken down!”),
Cadastral information (On-line for the delivery of data and cadastre service on the Internet)

D.2.6. Planning management

112. Planning management is, itself, knowledge-based and requires an extensive knowledge and different
conditions to be fulfilled. This can be done automatically by the use of Geoinformation systems.
Geoinformation technology is designed to perform spatial analysis, network analysis, and data manipulation.

113. Land Management and the Cadastre: Land rights are of fundamental economic significance. They need to
be spatially referenced and recorded in form of the cadastre. Using Geoinformation engineering approach can
better help for land suitability analysis.

114. Building rationale transport infrastructure master plan for Africa. The main objective of this program of
activities is to produce an integrated optimum all-mode Transport Infrastructure Master Plan for Africa.
Producing this master plan will require access to data on all existing and planned networks and corridors of
development, including railways, airports, roads, ports, harbors and waterways, and related social economic
information. These transport components need to be depicted in their correct spatial locations and cross-
35
referenced with one another to perform a full analysis of all relevant factors. Since there is currently no database
containing these very necessary data sets, another major objective of the project is therefore to create a database
(using remote sensing techniques) in a geographic information system to support the proper planning, design,
operations and maintenance of infrastructure facilities.

D.2.7. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals

115. Sustainable development must balance the needs of society, the economy, and the environment. GIS can
play important role in the development of social indicators because of its mapping, visualization and analysis
capabilities. Geoinformation is then useful for planners and policy makers in understanding the development
problems at each level, in determining joint and interactive effects among various phenomena, and in
prioritizing where to develop based on these indicators.

116. ECA provide technical assistance to map the MDG Indicators. Geoinformation technology offers a
database system allowing ECA divisions and member States to organize, store and display data in harmonized
format to facilitate data sharing among various agencies within a country, in order to monitor social
development.

117. Employment creation is an important other aspect for alleviating poverty and growing the economy. In this
regard, planned interventions for employment creation require geographical targeting of, for example, resources
for industries; markets for products; skills for labour; and population, infrastructure and utilities for services.
Geoinformation contribute to pinpoint and target the zones where employment is available and where there is an
important under-employment.

D.2.8. Improving decision-making at local level

118. Today, most African countries promote decentralization thus giving to the local level significant influence
and power in decision making, which impacts on family farms’ future, the development of non-mechanized
farming (peasant farming), farmers and agricultural producers’ organizations.

119. This policy must be promoted while putting in place coherent spatialized or statistical information, which
will serve as a decision support and management tool for local grass roots stakeholders: to prepare and
implement environmental or resource management schemes; to plan and develop projects in order to change
and improve environmental conditions; to predict and anticipate events, particularly those less under direct
control, etc.

120. Geoinformation can help bridging this gap at local level by enabling any user or decision maker to know
what information resources are available, where they are and to be in a position to appraise them in relation to
his/her needs. In addition, Geoinformation tools can be used as a tool for grass roots stakeholders’ reflections
and decision-making as regards their homeland or community’s future.

D.2.9. Challenges

121. A major imperative in each African country is the commitment to deliver relevant information that could
promote and sustain economic growth. This information takes add-value only if it can be represented spatially
in order to determine joint effects.

122. Location affects nearly everything we do in life: we choose where to build homes, where to eat, where the
nearest hospital is in case of emergency. Companies analyze risks and assign insurance rates, make loans and
36
investments, and build regional offices according to location decisions. Many of these decisions are complicated
by society’s increasing desire for mobility while maintaining instant access to information. At the global scale,
location is also at the heart of some of the world’s most pressing problems: immigration, poverty and starvation,
environmental degradation, crime and security, natural hazards and disasters. Spatial analytics provides formal
tools and methods to represent and analyze these important problems in a controlled (scientifically repeatable)
manner. It is therefore critical to the development of the Knowledge Economy.

123. From then on, Geoinformation allows us to develop spatially connected information of any geographical
area, which is crucial in planning, monitoring and decision-making. Geoinformation can better help people to
visualize complex social indicators in a form of map and provides various “what if” planning scenarios results
in quantitative measures that allow developers, planners, and community groups to feel greater comfort with the
ultimate design decision.

124. To benefit from these various opportunities, the following measures should be implemented:
 Develop appropriate SDI mechanisms for meeting rapidly changing geo-spatial realities, and promote
investment on Geo spatial Databases.
 Implement Mapping Africa Initiatives (use the documentation of the initiative as source)
 There is need to reorient geo-information to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities (Carbon
trading, environmental degradation, location-based services etc.).
 Improve budgetary allocation to Geoinformation collection and management.
 Make national geoinformation departments semi-autonomous.
 Evolve policy on geoinformation collection and management.
 Employ the use of geoinformation in actualizing MDGs (where are the poor, access, nature of their
environment, resources available, suitable activities, infrastructure and developments, vulnerability (to
hazards), needs assessment in the context of spatial contents of the environment etc, can all be
considered simultaneously using appropriate geoinformation).
 Involve experts in policy making.
 Encourage GIS in schools programmes.

D.3. Issues and Policy Dimensions Related to Knowledge, Libraries and Information Services

D.3.1. Introduction

125. This section explains the role of reliable access to information and knowledge through libraries and
information services in economic transformation and human development. Libraries and informational
professional play important roles through sustained advocacy, policy leadership and mission-oriented service.
The contributions of libraries as catalysts for economic development and the implications of these contributions
to the development of the information society, especially as they touch on access to knowledge and information,
are specifically highlighted. The main recommendations are on policy and strategic framework and
programming for the development of a knowledge-centric economic development.

D.3.2. Conceptual and Strategic Framework

126. The WSIS Process underlines the global public good aspect of knowledge and information, and of the
infrastructure designed to transmit them. Stiglitz (1999) illustrated why knowledge is not simply a public good,
but a global public good. Global public goods may be defined as entities or conditions having non-excludable,
non-rival benefits that cut across borders, generations and populations - present or future. This concept offers a
firm and virtuous framework for dealing with many of today’s international public policy issues and challenges.
Among commonly cited global public goods are equity and justice, efficient markets, the environment,
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standards and norms, health, knowledge and information, transport and communications infrastructure, peace
and security, and cultural heritage (Kaul et al, 1999).

127 Knowledge and information, and communications infrastructure that are used to share them, such as the
Internet are referred to as human-made commons. For this set of public goods, the main challenge is under-use.
For knowledge for example, under-use can result in development failures such as low human development, and
income poverty (Cook and Sachs, 1999). Sy (1999) forcefully argues that equity issues permeate access to
information and knowledge and the technologies used to appropriate them, and emphasizes the fact that
publicness cannot be guaranteed unless users have low-cost access. He further argues that privatization of
telecommunications carriers will not guarantee low-cost access, but may actually impede it, as this reduces the
opportunity of the average person to use it optimally. Therefore one of the most important item that should be
on every global information policy agenda is to ensure that developing countries obtain adequate physical
infrastructure to reap the benefits of the Internet, and that the economically disadvantaged who should benefit
the most from it, are not deterred by high prices.

128. The fledging information society is creating the classic tragedy of the commons as well as several adverse
externalities that are borderless in their effect, and therefore calls for concerted efforts at the international level
to manage them. Hence, WSIS was a systemic response to the stimuli provided by the challenges and
opportunities of the global public goods driving the information society. The outcome consists of broad-based
principles and action plans for harnessing the relevant public goods in ways that would lead to the development
of an inclusive information society.

129. WSIS principles and action plans are designed to ensure coherence and complementarity with the major
global development strategies, the apex of which is the Millennium Declaration made by world leaders in
September 2000 (United Nations, 2000). The declaration provides a framework for the vision, activities and
goals of the UN system to 2015 and beyond. The objective of the Declaration is to promote "a comprehensive
approach and a coordinated strategy, for tackling many global problems simultaneously across a broad front”.
The eight goals - the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with specific targets geared towards poverty
reduction - are to be met by 2015. They form the blueprint for development activities by governments and the
leading development institutions. The goals and associated targets are provided in table 1.

Table 1: MDG Goals and associated targets

Goals Associated Targets
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme hunger Target 1: Reduce by half, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people
and poverty. whose income is less than $1 a day.
Target 2: Reduce by half, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people
who suffer from hunger.
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary Target 3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will
education. be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
Goal 3: Promote gender equality Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education,
and empower women. preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality. Target 5: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five
mortality rate.
Goal 5: Improve maternal health. Target 6: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal
mortality ratio.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Target 7: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
malaria and other diseases. Target 8: Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major
diseases by 2015.
Goal 7: Ensure environmental Target 9: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country
sustainability. policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources.
Target 10: Reduce by half, by 2015, the proportion of people without
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 sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation .
Target 11: Achieve by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least
100 million slum dwellers.
Goal 8: Develop a global Target 12: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory
partnership for development trading and financial system (includes a commitment to good governance,
development, and poverty reduction, both nationally and internationally).
Target 13: Address the special needs of the Least Developed Countries.
Target 14: Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and
small-island developing states.
Target 15: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing
countries through national and international measures in order to make debt
sustainable in the long term
Target 16: In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement
strategies for decent and productive work for youth.
Target 17: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to
affordable essential drugs in developing countries.
Target 18: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits
of new technologies, especially information and communications technologies.

130. The implementation of the MDGs require participatory approaches to ensure that the views of various
stakeholder groups are taken onboard and requires access to information and knowledge to enhance individual
and group capacity to make positive changes. In view of this, the global community has made the widespread
application of ICT to harness information, knowledge and communication as an essential element in its strategy
for accelerating the achievement of MDGs.

D.3. 3. The Major WSIS Issues Related to Libraries

131. The WSIS recognized the important role libraries could play in building the information society. In this
regard, issues related to the promotion of ICTs for development, access to information and knowledge, e-
government, cultural diversity, linguistic diversity and local content as well as ethical dimensions of the
information society involving libraries were identified as high priorities. The translation of these objectives into
concrete programmes action encompass the following 12 issues:

 Creation of enabling environment through appropriate policies, strategies and legislation.

 Adequate support for libraries, to enable them perform their educational role, including life-long
learning and e-literacy.
 The role of libraries in poverty reduction and attainment of development
 Rights-based access to information, knowledge and ICT as public goods through the provision of
community access points.
 Creation of digital public library and archive services, digitisation, and long-term preservation of
intellectual and cultural goods and artifacts.
 Freedom of information.
 Rights to privacy, cyber security and safety.
 The need for inclusiveness and diversity in the information society.
 The need for international cooperation and dialogue among cultures and civilizations in the
development of the information society.
 Intellectual property rights and open source technology.

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D.3.3.1. The Creation of enabling environment through policies, strategies and legislation

132. The issue of how best to create the enabling environment for development of the information society is a
crosscutting one that applies to all dimensions of the information society including the development of
infrastructure, content, services, international cooperation, and security. This calls for a broad-based policy and
strategic regime. In most cases, taking a portfolio approach would work better than having one omnibus policy
for information society issues. In developing countries, national and local policies and laws that ensure financial
and political support to information and cultural institutions are either non-existent or poorly implemented, even
though they are the basis for the success of other interventions

D.3.3.2. Adequate support for libraries to enable them perform their educational role, including support
for life-long learning and e-literacy

133. Imparting knowledge and the development of the capacity to learn are the main goals of education.
Libraries are especially important now when emphasis is being place more and more on independent, life-long
learning, including e-literacy. It is clear that without good reading habit, which invariably goes with the ability
to use libraries effectively, a person cannot retain the capacity of an educated person. In places where schools
have no libraries, students graduate without acquiring the basic skills required for gainful employment.

D.3.3.3. The role of libraries in poverty reduction and attainment of development

134. The right to access is premised on the right to development. Hence the WSIS provision in the Geneva
Declaration that: “access to information is a major factor in “determining development and competitiveness…
we are resolute to empower the poor, particularly those living in remote, rural and marginalized urban areas, to
access information and to use ICTs as a tool to support their efforts to lift themselves out of poverty.” This role
has also been elaborated in The Value of Library Services in Development (ECA, 2003). Recent analysis of four
African development strategies dating from 1980’s to 2005, attributed the serial failures of these strategies to
lack of emphasis on access to information and knowledge as the main source of the capacity for development
(Azubuike, 2006).

D.3.3.4. Rights-based access to information, knowledge and ICT as public goods through the provision of
community access points

135. The Tunis Agenda defines the “public service role” of libraries as “providing free and equitable access to
information” and “improving ICT literacy and community connectivity, particularly to underserved
communities.” This role ensures the right of every member of the community to free and open access to
information, knowledge and ICT as public goods. Many WSIS provisions deal with this issue as the basis of
building an inclusive information society. The existence and effectiveness of public service information and
cultural institutions like libraries and archives are vital for availability of the minimum level of consumption of
knowledge and cultural goods necessary to ensure the effective performance and participation of individuals
and groups in the social, economic and political affairs of the community. In the information society,
dependence on these institutions is even more critical for decent existence due to increased dynamism of
knowledge. It should be noted that this is hardly an issue in developed countries where almost every resident
has free access to learning materials, computer equipment and Internet through public libraries. Recognizing
this, world leaders at WSIS affirmed and reaffirmed their commitment to providing equitable access to
information and knowledge for all.

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D.3.3.5. Creation of digital public library and archive services, digitization, long-term preservation of
intellectual and cultural goods and artifacts

136. The capacity to discover and innovate is dependent on access to prior knowledge and experience.
Therefore, harnessing and preserving of information and cultural heritage through the creation and development
of digital public library and archive services, including "hybrid libraries," for future use is of paramount
importance. Equally important is the need for initiatives to facilitate free and affordable access to open access
journals and books. However, the challenge of designing and implementing strategies and systems to ensure the
effective digitization and continued access to archived digital information and multimedia content in digital
repositories is an emerging issue of great concern.

D.3.3.6. Freedom of information

137. Freedom of access to public information guaranteed by law, along with freedom of expression, forms part
of the basic principles of the information society. WSIS Geneva Declaration of Principles envisions an
information society based on Universal Principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms, right to
sustainable development, democracy and good governance at all levels, the rule of law in international as in
national affairs, right to freedom of opinion and expression; and right to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas (freedom of information).

D.3.3.7. Rights to privacy, and assurance of security and safety

138. This issue has several dimensions, including: the need for librarians to maintain the confidentiality of what
their clients read and access; the right to the privacy of personal data held by government and non-governmental
entities; the need for children to be protected from obscene and violent materials; and the increasing importance
of combating cyber crime which threaten the security of digital properties, and infrastructure. These set of
challenges have social, political and economic ramifications, and impacts on the ability of information
institutions to operate effectively.

D.3.3.8. The need for inclusiveness and diversity in the information society

139. Inclusive access to ICT and information services is a political as well as a moral issue. Since knowledge is
power, providing everyone and every section of the society equal opportunity of access is a basic political act of
resource allocation, as well as a moral act of doing the right thing. The development gain is also
straightforward: whether inclusiveness is pursued as a political or moral aim, its achievement is expected to
result in aggregate improvement of human and economic development. On this issue, President Olusegun
Obasanjo will attending the Summit declared that: "Unless those that are now excluded from the benefits of the
information revolution are brought on board, our efforts to achieve sustainable development as outlined in the
Millennium Development Goals will continue to elude us".

140. WSIS inclusiveness issues have several dimensions, including demographic: gender, age, family status,
etc; economic: income level, employment status, occupational roles, etc; geographic: rural, urban, etc; cultural:
oral, written, religion, tradition, etc; as well as linguistic differences.

141. Pertinent to this issue is the need for “policies and mechanisms to stimulate and support local content
development, multilingualism, translation and adaptation, in diverse forms of digital and traditional media to
strengthen local and indigenous communities as participants in the information society.”

142. The establishment of ICT public access points in public places such as post offices, schools, libraries and
archives, is seen as having the potential to provide effective means for ensuring universal access to the
41
infrastructure and services. And where these institutions are lacking, to establish community multipurpose
access centers.

D.3.3.9. International cooperation and dialogue among cultures and civilizations in the development of
the information society

143. The need for multinational infrastructure development and use, and the tendency for knowledge to spread
across national and cultural boundaries, warrants appropriate modes of international cooperation and continuous
dialogue among the world’s diverse cultures on how best the related transactions and interactions should be
conducted in the information society to avoid conflicts. “International cooperation among all stakeholders is
vital” due to the international nature of the information society, hence the need for international approaches for
its development.

D.3.3.10. Intellectual property rights and open source technology

144. The need to ensure efficient knowledge-based development through maintenance of optimum balance
between private appropriation of innovation, and assurance that fundamental knowledge is made available
freely for further innovation and discovery, is an important issue highlighted at WSIS. This issue includes the
recognition of the value of open source technology in bridging the technology gap, and the need to approach
intellectual property rights with due diligence.

D.3.3.11. Capacity Building

145. There are two dimensions to library-related capacity building for the information society. One is the need
for libraries and educational institutions to have sufficient capacity to provide assistance to users and more
specifically to provide training in ICT and e-literacy skills. This could involve designing and offering courses
for public administrations, taking advantage of existing facilities such as libraries, multipurpose community
centres, public access points and by establishing local ICT training centers with the cooperation of all
stakeholders. Two relates to the designing of specific training programmes in the use of ICT for information
professionals, such as archivists, librarians, museum professionals, scientists, teachers, journalists, postal
workers and other relevant professional groups. Training of information professionals should focus not only on
new methods and techniques for the development and provision of information and communication services,
but also on relevant management skills to ensure the best use of technologies. Training of teachers should focus
on the technical aspects of ICT, on development of content, and on the potential possibilities and challenges of
ICT. Efforts should also be directed towards strengthen the existing information-oriented schools, (IT, statistics,
LIS, geo-information), and to introduce information skills programme in curricula.

D.3.3.12. Information and communication infrastructure as an essential foundation for the information
society

146. The dependence of modern society on electrical energy, transport and communications infrastructure for
exchange of information and trade on goods and services makes this set of infrastructure the backbone of the
information society. This is why bridging the gaps between countries, institutions and groups in the access to
infrastructure is a core WSIS issue. The Plan of Action recommends that: “In the context of national e-
strategies, provide and improve ICT connectivity for all schools, universities, health institutions, libraries, post
offices, community centres, museums and other institutions accessible to the public, in line with the indicative
targets,” which are to provide connectivity for:

a) villages with ICTs and establish community access points;

42
 b) universities, colleges, secondary schools and primary schools with ICTs;
c) scientific and research centres with ICTs;
d) public libraries, cultural centres, museums, post offices and archives with ICTs;
e) health centres and hospitals with ICTs; and
f) all local and central government departments and establish websites and email addresses.

147. These targets to be achieved by 2015, may be taken into account in the establishment of the national
programmes along with actions required to:

a. adapt all primary and secondary school curricula to meet the challenges of the Information Society,
taking into account national circumstances;
b. ensure that all of the world's population have access to television and radio services;
c. encourage the development of content and to put in place technical conditions in order to facilitate
the presence and use of all world languages on the Internet; and
d. ensure that more than half the world’s inhabitants have access to ICTs within their reach.

D.3.4. Access to information, knowledge in Africa

148. Currently the majority of libraries in Africa cannot effectively play their role in the information
society due to the so-called "great African library decline", which started in the early 1980s, at the onset
of structural adjustment programmes. This decline is characterized by: very poor funding; total lack of,
or inadequate application of information technology; unavailability of, or unreliable access to the
Internet; rusty professional skills and outlook due to inadequate resources for training and development;
demoralized management; dusty shelves with old and irrelevant books; and inadequate or no physical
development; and near absence of library activism and advocacy (ECA, 2003;2005)

149. The challenges of building the information society are mainly public goods issues, therefore governments
have major role to play – along with other stakeholders, including libraries and development agencies. In order
for libraries to play their rightful role in the information society, the sector would have to be injected with
forward-looking policies, programmes and leadership. First, library issues should be made core components of
national information and communications policies. Funding should be increased for libraries across the board,
driven by a changed view that funding of libraries represents a profitable investment in development and public
goods. This move would best be justified by the library community through communicating and demonstrating
the economic and human development mission of libraries to their publics. Another important implication is
that the state of libraries will determine how much wider access to ICT and specialized information networks
can be extended.

D.3.5. Recommended policy and strategic framework for libraries

150. A range of policy and strategy documents on the whole spectrum of information and knowledge issues
would necessarily be produced and implemented. An effective national policy and strategic information
framework covering infrastructure, funding, human resources, intellectual property, information sources,
services and governance, etc., should involve capacity building for scaling up library and information services
programmes covering various dimensions. One is the creation of ministerial level organization with
responsibility for policy, resource allocation, strategic inspections, and the introduction and administration of
relevant laws, to provide platform for giving visibility and advocacy on the importance of development
43
information to the economy. Two is the formation of national commission on libraries to provide strategic
leadership and cross-ministerial advocacy and coordination on library issues. Three is the establishment by
legislation and adequate funding of a national library to perform a full range of functions. Four is to have a
system of public libraries and resource centers, supporting communities of all sizes and recognized as vital
component of the national strategic information management framework. Five is to establish a public records
access legislation that establishes archives and public records management functions, and other structures for
selecting, conserving, processing and giving access to records and documents, in all formats, emanating from
the various levels and branches of government. Six is the enactment of a full range of intellectual property laws,
with proper provisions for fair use of published materials. Seven is the creation of a professional body or bodies
chartered to promote good practices and standards. Eight is to promote professional education and accreditation
system of international standards. Nine is to initiate and run a standing national conference on library services to
discuss policy issues. Ten is to create legislative and regulatory frameworks to empower professionals in
library and information services.

151. Policy advocacy should be intensified at all levels of governance. Library associations and the national
libraries in Africa should lead on this. They should develop a working alliance with civil society organizations
in the information management and ICT sectors to advocate for the implementation of WSIS outcomes on
libraries and access to information. By doing so, libraries will be taking their rightful place as they naturally
straddle the people s, government and business sectors, as they operate as agencies within all the three. In this
position, libraries as a group could use their social capital to influence positive change. Associations should also
participate in the activities of the leading international CSOs such as the Association for Progressive
Communications (APC), and The Global Knowledge Partnership, to gain more diverse experience in
information society programming.

D.3.5.1. The leadership role of library associations in developing new visions of the countries as
knowledge societies

152. They should expand their public service role by taking up strategic advocacy for a vision of knowledge
society and e-democracy. By claiming this high ground in which knowledge is the main development resource,
and in which innovation and value creation are the cornerstones of national development, libraries would be
gaining the relevance they deserve. In defining the scope and priorities of a knowledge society, the role and
place of the libraries could be defined as the core pillar of such a society - the institutions that imbue the citizen
with the power to learn, to collaborate, and to make informed decisions for the building an affluent and
democratic society. E-democracy is seen as an emergent phenomenon that is closely associated with the
capacity of people to make effective use of ICT for knowledge sharing and communication (Schauter et al,
2003).

D.3.5.2. African libraries’ MDGs related community programmes

153. African libraries of all types should develop community programmes that are mission-oriented in
addressing the MDG dimensions, including poverty reduction, maternal health, child health and employment of
the youth. No library should be too small, too big or too specialized to be of value to its immediate or wider
community. Programmes to bridge the many divides that affect the youth and the elderly, people with
disabilities, as well as rural people, should be initiated.

Specifically, the following recommendations can be made:

 Reorientation of LIS to meet DI challenges, especially in meeting community needs related to MDGs;
 Increase coverage to include all communities, and adapt services to meet local needs through greater
outreach;
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  Engage in massive updating of information resources of all types and formats to meet the challenges of
upgrading science and tech knowledge as well as lifelong learning needs geared towards individual
empowerment;
 Embark on capacity building in human resource, infrastructure, retraining and re-tooling of libraries and
information centers across Africa;
 LIS take up the responsibility of instilling the culture of reading starting from an early age especially in
schools;
 Network university libraries to increase their collective capacities to deliver leading edge services
expected of modern higher learning environment;
 ECA Library should initiate a programme on dissemination information on free e-resources (e.g.
www.jstor.org) and network with African university libraries, including retraining;
 ECA Library should be developed as a regional hub for knowledge networking and information sharing
on DI; and
 ECA should strengthen the Sub-Committee on Knowledge, Libraries and Information Services of its
Committee on Development Information (CODI-KLIS) to enable it play a greater role in promoting
access to information and knowledge for development, especially in view of the realities of knowledge-
deficiency that hamper Africa’s development efforts.

D.3.5.3. Regional Curriculum Review of Library Schools

154. A related recommendation is for a complete a national review of library school curricula. We face entirely
new realities. We must therefore change very resolutely. A highly skilled library workforce to meet the new
information and knowledge needs of Africa is called for. Responsible authorities should initiate this, or seek
own funding to lead the change.

D.3.5.4. Information literacy, including e-literacy and e-learning as part of every library’s activity

155. This scheme rather than being added burden could attract funding and equipment to libraries. Work with
small-scale enterprises and women businesses to build necessary capabilities, networks, and ability to use ICT
tools, could contribute visibly to the local economy. To make this happen library associations should explore
the possibility of stimulating a scheme to strengthen the ability of African libraries to help library users acquire
basic literacy and information literacy skills in their communities. This requires good communication and
packaging to attract visitors in libraries.

D.3.5.5. Create National Virtual Library Network to Pool Resources for E-programmes

156. Libraries should create a national virtual library network, as a consortium, to be directed by a board
consisting of participant libraries and managed in a cooperative manner to deliver high-quality and reliable
digital information to library clientele. This could help libraries to confidently tap into national digital library
projects as well as international programmes offering free and low-cost access to electronic resources. Such
international programmes include JSTOR, PERI, HINARI, AGORA, TEAL and eifl. The existence of a
consortium can also stimulate investment in broadband infrastructure, capacity building, information security,
standardization and interoperability.

D.3.5.6. Initiate “campaign for libraries”

157. A “campaign for libraries in Africa” should be initiated to ensure that information literacy programmes
include appropriate qualified professional staff, adequate resources and technology across Africa.

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D.3.5.7. Adopt the American-Style Library Districts Model to Create a Public library Networks

158. African countries cannot become the information society it envisages without a network of public libraries
to increase library services to all Africans. It is important to improve local support for the few public libraries
that exist. One system that has produced marvelous results in the United States is the system of Library
Districts. These knowledge districts, which may consist of a mix of college, school and public libraries, are
cooperatively organized but funded from public and private sources, have achieved great successes in public
library construction, expansion, and renovation, and provided access to information and ICT to all who care to
use libraries.

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CONCLUSION

159. The potential of ICT to foster sustainable development, empower people, including women and youth,
build capacities and skills, assist small and medium-sized enterprises, reduce poverty, reinforce popular
participation and enhance informed decision-making at all levels was enormous. Concerted efforts were
therefore required at the national, regional and international levels to create a conducive environment for the
development, deployment and exploitation of ICTs within the economy and society. In this context, special
attention should be paid to those countries that lack the capacity to effectively participate in the Information
Society. The promotion of ICT should not be a substitute for the efforts to ensure the development and
modernization of basic sectors of the economy, but should complement and enhance these efforts. As part of
ECA’s repositioning, more emphasis will be placed on harnessing ICT, Science and Technology potentials for
accelerating the African economies growth, through the development of comprehensible sub-regional STI
policies.

160. In the statistics arena, African countries were still facing several challenges in building effective
National Statistical Systems (NSS) to support the increased demand for quality data required for sound policy
decision-making and monitoring of nationally and internationally agreed upon development agendas. In
response to these challenges, the ECA was committed to support the establishment of reliable NSS through its
work programme and in collaboration with other regional and sub regional organizations, and stakeholders.

161. There is a lot of economic potential that can be leveraged with Geoinformation services. For instance,
wide dissemination of data collections will facilitate better government as communities have access to
information and can get involved in decisions affecting them. Service delivery industries that depend on
location and spatial knowledge will benefit from reduced transaction costs and will be stimulated, leading to
more economic activity. With this scope, Geoinformation can much contribute to development in Africa.

162. As the main repositories and purveyors of accumulated knowledge, effective libraries are very critical in
ensuring the achievement of regional and global development strategies such as the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), but the quality of library service available to the average African is grossly inadequate, ranging
from barely adequate in to woefully deficient. The recommendations of WSIS provide a clear blueprint for
future steps to be taken to revamp the library sector to enable it provide effective access to information and
knowledge for development.

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