building connectivity in africa-efforts of the united nations economic commission for africa

Building Connectivity in Africa-efforts of the

United Nations Economic Commission

for Africa

Association for Population/Family Planning Libraries and Information

Centers-International (APLIC-I) Conference, Washington D.C.

27 March 2001 Not a One-Way Street: Information in a Global Context

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Growth of connectivity in Africa Period of NGO-led Fidonet connectivity

(1987-1993) CABECA helped set up first nodes in 24 countries

5 countries connected to Internet (1995)

Bi-lateral and multi-lateral projects (‘95-’00) USAID Leland Initiative UNDP African Internet Initiative, Sustainable

Development Network Program UNESCO RINAF World Bank InfoDev


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Current connectivity impetus Private sector led, 1998-present

Africa Online major international ISP


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African information and communication needs One minute calls from African capitals to

Europe or the U.S.- $3-$7/minute Post: letters from Niger to Ethiopia can take 8

years Libraries: few or no public libraries accessible

to students in many African countries; where there are, paucity of books and journals

In sub-Saharan African, one fixed line telephone for every 635 people

One computer for every 500 people


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What is AISI? African Information Society Initiative: an

action Framework to Build Africa’s Information and Communication Infrastructure

Adopted by ECA Conference of Ministers of Economic Planning and Development in 1996

Implemented by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Addis Ababa)


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Why was AISI needed?

African delay in entering information age

Mbeki (Brussels, 1996)- more telephone lines in Manhattan than all of sub-Saharan Africa

Need for an African direction to AII Need to wake up African policy makers


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Working with African countries on . . . Developing national plans for building

information and communication infrastructure

Eliminating legal and regulatory barriers to the use of information and communication technologies

Establishing an enabling environment to foster the free flow and development of information and communication in society

Developing policies and implementing plans for using information and communication technologies in the public sector


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Identifying information and communication applications in areas of highest impact on socio-economic development

Facilitating the establishment of locally based, low-cost and widely accessible Internet services and information content

Preparing plans to develop human resources in information and communication technologies

Adopting policies and strategies to increase access to information and communication facilities with priorities for rural areas, grassroots society, women and youth

Raising awareness of the potential benefits of information and communication infrastructure.


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Concentration on

Policy and enabling environment- National Information and Communication Infrastructure plans and policies (NICIs)

Infrastructure (connectivity) Content development Democratizing access


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AISI accomplishments

Sensitization Development of national strategies www.

bellanet.org/partners/aisi/nici/index.htm Promoting connectivity Promoting partnership Stimulating content development: www.

bellanet.org/partners/aisi/adf99docs/docs.htm


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On the ground, 2001

dramatic infrastructure improvements 53 countries connected (2001)

450 ISPs


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Current situation

Internet local call system in 15 countries 20,000 hosts connected to Internet opening of Nigerian and Eritrean markets content growing, particularly in diaspora

niches, francophone areas www.bellanet.org/partners/aisi

/adf99docs/infrastructure.htm trend to telecommunications

liberalization


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but . . .

most connections in capital cities long distance calls from secondary cities 0.06% connected in sub-Saharan Africa only 11 countries with more than 5000

users low total bandwidth (55Mbps) high costs ($50/mo. for 5 hours)


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Demographics of African Internet usage Highly educated, predominantly male

users in capital city Communication between Africa and

developed world Great emphasis on public access Major institutional users: NGOs, private

companies, universities, international organizations


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Conclusion

How to give voices to more? need for work with African institutions to

encourage Web content development through information management and dissemination

Continuing need for push on policy front and creation of enabling environments To release national and diaspora

entrepreneurial energy


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Contacts for further information

[email protected]@[email protected]

http://www.bellanet.org/partners/aisi

building connectivity in africa-efforts of the united nations economic commission for africa

Documents