Transcript PPT version of presentation

Building Connectivity in Africaefforts of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa
Association for Population/Family Planning Libraries and
Information Centers-International (APLIC-I) Conference,
Washington D.C.
Growth of connectivity in Africa
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Period of NGO-led Fidonet connectivity (1987-1993)
CABECA helped set up first nodes in 24 countries
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5 countries connected to Internet (1995)
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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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Information in a Global Context
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Current connectivity impetus
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Private sector led, 1998-present
Africa Online major international ISP
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African information and
communication needs
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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 . . .
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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
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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
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dramatic infrastructure improvements
53 countries connected (2001)
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450 ISPs
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Current situation
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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/infras
tructure.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
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How to give voices to more?
need for work with African institutions to encourage Web
content development through information management and
dissemination
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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
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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http://www.bellanet.org/partners/aisi
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