Global ePolicy Resource Network ePolNET focal point for global efforts in support of estrategies for

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Global e-Policy Resource NetworkePol-NET
focal point for global efforts in support of
e-strategies for developmentPresentation
toAfrican Development Forum IV
Industry Industrie Canada Canada

• Addis Ababa, October 2004
• Raymond Lepage
• Project Director, ICT4D Initiatives, Industry
  Canada

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The nature of ICT4D

• ICT is now recognized as more than a sector
• ICT is in fact an enabler for economic and social
  development ICT4D
• The concept of ICT4D has gained international
  recognition
• G8 DOT Force
• UN system UNDP, Economic Commission, ITU,
  UNESCO, UN ICT Task Force
• World Bank
• WSIS
• ICT4D is a key instrument for good governance

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Strategic goals in ICT4D

• Creating the right policy framework
• Effective national e-strategies
• Promoting ICT as a tool for development in key
  areas
• Public administration, e-government, e-democracy,
  health and education, entrepreneurship,
  agriculture, environment, etc
• Linking ICT to broader socio-economic goals
• Integration with horizontal issues such as
  gender, youth (access) language and culture (web
  content development) training and skills
  development (ICT/Internet literacy)

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From vision to action

• 2000 Okinawa charter on the Information Society
• 2001 DOT Force Plan of Action
• 2002 G8 Africa Action Plan (Kananaskis)
• Canada Fund for Africa includes 35 million for
  three initiatives to help bridge the digital
  divide in Africa
• Global e-Policy Resource Network (ePol-NET) -
  national e-strategies
• Connectivity Africa and Open Knowledge Network
  new applications and content
• Enablis ICT entrepreneurship support

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What is ePol-NET?

• Launched at WSIS, ePol-NET is a network of
  governments, international organizations, private
  sector and NGOs established to provide developing
  countries with policy support on ICT issues
• Areas of expertise include e-government,
  telecommunications policy and regulation,
  e-commerce and Internet policies, ICT social
  applications (e.g. e-health and e-education)
• ePol-NET offers information products on web site
  www.epol-net.org
• partner organizations can also team up to
  provide personalized expertise
• ePol-NET functions as a virtual network through a
  Secretariat hosted by the government of Ireland
• ePol-NET is demand-driven responsive to NEPAD
  priorities

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Canadian e-Policy Resource Centre - CePRC

• CePRC is Canadas specific contribution to
  ePol-NET
• focus of CePRC is on Africa
• provides information products on web site
  Canadian legislation, policies, strategies,
  regulations www.ceprc.ca
• offers personalized expertise to African policy
  makers on a demand basis consultations, missions
  abroad, training
• Key partner is ECA (ePol-NET Africa)
• All requests are channelled through ePol-NET
  Africa
• CePRC and ePol-NET Africa co-fund workshops and
  seminars, etc.

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Examples of requests funded by CePRC

• e-government expert to Tanzania and Kenya (Sept.
  2004)
• two experts to workshop on Women in ICTs
  (Tanzania - Oct. 2004)
• COMESA workshop, led by ECA (fall 2004)
• Other projects under review with ECA
• ICT4D Parliamentarians Network
• Ghana re ICT for Accelerated Development
  (ICT4AD) Policy
• Kenya re e-government
• Lesotho re development of ICT legal framework
• Uganda re ICT health policy
• other requests from Morocco, Burkina Fasso, etc.

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ePol-NET Africa (ECA)

• Hosted by ECA, ePol-NET Africa is the regional
  node to ePol-NET www.epolafrica.org
• ePol-NET Africa receives and channels demand from
  African governments and agencies
• Liaises with Canada and other core partners of
  ePol-NET, many of whom are members of PICTA
• Supplies own expertise and resources, jointly
  with national and sub-regional centres of
  expertise, e.g. CODI, ATAC, African Stakeholders
  Network (ASN) of UN ICT Task Force, etc.

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ePol-NET is open for business

• ePol-NETs success depends on the use you will
  make of it!
• For additional information
• ePol-NET Africa www.epolafrica.org
• Global Secretariat www.epol-net.org
• CePRC www.ceprc.ca
• Thank you!