The African Information Society Initiative AISI

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Parliament of Uganda Workshop Entebbe, 15-16
June 2007
The African Information Society Initiative (AISI)
Thierry H. AMOUSSOUGBORegional Adviser, ISTD/ECA
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What is the AISI ?
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African Information Society
Initiative
first regional framework for ICT development
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Background

• What is AISI?
• a vision for ICT development in Africa
• an implementation process, with evaluation of
  results impact (Policy)
• series of sector applications defined according
  to Africas priorities (InfoKnowledge)
• a tool where synergies are created through open
  partnerships

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AISI was

• launched in 1996 by the African Ministers in
  charge of planning and economic development
• endorsed by the African Regional
  Telecommunications for Development Conference
  held in Abidjan in 1996
• endorsed by the 1996 OAU Summit
• welcomed during the G71 Denver Summit in 1997

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Focus Areas
OutreachCommunication
E-Strategies
AISI
Info KnowledgeDevelopment
Partnership Networking
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AISI Focus Areas I

• Policy assisting countries to develop national
  e-strategies and raise awareness among policy
  makers on issues related to ICT4D regional,
  national, sectoral, and village e-Strategies

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E-Strategies
AISI

• Regional Information and Communication
  Infrastructure (RICI)
• National Information and Communication
  Infrastructure (NICI)
• Sectoral Information and Communication
  Infrastructure (SICI)
• Village Information and Communication
  Infrastructure (VICI)

RICI
NICI
SCAN-ICT
SCAN-ICT
SICI
VICI
ACSIS INVOLVMENT
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The NICI Iterative Cycle
Determine the National Development Priorities
Development of the Policy Framework
NICI Programme Identification Selection
Developing next NICI Plan
NICI Programme Profile Development
NICI Programme Monitoring Evaluation
Resource Mobilization
NICI Programme Implementation
Resource Deployment
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Sectoral strategies
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E-Strategies NICI Example

• To Leverage the benefits of ICT for a
  people-centered, free market based and
  export-oriented socio-economic development.

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7- 13
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Regional - Strategies RICI

• Promote framework for the development of ICT
  infrastructure, bandwidth cost sharing
• Promote open standards, interconnectivity through
  backbone
• Building a critical mass to facilitate regional
  integration through ICTs
• Enable economy of scale, research, mobilizing
  collective voice
• Strengthen RECs and Regional Associations
• Development of sub-regional ICT initiatives

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Cooperation with RECs
UMA e-commerce
ECOWAS and UEMOA - ICT Policy Harmonisation -
Legal Framework for e-commerce
COMESA ICT Policy

• EAC
• e-government
• - Security for e-Gov

CEMAC and EEAC - e-CEMAC 2010 validation -
Telecommunication Regulation
TRASA/SADC Regulation Implementation
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AISI Focus Areas II

• Information and knowledge building capacity of
  member States to develop and use information for
  development - ITCA (web portals, databases,
  training, exhibition), VarsityNet, SchoolNet,
  OOSYNET

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AISI Focus Areas III

• Outreach activities information dissemination
  on ICT4D activities involvement of Womens
  groups/CSOs, Media, Academia, MPs, etc

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AISI Focus Areas IV

• Partnership and networking promote national
  stakeholders network and partnerships and joint
  ICT programs with development and funding
  agencies working in Africa and voicing Africas
  position in global fora like WSIS

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Outreach

• Websites AISI, NICI, PICTA, ePol-NET Africa,
  etc.

http//www.uneca.org/aisi http//www.uneca.org/ai
si/nici http//www.uneca.org/aisi/picta http//ww
w.epolafrica.org
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Outreach

• AISI Constituencies

• CSOsECA/APC workshop, capacity building/adv.

AcademiaECA/Ford Retreat, VarsityNet, ARN
Parliamentarians Ethiopian MPs, training,
sub-regional networks
MediaBamako 2nd Forum, AISI Media Awards,
ICT reporting survey, ICT training module
Private Sector Bamako Forum, UN ICT Task Force
PS national forum

• Youth Network, OosyNet, ADF V

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Measuring and Benchmarking the Information
Society
SCAN-ICT Core List of Indicators
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• SCAN ICT aims to
• build African capability to collect and manage
  key information needed to support the growing
  investment in ICTs as well as the transition of
  Africa to an information society
• Collect ICT indicators to measure the penetration
  of the information society in African countries
• to create a pan-African ICT network and
  observatory
• Partnership for Measuring the Information Society
  Adoption of 42 core list of Indicators

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Main Challenges

• Infrastructure still limited in rural Africa
• Investments Governments need to do more and
  budget allocations should factor ICTs in rural
  development concerns
• Policies should be implemented more vigorously
  to ensure rural and community access
  (legal/institutional/regulatory frameworks)
• Integration of ICTs in sectors that support rural
  development agriculture, forestry, etc
• Private Sector involvement still limited
  incentives needed Supporting RD more support
  needed for innovation and appls
• Building e-rural economy using ICTs to open up
  the rural economy and introduce new wealth
  creation opportunities especially for women and
  youth
• Stronger lobby on ICT and Rural development
  issues
• More applications/local content use of local
  languages

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Lessons Learned

• High Level Political Commitment Champions in
  Government - Rwanda/Ghana
• Broad participatory approach
• Strong linkage between NICI - MDG and PRSP and
  other Development Agendas
• Integration of Gender dimension
• Capacity Building as a priority
• Importance of Regional Harmonization
• Sustainability of ICT4D Activities
• Necessity of evaluation and monitoring mechanisms

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Conclusion

• Adoption and implementation of AISI has benefited
  all ICT4D programmes
• The NICI concept is so popular that it has become
  a worldwide trademark for e-strategy development.
  ECA is overwhelmed by requests from member States
  and partners wanting to associate with the AISI
  process
• AISI was the foundation of Africas participation
  in the WSIS process from Bamako to Accra leading
  to the publication of the African Regional Action
  Plan on the Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE)

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The Way Forward

• There is need to continue ongoing sensitization
  of policy/decision makers and stakeholders on
  ICT4D issues to secure high level commitments and
  sustainable implementation of NICI Plans
• There is need to ensure that ICT4D is
  mainstreamed across all sectors such as health,
  trade, commerce, agriculture etc, to contribute
  to the achievement of the MDGs and in support to
  the PRSPs and various socio-economic development
  agenda of the countries

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Thank You !
http//www.uneca.org/aisi/
aisi_at_uneca.org