Sub-regional Workshop on ICT Indicators Developing Indicators in Africa: The Scan – ICT Project

1. Sub-regional Workshop on ICT Indicators Developing Indicators in Africa: The Scan – ICT Project 26-29 October 2004 Gaborone, Botswana ECA

2. Topics • Background • Scan-ICT countries • Scan-ICT selection criteria • Scan-ICT Project/objectives • Methodology • Major findings • Recommendations • Lessons learnt • Scan-ICT Phase II

3. Background • Africa still lags behind in the global transition to an Information Society – e.g. - lowest rate of internet users and fixed lines • Lack of basic information on key ICT & related social indicators, ICT related activities & the impact of ICT policy decisions & plans • To overcome this gap in information & technology (for utilisation in the promotion of social & economic growth), an action framework to build Africa’s Information & communication infrastructure was launched - AISI

4. What is AISI? • The African Information Society Initiative (AISI) was launched in 1996 by the African Ministers in charge of planning and economic and social development • Adopted by the 1996 OAU Summit • It is a vision for ICT development in Africa • It is a cooperation framework for partners to support ICT development in Africa (PICTA members) • It also focuses on analysing and evaluating ICT’s and content trends in Africa – Scan-ICT

5. What is Scan-ICT? • Multi-partnership initiative (Nov 2000) for building the capacity to define, collect & manage key information needed to support ICT investment & transition of Africa to an Information society. • It monitors the penetration, impact & effectiveness of ICT applications across Africa. • The goal is to create a pan-Africa ICT network that would collect, analyse and disseminate ICT related knowledge.

6. Scan-ICT project objectives • Determine ICT status & collect, disseminate ICT-related information in Africa • Develop & continuously monitor ICT activity & progress indicators for investment • Develop a benchmarking strategy to improve ICT performance in Africa • Promote effective use of existing national capacity & promote public awareness on the importance of ICT’s for development

7. Scan-ICT Countries & Partners • Ethiopia • Ghana • Morocco • Mozambique • Senegal • Uganda • ECA • IDRC • NORAD • EU

8. Scan-ICT Countries • Selection criteria: • Country request for study • In-country capacity to undertake a Scan-ICT study • Possibility of leading to reform of the ICT sector • Scan-ICT partner preferences • Geographic/linguistic/cultural balance in Africa (English, Arabic, French & Portuguese speaking countries)

9. Scan-ICT Project activities • Setting up of institutional structures & organisational mechanisms for collection of indicators using a harmonised methodology • Data collection areas: (minimal) • Infrastructure • Sectoral applications (education, health public administration, private sector) • Information economy

10. Methodology 1/3 • Scan-ICT methodology indicators: • Infrastructure • Strategic planning • Capacity development • Sectoral applications • E-governance • Information society • Information economy

11. Methodology 2/3 • Quantitative and qualitative approaches used in generating data from: • Primary sources – data collected by national networks through interviews & questionnaires; • Secondary sources - documents from official, private & international sources • Data collection & analysis through extensive national consultations.

12. Methodology 3/3 • Model of Scan-ICT framework

13. Major findings 1/2 • ICT penetration greater in educational & public administration facilities than in health institutions • Widely spread individuals using ICT’s due to lack of knowledge • Shortage of qualified staff critical in all sectors – low proportion of ICT experts • Computers widely used as traditional office tools • Low % of institutions with web sites

14. Major findings 2/2 • Although there is a demand for skilled ICT personnel, training institutions are concentrated in the urban areas • Acute shortage of ICT professionals in rural or semi-urban areas • On-the–job training opportunities remain very low across all sectors • Lack of coordination in ICT training

15. Recommendations 1/4 • Recommendations can be divided into 3 categories: • Policy issues • Human resource development • Infrastructure

16. Recommendations 2/4 • Creation of an enabling policy environment for ICT4D by: • Strengthening regulatory frameworks • Instituting policy reforms in the telecommunications sector • Instituting measures not only to reduce tax & duty on computers & accessories, but on Internet connections & access charges

17. Recommendations 3/4 • Encourage enterprise development & private sector investment by increasing credit facility availability & venture capital creation • Implementation of innovative poverty reduction programmes which empower citizens & increase access • Preparation & implementation of ICT4D master plans (NICI) addressing current & future needs • Prioritising small ICT projects with considerable & immediate development impact e.g. telecentres

18. Recommendations 4/4 • Designing & launching ICT training programmes at all levels – awareness creation on ICT issues. Standardisation of training courses • Encouraging & supporting the private sector engaged in R&D/software development • Infrastructure expansion & increase in ICT access points in order to bridge the urban-rural infrastructure gap

19. Recommendations from the SCAN-ICT Review Workshop (17–18 February 2004) • There is need to extend the second phase of the project with inclusion of more countries • National Statistics Offices should be included in the next phase of SCAN ICT practitioners and statisticians reflected on the first phase of the Scan-ICT project as follows:

20. Lessons Learnt • The methodological framework developed served the intended purpose – research can be rolled out to more countries by linking existing methodology with the MDGs • Linkage with various ICT initiatives is needed to sustain the Scan-ICT process and increase its responsiveness to strategic planning and ICT investments • It is crucial to continuously monitor and capture data to facilitate informed decisions

21. Launch of SCAN-ICT Phase II

22. List of potential Countries New SCAN countries Continuation from Phase 1 • Botswana • Gambia • Mauritius • Niger • Nigeria • Rwanda • Sudan • Tanzania • Tunisia • Ethiopia • Ghana • Morocco • Mozambique • Senegal • Uganda The Republic of Finland will be the major Funding Partner. What about ITU?

23. Expected Outcomes • Linkage with various ICT initiatives such as national e-strategies, harnessing ICTs for decentralization of public administration, e-governance projects, etc. • Gender desegregation of indicators and Focus on women & ICTs • Inclusion of studies on sectoral applications in all countries: • Education • Agriculture • Health • Public Administration • e-Commerce

24. Access to Country Reports • All: http://www.uneca.org/aisi/scanict • Ethiopia: http://network.idrc.ca/ev.php • Ghana:http://network.idrc.ca/ev.php • Morrocco:http//www.scanict.org • Mozambique:http://www.scanict.uem.mz • Senegal:http://www.osiris.sn • Uganda:http://network.idrc.ca/ev.php

25. ….. Thank You merci