How ICT is creating Africa’s quantum leap Leon Strous IFIP

1. How ICT iscreatingAfrica’s quantum leap Leon Strous IFIP Computer Society of Zimbabwe, Summerschool 2013 ifip

2. Your speaker ifip

3. the International Federation for Information Processing

4. A federation of IT societies • 50+ countries • Incl • 800.000+ membersin IFIP’smembersocieties • 13 TechnicalCommittees • 100+ workinggroups • 3000+ volunteers • 80+ eventsannually • 60+ publications annually ifip

5. IFIP provides a global platform to: • Advance information and communication technologies (ICT) • Advance the responsible application of ICT • Advance the role, position and effectiveness of professional ICT societies • Advance professionalism in ICT • Advance digital equity ifip

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7. How ICT iscreating Africa’squantum leap ifip

8. Thankyou Google and Wikipedia Or not? ifip

9. Quantum physics / mechanics • Quantum computing • Quantum city / town • Quantum energy wellness / biofeedback • etc • Quantum leap ifip

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11. quantumleap • quantumleap: An abrupt change or step, especially in method, information, or knowledge (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) • quantumleap: A suddenhighly significant advance; breakthrough[fromitsuse in physicsmeaning the suddenjump of anelectron, atom, etc. fromone energy level toanother] • (Collins English Dictionary – Complete andUnabridged) ifip

12. Inaugural ICT Indaba, 4-7 June2012Cape Town, SA AfricanICT MinisterialDeclaration In supporting the outcomes of the ICT INDABA 2012, underpinning the 2020 goals we committo: 2. Set Africa on a quantumleapgrowth curve byenhancing GDP growththroughlessonslearntandapplyinginnovationwithin the African context; ifip

13. How ICT iscreatingAfrica’s quantum leap • Reaching out tocommunities • Providingeconomicopportunities • Eliminating / decreasingsocialandgeographicalboundaries • ….. ifip

14. Examplesfrom WITFOR 2007 • Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECEX), International Food Policy Research Institute, Ethiopia • Using ICTs for Managing Genebanks: Experience of SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre, SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre, Zambia ifip

15. Examplesfrom WITFOR 2007 • The e-Agricultural Initiative: a Community of Expertise for Sharing Innovative Experiences,FAO Regional Office for Africa, Ghana • The Pan African e-Network project, Ambassador of India in Ethiopia ifip

16. Examplesfrom WITFOR 2007 • The BorgouNET Project, BorgouNETNGO, Benin • The use of ICT for increasing access to and improving quality in higher education in Africa, IAU / UNESCO, Africa Committee of the UNESCO Forum on Higher Education, Research and Knowledge, Mauritius ifip

17. Examplesfrom WITFOR 2007 • Village ICT Project at Lugoba in Tanzania, Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Tanzania • Opportunities and Challenges of ICT for Youth Development in Ghana for the Ghana ICT4AD Policy, Youth Development Foundation (YDF), Ghana ifip

18. Examplesfrom WITFOR 2007 • Knowledge Transfer Beyond Boundaries (NABU) - Cameroon Project: Empowering rural communities to use ICT in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Cameroon • Best practices in Community Media Centres, Microsoft Public Sector Group, South Africa ifip

19. Cooperation Why the list of examples? To show it is a multistakeholder effort Africanproverb: Ifyou want to go fast go alone Ifyou want to go far go together ifip

20. Cooperation Who(type of organizations) • Government • Industry • Academia • UN – IGO’s – NGO’s • Societies of professionals ifip

21. Cooperation Who(functions / roles) • Politicians • Policy makers • Regulators • Developers of standards • Developers of productsand systems • Researchers • Practitioners (professionals and users) ifip

22. IFIP WITFOR Goals: • To share and discuss experiences in drafting and implementing ICT policies; • To share and discuss experiences in initiating and implementing ICT projects; • To present and discuss research concerning the overall goal ifip

23. IFIP WITFOR The concept of WITFOR is to bring together politicians, policymakers, researchers and practitioners from developed, emerging and developing countries with the aim of discussing together ICT policies and practical experiences. ifip

24. IFIP WITFOR Focussed on areas / topics: • Agriculture • Building the infrastructure • Economic opportunity • Education ifip

25. IFIP WITFOR Focussed on areas / topics: • E-government • Environment • Health • Social, ethicalandlegalaspects ifip

26. IFIP WITFOR Link with Summerschool themes • Education • (Use of) new technology • Professionalism ifip

27. IFIP WITFOR Approach succesfulbecause: • Host country involved on highestgovernment level • Participation as intended mix of high level policy makers (up to ministers), researchersandpractitioners • Mix of stakeholders as presentedearlier ifip

28. IFIP WITFOR Approach succesfulbecause: • Willingnesstonotonly talk high level and UN declarationstyle but toalso talk aboutimplementationandpractice ifip

29. Challenges: • Follow up on policiesandprojects • Adaptexamplesforownsituation • Finding partners • Lack of policiesand / or regulation • Lack of harmonization of policies / regulation ifip

30. But there is hope: • Involvement in UNESCO and ITU events, incl WSIS follow up shows the same trend / direction as the WITFOR approach • Increasingwillingnesstocooperate • Needfor public – private partnerships is clear ifip

31. Personal view / appeal Keep renewingand updating goodintentionsandcommitments in the form of declarationsand statements BUT ALSO MAKE SURE TO Transform these goodintentionsandcommitmentsinto practical, manageableimplementations ifip

32. Personal view / appeal AND • Keep learningfromeachother, fromsuccessesandfromfailures • Don’t re-invent the wheeltoooften • Don’t let prestige and single-sidedinterestsprevailaboveeffectivenessand common interests ifip

33. Thankyou ifip