ifap special event: information and knowledge for all, emerging trends and challenges by eng. george...

IFAP Special Event: Information and Knowledge for All, Emerging Trends and Challenges


ByEng. George Mulamula

UNESCO IFAP Special Event, Paris, 27th February 2013

INFORMATION THROUGH ICTS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICACOMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RWANDA & TANZANIA



• INTRODUCTION• ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

FRAMEWORK (Rwanda & Tanzania)• INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK TO SUSTAIN

ICT POLICY ROLL-OUT (Rwanda & Tanzania)• CHALLENGES (Rwanda & Tanzania)• CONCLUSION

PRESENTATION



Policy makers beginning to understand:• ICT is a tool and an enabler• This presentation - comparative ICT policy

formulation analysis of experiences in both Rwanda and Tanzania

INTRODUCTION



• Rwanda located a few degrees south of the Equator bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, densely populated

• 1994 civil war and genocide decimated the country

• Biggest challenge - reconcile the people of Rwanda, build unity and grow the economy

• Developed Vision 2020

INTRODUCTION…



• Tanzania is bordered by Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and the Indian Ocean along the eastern coast, twice the size of Rwanda

• Biggest challenge - reducing poverty & grow the econmoy

• Developed Vision 2025

INTRODUCTION



• Team of experts in project planning, software and hardware, telecommunications, and economist.

• Involved all stakeholders, had strategic implementation plans, and associated costs

• NICI 1st Phase: (2001 – 2005) - period for advocacy on computer usage and benefits.

• Top down approach (e.g. computer literacy, laptop dissemination, cabinet usage)

• Result - greater efficiency, catalyst for better governance

RWANDA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK



• NICI 2nd Phase (2006-2010) - centered on strengthening this new economic base

• Emphasis - development of key ICT infrastructure and provision of certain services (e.g. backbone, wibro, e-soko, eGov, video-conferencing, ICDL)

• Result - faster exchange of information, savings on time, money and resource wastage reduction

RWANDA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK…



• NICI 3rd Phase (2011-2015) - seeks to sustain the development and compete in the global market for information-based services and products

• Emphasis - ICT skills development, private sector development, ICT for community development, e-Government and cyber security

• NICI 4th Phase (2016-2020) - will build on previous phases to implement new processes that can bring Rwanda to be a knowledgeable society and have a middle-income status & achieve Vision 2020

RWANDA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK…



• Used ICT experts only in eThink-Tank and a ICT local Consultant.

• Created a National ICT Organisation (“NICTO”) as a Forum and focal point, on a public – private partnership.

• Objective – improve efficiency and productivity, contribute to the reduction of poverty, improve the quality of life of Tanzanians

• Result - National Information Communication Technology Policy (NICTP) playing a facilitative role within the production sector

TANZANIA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK



• 2003 - Ministry of Communication & Transport got the NICTP approved by cabinet and parliament

• Next phase - sector by sector development of an integrated implementation strategy

• This phase never materialized mainly due to lack of strategic implementation plans and no coordinated activities and ownership for M&E

• Result - ICT activities done in a “silo” manner by NGOs, public and private sector (e.g., mHealth, eAgriculture)

TANZANIA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK…



Way forward: • Review of ICT Policy with technical assistance of UN

ECA and support from the Government of Finland• Learning from best practices, the MCST will have a

team of ICT experts & sector experts to write up the policy and implementation plan

• Stakeholder involvement - their plans incorporated in the strategic implementation plan

TANZANIA’S ICT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK…



• GoR set up the National Information Technology Commission (NITC) and the Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA), now part of RDB

• NITC membership – key Cabinet Ministers, private & public sector, led by the President

• Responsibilities of NITC:– coordinating the development of Rwanda's ICT Policy,

Strategies and Plans & supervise RITA– RITA Agency to do M&E with milestones & KPIs.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK TO SUSTAIN ICT POLICY ROLL-OUT



• In 2003, GoT established the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) as the statutory regulatory body responsible for regulating the communications and broadcasting sectors in Tanzania

• TCRA developed the Telecommunications Bill, touches on ICT, but vacuum in the ICT policy implementation sector

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK TO SUSTAIN ICT POLICY ROLL-OUT…



• In 2011, the GoT through the Commission for Science & Technology (COSTECH) created an ICT Incubation Centre called Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) on a PPP basis that supports ICT Start-ups & SMEs. Objective – with ICT information to:– develop open data portal of information and through ICT to

improve G2C, G2B and B2C services by creating citizen-centric applications (mobile & web) with feedback

– assist entrepreneurs & innovators develop bankable ideas and enterprises to be job creators

– assist in skills development and capacity building– overcome the “valley of death” syndrome




• In 2012, MCST got Parliament approval to set up a National ICT Board (NICTB) that will:– coordinate all ICT activities in the country– monitor and evaluate ICT initiatives – provide strategic guidance for effective ICT




• Capacity and skills gaps -private sector and Government

• The mountainous terrain makes ICT infrastructure roll out difficult

• Funding• Stimulating private sector entrepreneurship

RWANDA CHALLENGES



• “Will” to change and implement (system & national good)

• Spurring innovation & commercializing R&D results

• Funding• Competition for resources among

ministries, departments and agencies

TANZANIA CHALLENGES…



• Rwanda - implementing programmes in a smaller country makes it easier, but “weighed” down by the high population density and mountainous terrain.

• Tanzania – with “silo” mentality, to have complementary synergy will require perseverance to stay the course

CONCLUSION



• Correct ICT policies and strategies that are citizen-centric with feedback mechanisms

• Leadership and vision – crucial in attaining the socio-economic goals of developing our countries

• Commend UNESCO for its role in Harnessing Information Technology for Development in Africa

CONCLUSION…

20

Eng. G

eorge Mulam

ula - C

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ifap special event: information and knowledge for all, emerging trends and challenges by eng. george...

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