"Participation Builds Unity"
"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA"
"Participation Builds Unity"
"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA"
PRESENTS
KEY NEPAD ICT PRIORITIES IN 2004
USA-SA Business Spotlight
EXCLUSIVE
07 January 2004
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KEY NEPAD ICT PRIORITIES IN 2004
A top priority of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2004 will to begin extending the broadband fibre-optic cable system that links South Africa (SA) with Europe and the Far East. The cable will be extended along the East coast of Africa and connect all landlocked countries.
Lynette Chen, chairperson of the NEPAD Information Communications Technology (ICT) Sector Group, told EXCLUSIVE earlier this week that it was vital that all African countries are connected to the rest of the world via a broadband fibre-optic cable system, such as SAT3/WASC/SAFE that already links SA with Europe and the Far East.
Numerous ICT projects for Africa are already told underway. Ms Chen, also Government and Public Affairs Manager for Hewlett Packard South Africa, said that during 2003 governments, the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) and interest groups have been hard at work pooling ideas on how best to employ ICT throughout the continent and formulate policies that take into account the uniqueness of each specific country.
She describes that as a mammoth task, but one which has the potential to deliver critically-needed services and assist countries that were long thought to harbour little economic potential. The e-Africa Commission, established in 2001 was recognition of the importance of the ICT sector as a priority area aimed at defining the continent’s efforts to accelerate Africa’s economic development and growth through the use and implementation of technology.
Important results are expected to flow from a recent decision to consolidate important work, which has to date been undertaken in relative isolation by various parties involved in the e-Africa initiative.
The collaborative initiative seeks to combine the experience of the various NEPAD task teams in assisting the e-Africa Commission in its drive to develop policies, strategies and projects at the continental level as well as managing the structural development of the ICT sector in the context of NEPAD.
Key projects were identified in July last year as being the most pressing: NEPAD e-Schools, infrastructure and e-Policies and strategies.
A NEPAD e-Schools core committee has been established which is currently investigating the best possible methods for implementing the e-Schools flagship project. The project aims to equip all high schools in fifteen identified countries with computers and internet access within five years. The second phase of the project is to have all primary schools equipped within ten years. In parallel with the implementation extensive educator training programmes will be run.
Overall, NEPAD leaders are at present developing an industrial policy framework to guide and support African countries.
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