African ICT Roadmap to Achieve NEPAD Objectives Arusha, Tanzania, 1-3 April 2003

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African ICT Roadmap to Achieve NEPAD
ObjectivesArusha, Tanzania, 1-3 April 2003
Roles of Government and ATU in the
Implementation of NEPAD ICT objectives A
Presentation by Mrs. Namahoua Bamba Development
Research and Programme Coordinator African
Telecommunications Union (ATU) E-mail
n.bamba_at_atu-uat.org Website www.atu-uat.org 2
nd April 2003
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Purpose

• NEPAD ICT Objectives
• Role of Governments
• Role of ATU
• Challenges facing ATU

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NEPAD ICT Objectives

• Develop ICT infrastructure
• Improve access, affordability and reliability
• Enhance regional cooperation and trade
• Develop local content

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Role of African Governments (1/2)

• Create the enabling economic environment to
  attract partners, particularly private sector
  (peace, security, governance, transparency, ...).
• Establish opportunities for and facilitate
  education and training for creating and using ICT
  capacities.
• Champion ICT use through promoting e-Government
  services at the national and local levels.
• Establish appropriate legal and regulatory
  frameworks that encourage more open competition
  and universal access for disadvantaged groups and
  areas.

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Role of African Governments (2/2)

• Facilitate and strengthen mechanisms for
  interaction between government, consumers and
  citizens and create opportunities to enhance
  civil society groups in the development of an
  information society.
• Encourage domestic investment in the ICT industry
  and in ICT applications by domestic small
  businesses through appropriate incentive schemes.
• Provide political commitment to put in place
  monitoring, peer review mechanisms.

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Role of ATU (1/3)

• ATU was established on 7th December 1999 as a
  partnership between public and private
  stakeholders in the ICT sector in addition to its
  continuing policy and regulatory harmonization
  role as an intergovernmental organization. Its
  precursor is PATU, established in 1977 as a
  specialized agency of OAU.
• Mission promote the rapid development of ICT in
  Africa in order to achieve universal access and
  full inter-country connectivity.
• Vision an Africa that is empowered as a full and
  active participant in the Global Information and
  Knowledge society.
• Structures
• Conference of Plenipotentiaries.
• Ministerial Oversight Committee.
• Technical and Development Conference.
• Administrative Council.
• Le Secretariat General.
• African Connection Centre for Strategic Planning.

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Role of ATU (2/3)

• ATUs important role recognized in NEPAD as an
  implementation agency of NEPAD ICT objectives.
• ATU is member of the e-Africa Commission.
• NEPAD ICT Task Team responsible for developing
  the NEPAD ICT programme and implementing its
  projects.
• NEPADs instrument for collaboration in ICT
  matters with other bodies in Africa and abroad.
• Serves as the principal advisory body to NEPAD
  Heads of State and Government Implementation
  Committee (HSIC) on ICT matters.
• Responsible to develop NEPAD ICT strategy and
  action plan.

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Role of ATU (3/3)

• Promote NEPAD ICT strategy.
• Facilitate the efficient participation of Africa
  in global ICT decision-making.
• Promote regional integration by fostering the
  harmonization of the regulatory framework and
  environment across the sub-regions.
• Promote infrastructure investment for increase
  access to ICT services.
• Undertake capacity building programmes (treaty
  making, standard setting, policy formulation,
  regional integration and investment promotion.

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Challenges of ATU

• Strengthen the institutional base position with
  regard to the newly create African Union.
• Strengthen the financial base ability to be a
  sustainable organization.