PROMOTING ICT INDUSTRIALIZATION IN AFRICA

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PROMOTING ICT INDUSTRIALIZATION IN AFRICA
African Regional Preparatory Conference for the
WSIS Pre-Conference Activities
Nurturing Research and Development in The
Information Society Accra, 30 January 2005

• Presented by Constantino Sotomane on behalf of
• Prof. Dr. Eng. Venancio Massingue
• Vice Rector
• Eduardo Mondlane University
• Mozambique
• E-mail Venancio.massingue_at_uem.mz

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Content

• Introduction
• Maputo meeting
• Why is Africa failing to embark on ICT
  Industrialization
• How to address the problem
• Strategy for ICT Industrialization
• Key Projects
• On going project in Mozambique

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Introduction

• In the June, 2004 meeting, ARN establishment of
  four thematic research networks based on the
  following topics
• Creating enabling environment
• African languages and content development in the
  cyberspace
• Information Society Indicators
• Industrialisation of ICTs in Africa
• In that meeting the ARN agreed to look at the
  topics in more detail and make proposals on
  identifying the key priority research areas,
  which can be considered by the network and ARN
  functions in the context of implementing the WSIS
  Action Plan
• Mozambique was appointed to lead the ARN topic
  on ICT industrialization in Africa.

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Introduction

• As follow up of the ARN meeting, it was
  organized a face-to-face meeting in Maputo, were
  was discussed how to operationalize this thematic
  (the ICT Industrialization).
• The team that was composed by researchers from
  Mozambique, Tanzania and Ethiopia come up with
  short-,medium- and long-term action plan.

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Maputo Meeting On ICT Industrialization

• Based on the outputs of the Maputo meeting a
  working document with the following objectives
  was prepared
• Provide guidelines about how growth and
  development in developing countries in particular
  African countries can benefit from the ICT
  industrialization
• Establish a strategy and practical ideas for ICT
  industrialization for Development in Africa
• Establish the role of academia and government in
  the Industrialization of ICT and the acceleration
  of the economic development
• Provide guidelines on how the innovative
  partnership between Academia, Industry and
  Government can contribute to the African ICT
  Industrialization

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Why is Africa Failing to Embark on ICT
Industrialization

• The Africans are concerned to catch up the
  Europeans and the Americans in their development
  on ICT. Weak strategies to develop ICT products
  and services that interest Africans and others
  continents.
• Most academians became repetitive and less
  innovative. Week strategies to develop teaching
  and learning techniques based on applied research
  to solve practical problems, to create in the
  student the spirit of innovation and
  entrepreneurship.
• African governments have a lot of priorities and
  challenges (eradication of poverty, endemic
  diseases). Less space to join the academians and
  researchers in their effort to become active
  actors in ICT and embark in policies that create
  environment for ICT Industrialization.
• Most of African entrepreneurs act as
  surviving-entrepreneurs. Week strategy for
  becoming active generator of wealth.

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How to Address this Problem

• One attempt to address this problems is to build
  a model under which a join effort by
  Government/Industry/academia produces knowledge
  and skills to solve these problems and generate
  wealth.
• Cooperation between African countries in order to
  join efforts (exchange experiences, know-how,
  best practices etc.)

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Strategies for ICT Industrialization in Africa

• Development of skills and knowledge that will
  lead to the ICT industrialization.
• The academia must provide the intellectual
  leadership to ensure the innovative development
  of ICT solutions and applications to solve
  specific African problems by promoting
• Research and Development Centers of excellence in
  ICT,
• Business and Technology Incubators Centers,
• Technology parks initiatives
• Development of high skilled human resources in
  ICT
• Public-Private-Partnerships to enable the sharing
  of limited resources and the formation of joint
  ventures, open competition in ICT industry a
  strong cooperation between academics and the
  industry

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Key Project Areas

• The ARN-ICT industrialization meeting identified
  6 major areas of research/action in ICT
  industrialization
• Human Capacity building
• Technology and Business Incubation
• Software development
• Hardware development (we need to Identify areas
  where the cost of production in Africa are less
  expensive like assembly of PCs, integrate
  circuit design)
• Research and Development
• Knowledge Generation

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Proposals of ICT for Industrialization Projects

• Based on this action plan the following project
  are proposed

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Research, Development and Coordination Unit for
ICT Industrialization

• Goal to create a management structure to
  coordinate all ICT industrialization activities
  for ECA. The unit will be based at MICTI and
  managed in coordination with ECA. This unit will
  have the following duties
• provide leadership, coordination and
  administrative support to the ICT
  industrialization in Africa
• support, assist and conduct research studies
  regarding the ICT industrialization
• support and assist the monitoring and evaluation
  activities of ECA related to the progress on the
  ICT Industrialization and
• disseminate results of ICT industrialization
  research studies, achievements and best practices

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Research, Development and Coordination Unit for
ICT Industrialization

• Working model for developing this project
• Development of the implementation plan that must
  include the fundraising and partnership
  development
• Design of terms of reference and establishment of
  an advisory committee
• Design of terms of reference and establishment of
  a secretariat/coordination unit
• Start some coordination activities

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Business and Technology Incubator

• A business incubator provides a nurturing
  environment where businesses can develop and
  grow. According to some studies the overall
  success rate for businesses that begin in an
  incubator is 80 percent.
• It is proposed to develop in several African
  countries Business and technology Incubators with
  the objective to assist small and medium sized
  ICT businesses, through the provision of high
  quality facilities and services, to develop into
  successful and economically viable entities that
  will contribute to the economic and employment
  growth of African Countries

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Business and Technology Incubator

• Recommendations for developing this project
• Establishment of multi sectoral stakeholders to
  develop a feasibility study and a business plan
  for the implementation of a sustainable business
  incubation model.
• Design the implementation plan that must include
  the fund rising and partnership development
  strategy
• Pilot the business incubator

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Assessment to identify ICT Industrialization
areas where Africa has a potential to be
successful, and the requirement to embark on the
ICT Industrialization in Africa.

• The purpose of this project is to identify needs,
  potential successful area and recommend solutions
  and strategies for the ICT industrialization in
  Africa. This study will help to identify
• The market and opportunities
• Available and needed resources
• What specific problem need to be solved
• The cost and propose budget
• Multi-sector stakeholders from academia,
  research, industry, private sector and the
  government will be involved.
• The expected output of this project will be a
  good strategy for ICT industrialization and a
  list of innovative projects that can help to
  solve African problems and conduct African
  courtiers to the ICT industrialization.

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Assessment to identify ICT Industrialization
areas where Africa has a potential to be
successful, and the requirement to embark on the
ICT industrialization in Africa.

• Strategy/Methodology for the development of this
  project
• Establishment of a multi-sectoral and regional
  team to conduct a survey and propose a global
  strategy and several project documents related to
  the ICT industrialization in Africa
• Organize several regional meetings to discuss
  the ICT industrialization implementation strategy
• Design the implementation plan that includes fund
  raising and partnership development strategy
• Pilot some projects in several countries

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Establish a Innovative ICT Training Centre

• This project will serve to help African countries
  to bridge the digital divide, by providing an
  effective training program on crucial ICT skills.
  A good training program can produce future
  tenants for the incubator and ICT innovators and
  researchers.

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Establish a Innovative ICT Training Centre

• Strategy/Methodology for project development
• Establishment of a multi-sector and regional team
  (composed with academic and Industry) to propose
  any innovative curriculum for ICT training and
  relevant research programs on the area that
  African are facing problems like malaria,
  HIV/AIDS, etc.
• Design the implementation plan that must include
  the fundraising and partnership development
  strategy. The curriculum must be implemented in
  order to allow inclusion of several groups of
  people University students, high school
  students, communities and specially youth without
  resources to enter in universities.
• Establish a several pilot projects in the region
  and in the countries.

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On-going Projects in Mozambique Related to ICT
Industrialization
Mozambique is developing the MICTI composed by 3
components
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Thank you for attention

• Prof. Dr. Eng. Venancio Massingue
• Vice Rector
• Eduardo Mondlane University
• Mozambique
• E-mail Venancio.massingue_at_uem.mz