ICT Policies In East Africa Comparative Analysis

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Comparative Analysis Comparative Analysis ofof

ICT Policies & e-Strategies in ICT Policies & e-Strategies in East AfricaEast Africa

Alain Nkoyock,

Addis Ababa, 1st October 2005

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Incomes per Country & ICT PolicyIncomes per Country & ICT Policy

• Lower Middle Income countries:$736 < per capita GNI < $2.935 - Comoros, Djibouti, Rwanda: ICT Policy finalizedICT Policy finalized- Kenya, Uganda: ICT Policy: OngoingOngoing- Eritrea, Madagascar: ICT Policy not yet startedICT Policy not yet started

• Low Income countries:- Burundi, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Tanzania: finalizedfinalized- DR Congo: OngoingOngoing - Somalia: not yet started

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NICI Plans in East Africa, 2005

1. Burundi: 2. DR Congo: 3. Comoros:4. Djibouti:5. Eritrea: 6. Ethiopia: 7. Kenya:8. Madagascar:9. Rwanda: 10.Seychelles:11.Somalia:12.Tanzania:13.Uganda:

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LOWER MIDDLE INCOME LOWER MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES

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Incomes per Country & ICT PenetrationIncomes per Country & ICT Penetration

Population(millions)

GNIPer

Capita GNIFixed LinePenetration

Mobile Penetration

Internet Penetration

ComorosComoros 0.59 $ $1.640

DjiboutiDjibouti 0.66 $ $2.070 0.015% 0.005% 0.003%

EritreaEritrea 4 $0.9 b $1,020 0.9% 0.0% 0.7%

KenyaKenya 32 $12.8 b $1,030 1% 5% 1.3%

MadagascarMadagascar 17 $4.9 b $800 0.4% 1.7% 0.4%

RwandaRwanda 8 $1.8 b $1.290 0.3% 1.6% 0.3%

UgandaUganda 25 $6.2 $1.430 0.2% 3% 0.5%

Lower middle income countries: $736 < per capita GNI < $2.935

Asia countries middle income countries

Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank, 2003, 2005. The data are 2003; IT indicators are for 2001 and 2002.

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NICI RWANDANICI RWANDA

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Rwanda: Rwanda: Vision 2020Vision 2020

• To develop Rwanda into a middle income country by Year 2020 (current GDP per capita is $200)

• To modernize the Rwandan economy and society using ICTs as an engine for:– accelerated development and economic growth– national prosperity– global competitiveness

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Rwanda: The ProcessRwanda: The Process

• 1998: ICT Policy process commenced

• 2000: ICT Policy tabled and endorsed by President Kagame

• 2001: First 5-year $500 million Plan tabled (400 pages)

• Presidential Drive for Rwanda to become a Regional Services Centre

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NICI Rwanda: Key PointsNICI Rwanda: Key Points- ICT-led Development Vision/ICT-2020 Policy (one of the 3

components of the GOR’s Vision of Rwanda together with the Global Vision, the Vision 2020):

• Four 5 Year NICI Plans;

1. 1st NICI Plan (2001-2005);

2. 2nd NICI Plan (2006 – 2010);

3. 3rd NICI Plan (2011 – 2015);

4. 4th NICI Plan (2016 – 2020);

• Setting up of National ICT Structures and Bodies:

1. National Information Technology Commission (NITC);

2. NITC Working Groups;

3. National Geographic Data Committee (NGDC);

4. Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA).

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Key Drivers of ICT In RwandaKey Drivers of ICT In Rwanda

• High-level Commitment to ICT

• ICT as a strategic Sector

• Comprehensive ICT Master plan

• Education, training & awareness

• Infrastructure investments

• E-Government &

• Public Sector applications

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Critical Success FactorsCritical Success Factors• A strong national body with committed

leadership to guide the implementation of ICT Policy;

• The methodological approach adopted to develop Rwanda’s ICT Policy and Strategies

• A detailed implementation plan that:– defines indicators against which to measure success – lays out practical growth steps towards achievable

targets – names responsible parties – and sets realistic timelines

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Results: Regulatory Environment in Results: Regulatory Environment in RwandaRwanda

• Market Fully Liberalized– Partial or full privatization of incumbent in

progress– Licensing of other operators

• Separation of regulator functions– Independent regulatory authority– Deregulation of monopolistic markets– Regulation of non-regulated chaotic

markets

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NICI DJIBOUTINICI DJIBOUTI

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NICI COMOROSNICI COMOROS

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Comparison with Asia CountriesComparison with Asia Countries

• MalaysiaMalaysia:– 1996: National IT Agenda (NITA - 2020) launched by

NITC– NITA is the IT part of Eight Malaysia Plan (2001)– Five key strategic trust areas: E-community, E-Public

Services, E-learning, E-economy, E-sovereignty– 1998: The Communications & Multimedia Act

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Comparison with Asia CountriesComparison with Asia Countries• Philippines:Philippines:

– 1998: National Information Technology Plan for the 21st century (IT21) was launched

– Goals and Timeframes:• 2000: infrastructure for every business, school, home, agency

for government, etc• 2005: Production of competitive IT products for the world

markets• Within the first 10 years of the 21st century: Philippines as

Knowledge Centre in the Asia-Pacific

– 2000: Gov. Information Systems Plan (GISP) approved and adopted -> e-governance

– 2003: ITECC programme

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Comparison with Asia CountriesComparison with Asia Countries• SRI LANKA:SRI LANKA:

– E-Sri Lanka’s vision to be achieved by 2007• Targets 5% for fixed line penetration by 2007• Same target for mobile• National backbone development and networking to global

backbones will be addressed as top priority• Rural connectivity• National backbone development and fiber wiring a few hot spots,

commercial centres in the capital and surrounding business cluster and key industrial parks

– Proposed National Communications Policy for a modern and efficient Sri Lanka Information Infrastructure (SLII)

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LOW INCOME COUNTRIESLOW INCOME COUNTRIES

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Incomes per Country & ICT PenetrationIncomes per Country & ICT PenetrationLow income countries: per capita GNI < $735

Asia countries low income countries

Population(millions)

GNI Per Capita GNI

Fixed Line Penetration

Mobile Penetration

Internet Penetration

BurundiBurundi 7 $0.6 b $630 0.3% 0.9% 0.2%

DR CongoDR Congo 53 $5.4 b $660 0.2% 9.4%

EthiopiaEthiopia 69 $6.4 b $710 0.6% 0.1% 0.1%

SeychellesSeychelles 0.08 $ $ 2.6% 5.3% 0.009%

SomaliaSomalia 10 $ $ 1% 0.3% 0.9%

TanzaniaTanzania 36 $10.7 $620 0.4% 2.5% 0.7%

Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank, 2003, 2005. The data are 2003; IT indicators are for 2001 and 2002.

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NICI ETHIOPIANICI ETHIOPIA

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Ethiopia: Ethiopia: VisionVision

• Consider the development of National Information Infrastructure (NII) as one of the strategic components to– improve socio-economic performance;– Enhance transparency and efficiency in governance– Help in the implementation of the Agricultural Development Led

Industrial Strategy;– Help in the implementation of the decentralization in the country.

• To develop and exploit ICT as:– An accelerator for attaining national development and global

competitiveness• Focus areas:

– Local content, Infrastructure, HR, Applications for business and public services.

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Ethiopia: The ProcessEthiopia: The Process• ???: Draft ICT policy Document was adopted by the

Council of Ministers;• ???: The first implementation plan for the period 2003-

2008 was prepared• ???: Setting up of the national ICT coordination office

chaired by the Minister of Capacity Building and the Ethiopian ICTs Authority to manage the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the plan

• ???: Embarked on projects:– Decentralization;– Capacity building– VC– Educational satellite programme.

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NICI TANZANIANICI TANZANIA

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Tanzania

– 1997: Started an ICT policy process – 1997: Published a telecommunications policy– 2000: eThinkTank launched– 2001: First attempts to initiate ICT Policy process

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NICI BurundiNICI Burundi

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NICI BurundiNICI Burundi• 2002: was completed and adopted as the national

ICT framework by the Council of Ministers• Has moved to the next phase, which includes broad

national consultations, translation of the policy into an implementation plan, and discussions on identifying and developing sectoral projects.

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NICI SEYCHELLESNICI SEYCHELLES

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Comparison with Asia CountriesComparison with Asia Countries

• India:India:– 1999: National Telecoms Policy for India

• Nepal:Nepal:– 1997: Telecoms Act and Regulation– 2000: Nepal IT Policy

• Vietnam:Vietnam:– Vietnam’s Post and Telecoms Development strategy

until 2010 and Orientation until 2020– Draft ICT Master Plan

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ICT Policy in East African ICT Policy in East African Countries/Asian Countries:Countries/Asian Countries:

Lessons LearntLessons Learnt

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Similarities and Differences in Similarities and Differences in East AfricaEast Africa

• All believe in the potential of ICT• All emphasize human resource

development• All espouse high level

collaboration• All struggle to marry public and

private role-players• All are small enough to

contemplate national initiatives

• Some put together a long term prospective study within with the ICT component is well defined (i.e.: Vision for Rwanda)

• Some set seriously unrealistic goals

• Some use ICT as a political lever• Policy process

– The grand plan– Multiple plans– Targeted interventions

“critical success factors”

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General RemarksGeneral Remarks• Lack of insight into dynamics of ICT usage• No cumulative tradition of research• No coordination of initiatives• Donor-Driven Agenda• No need to draft sophisticated ICT Policies to

increased the ICT penetration• ICT Policy is not a political propaganda tool• Follow up and implementation are more

important