ICT  in  Peacebuilding  in  South  Sudan  October  2012  

ORLY  STERN      MARINA  REYSKENS    Durban,  South  Africa  |  4-­‐5  March  2013  

Outline    !   Introduc?on  !   Overview  of  research  !   ICT  infrastructure  in  South  Sudan  !   Challenges  to  developing  ICT  infrastructure  !   Peace-­‐building  priori?es  !   South  Sudan’s  ICT  programmes  !   DDR,  and  the  use  of  ICT  in  DDR  !   ICT  in  peacebuilding?  !   Recommenda?ons  

Purpose  of  Research        

!   Examined  to  what  extent  ICT  can/has  poten?al  to  be  used  in  peacebuilding/development/DDR  

!   Explored  challenges  to  implemen?ng  ICT  ini?a?ves  

!   Use  of  ICT  in  DDR  programming  &  peacebuilding  

Overview  of  Research    !  Fieldwork,  1  week  in  Juba  !  Aimed  to  get  balanced  view  of  ICT  landscape  !  ±  40  people  interviewed  

Including:                    WORLD  BANK  

 UNICEF    MIN.  OF  INFORMATION  &  BROADCASTING    UNION  OF  JOURNALISTS  OF  SOUTH  SUDAN    CORDAID      SOUTH  SUDAN  DDR  COMMISSION    INTERNATIONAL  ORGANISATION  FOR  MIGRATION    

 

ICT  Infrastructure  in  South  Sudan    !   ICT  =  great  poten?al  to  be  used  in  development  and  peacebuilding  

! BUT  heavily  underdeveloped  !   Some  areas  have  no  connec?vity  !   Therefore  considerable  challenges  vs.  opportunity  for  innova?on  

 

ICT  Infrastructure  in  South  Sudan  Some  sta?s?cs:  

!   Telecom  network  à  less  than  30%  geographic  cover  (±  60%  of  pop.  is  covered)  

!   2008  census  à  4.8-­‐4.9  million  poten?al  mobile  phone  market  customers  

!   Pre-­‐independence  mobile  penetra?on  rate  à  19.3%  (north  &  south)  

!   Current  figure  à  es?mated  lower  !   Mobile  service  providers  à  Zain,              Vivacell,  MTN,  Gemtel,  Sudani  

ICT  Infrastructure  in  South  Sudan    !   ICT  infrastructure  must  be  improved    !   Pre-­‐independence  à  minimal  investment  in  ICT  !   Limited  electricity  grid  !   Internet  à  restricted  to  urban  areas  !   Rural  areas  =  hardly  any  access  !   VSAT  =  expensive  &  unreliable    

 Government  and  ICT:  

!  Mandate  of  Min.  of  Telecomm.  &  Postal  Services  à  develop  +  regulate  ICT  sector  

! BUT  à  ?ght  govt.  controls  &  unclear  policies  !  Many  govt.  departments  not  computerised  !   ICT  =  not  a  priority    

Challenges  to  developing  ICT  Infrastructure  

!   Lack  of  electricity  !   Poor  road  infrastructure  !  High  cost  of  doing  business  !  Harsh  condi?ons  !   Illiteracy  !  Human  capacity  !   Language  issues    

Post-­‐confict  South  Sudan  –  peacebuilding  priori?es  

A  sample  of  South  Sudan’s  ICT  Programmes  !  High  Frequency  South  Sudan  Survey,  World  Bank    

!   South  Sudan  Mobile  Phone  Survey,  Cordaid  !   The  Emergency  Telecommunica?ons  Cluster  !   Interna?onal  Organisa?on  for  Migra?on  !   Crisis  and  Recovery  Mapping  and  Analysis,  UNDP  

!   Public  Informa?on  Centre  

Disarmament,  Demobilisa?on  &  Reintegra?on      

The  use  of  ICT  in  DDR    

Is  ICT  a  Viable  Tool  in  Peacebuilding  in  South  Sudan?    

Recommenda?ons  for  ICT  Programming  in  South  Sudan    !   Coordina?on  !   Open-­‐source  !   Customised  technology  !   Capacity  building  !   Sustainable  models  !   U?lise  data  !   Feedback  to  communi?es  

Thank  you  Sub-­‐heading: