ECOWAS/ITECOWAS/IT

""Information and Information and Communication Communication

Technologies and Technologies and Information GatewaysInformation Gateways""

Our VisionOur Vision

… … to become a to become a Knowledge organization Knowledge organization that that spurs the knowledge revolution in developing spurs the knowledge revolution in developing countries and acts as a catalyst for creating, countries and acts as a catalyst for creating, sharing, and applying cutting edge knowledge sharing, and applying cutting edge knowledge necessary for poverty reduction and economic necessary for poverty reduction and economic developmentdevelopment

Why focus on Knowledge?Why focus on Knowledge? The knowledge revolution offers a historic The knowledge revolution offers a historic

opportunity to redraw the global economy by:opportunity to redraw the global economy by:– enhancing competitiveness of developing countriesenhancing competitiveness of developing countries– offering new opportunities for economic growthoffering new opportunities for economic growth– leapfrogging technologiesleapfrogging technologies– increasing returns on investments in education and increasing returns on investments in education and

healthhealth– empowerment of local communities and the poorempowerment of local communities and the poor

But there is also the risk of a But there is also the risk of a growing divide….growing divide….

both in access to knowledgeboth in access to knowledge and in access to the technologies that are and in access to the technologies that are

powering the knowledge revolutionpowering the knowledge revolution

Teledensity Evolution:Teledensity Evolution:Mainlines by RegionMainlines by Region

0

50

100

150

200

AsiaPacific

EasternEurope

LatinAmerica

MiddleEast/North

Africa

Sub-SaharanAfrica

1990 1999

Data Source: Pyramid, 2000

Millions

-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 March Now

Last 5 Years

Bill

ion

US$ DJIA Mkt. Cap

NASDAQ Mkt. Cap

Total Mkt. Cap

More Wealth CreatedMore Wealth Created

The Situation in Terms of Aggregate The Situation in Terms of Aggregate Connectivity Level Has Been Connectivity Level Has Been

Improving,Improving,

Source: Pyramid Research, 2000

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Fixed+Mobile -- OECD Fixed+Mobile -- Non-OECDInternet Subs -- OECD Internet Subs -- Non-OECD

Million

Defining the Defining the Digital Divide : Digital Divide : how serious an how serious an

issue is it ?issue is it ?

Connectivity isConnectivity isonly part of the storyonly part of the story

Divergence in wealth Divergence in wealth creation is a major creation is a major concernconcern

Other Dimensions of the DivideOther Dimensions of the Divide

0

10

20

30

40

50

Jan.95

Jan.96

Jan.97

Jan.98

Jan.99

USOther industrialized countriesDeveloping countries

Inte

rnet

Hos

ts (m

illio

ns)

30 m (70%)

11 m (26%)

1.5 m (4%)(the first ten countries amount for 1.2 m)

Source: Network Wizards, World Bank, 1999

• 7% of World Pop. Speaks English•75% of Worldwide Web-sites are in English

Connectivity

Content

• Jan 2000: 72.4 m Internet Hosts

Data Source: ITU, 1999

Regional Patterns of Convergence and Divergence

30%61%

136%

74%

18%

Europe

Asia

Latin America

North America

Africa

Growth in Internet hosts, 1999

Cross-Country Inequality:Cross-Country Inequality: Information Infrastructure InvestmentsInformation Infrastructure Investments Skewed toward Rich Countries Skewed toward Rich Countries

Source: Pyramid Research, 2000

Information Infrstructure Investments, 1991 - 1998

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

1991-1994 1995-1998

US

$ M

illion

s

OECDSub-Saharan AfricaMiddle East/North AfricaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeAsia Pacific

Within-Country InequalityWithin-Country Inequality

Source: LSMS, the World Bank

Panama South Africa

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

WealthiestQuintile

Quintile 4 Quintile 3 Quintile 2 PoorestQuintile

By Income: % of Households with Private Telephones

By Geographic Region: % of urban/rural households with telephones

45.7%

4.7%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Urban Rural

The Promise and Peril of the Networking Revolution

The US broadband revolution

Adopter Countries’ broadband revolution

Natio

nal I

nfor

mat

ion

Infra

stru

ctur

e (s

cope

and

qua

lity)

Time

Conver

gence

LatecomersDivergence

Source: Pyramid Research, 2000

Connectivity is a requirementConnectivity is a requirement It is next to impossible to envision markets with less than 5% It is next to impossible to envision markets with less than 5%

voice penetration leapfrogging into Internet connectivityvoice penetration leapfrogging into Internet connectivity Competition is the Vehicle Competition is the Vehicle

Competition leads to decreased prices, subscriber growth & Competition leads to decreased prices, subscriber growth & new technology development. We must promote competition, new technology development. We must promote competition, while supporting universal access via innovative government while supporting universal access via innovative government support, focusing on convergence issuessupport, focusing on convergence issues

Infrastructure Support Systems Are Critical Infrastructure Support Systems Are Critical Systems and services that support and deliver information such Systems and services that support and deliver information such

as postal and financial services, are a vital component of public as postal and financial services, are a vital component of public actionaction

Education is the Enabler Education is the Enabler Internet has higher social entry barriers than voice, requiring Internet has higher social entry barriers than voice, requiring

literacy and ICT exposure at a minimumliteracy and ICT exposure at a minimum

Strategies

Networking and Poverty ReductionNetworking and Poverty Reduction ICTs for Economic Growth

- enhanced competitiveness- increased business opportunities - access to market for rural communities

ICTs for Improved Delivery of Social Services- better health/education/environmental services - reducing vulnerability to natural disasters

ICTs for Greater Transparency - improved efficiency on government procurement- reduced corruption - increased civil society participation

ICTs for Empowerment of the Poor - allowing the poor to better communicate their concerns

Our response is Our response is focused onfocused on

Supporting the enabling environment for Supporting the enabling environment for efficient creation, adaptation and efficient creation, adaptation and dissemination of knowledgedissemination of knowledge

Building Human Capacity for the Knowledge Building Human Capacity for the Knowledge EconomyEconomy

Expanding AccessExpanding Access Supporting knowledge sharing through Supporting knowledge sharing through

research, networking and communities of research, networking and communities of practicepractice

Our Response….Our Response….A Number of Key Special InitiativesA Number of Key Special Initiatives

Global ICT Department infoDev

Global Development

Network

Global Knowledge

Partnership

African Virtual University

DevelopmentForumGlobal Development

Learning Network

ECOWAN

How These Initiatives Fit TogetherHow These Initiatives Fit Together

Supporting the enabling Supporting the enabling environmentenvironment

Building Capacity for the Building Capacity for the Knowledge EconomyKnowledge Economy

ECOWAN ECOWAN Global ICT Dept.Global ICT Dept.

African Virtual African Virtual UniversityUniversity

Global Development Global Development Learning NetworkLearning Network

World Links for World Links for DevelopmentDevelopment

How These Initiatives Fit Together How These Initiatives Fit Together (cont.)(cont.)

Expanding AccessExpanding Access

Supporting Supporting knowledge sharing knowledge sharing through research, through research, networking and networking and communities of communities of practicepractice

WB and IFC lending for WB and IFC lending for ICT infrastructureICT infrastructure

Development GatewayDevelopment Gateway Global Development Global Development

NetworkNetwork Global Knowledge Global Knowledge

PartnershipPartnership WB Knowledge Sharing WB Knowledge Sharing

NetworkNetwork Development ForumDevelopment Forum

infoinfoDev: The ConceptDev: The Concept

ECOWANECOWAN

Private Sector

UNSD, ECOWAS, EU, ITU, World Bank,

etc.

Governments

TelecomReform

Information Infrastructure

Strategies

Consensus Building/

Awareness Raising

Pilot Projects

Finance & Know-How from :

Active and Completed Projects by Category & Main Active and Completed Projects by Category & Main

ActivityActivity

March, 2001

Activities & Categories Telecoms Internet Education Health EnvironmentGovernment

E-Commerce

Total

Networks and Communitties of Interest

1 25 2 1 2 1 32

Policy 14 6 . . 2 20

Capacity Building 12 17 4 1 4 3 41

Pilot and Demonstration 1 10 8 7 7 6 10 49

Total 28 58 14 9 13 6 16 144

Taxonomy of Funded ProjectsTaxonomy of Funded Projects

Planet University IS

Y2K Health Sector Coord. RFP/Analysis ICT indicators 15 iCSF Conferences

PeopleLink Information Strategy Tool Kit/UNITAR

INDEV India’s Rural Health Care Knowledge Network for Grassroots

Sofia’s MIS

Georgia’s Demonstration projects

Information infrastructure for Uganda

National Graduate Registry

E commerce Uganda and Tanzania

Stories Exchange Net

African Connection-Rural Telecom

Metabase de DatosEmpowering people with disabilities-Guatemala MicroNet

Asia Pacific Telecom. Regulatory Forum

Work Program FY00

Country GatewaysGlobal Knowledge for Development Online Forum iCSF Workshops

ACT 2000ICANN (Yokohama & LA)MT 2000OECD Dubai

infoDev-Motorola Visiting Fellowship Program Online ICT Resource Center for the Global Development Community Creating a Global Information Network on Distance EducationRegulatory Colloquium

OHADA.com

Work Program FY01

Community Telecenters

Improving Healthcare & Education through shared ICTs

Empowering Local Communities in Mexico

NAROD project

Inter-city Marketing Network for Women Micro-entrepreneurs

E-Readiness Egypt

E-Readiness Morocco

USTTI Africa

Exploring Adequate Telecom Sector Reform Models in China

UNECA/Cisco Training of Women Entrepreneurs

CDI Intl. ExpansionKindlink Houses and Families RITS project

Data Fusion for Flow Analysis and Decision Support

Flagship Initiatives

EDUCATIONEDUCATION CONNECTIVITYCONNECTIVITY

IN AFRICAIN AFRICA

REGULATORYREGULATORY

EFFORTSEFFORTSE-COMMERCEE-COMMERCE

NetworkingNetworkingfor Innovation infor Innovation inTechnology &Technology &Teacher TrainingTeacher TrainingMOTOROLAMOTOROLA Visiting ScholarsVisiting Scholars FellowshipFellowship

Country Gateways (GDG)Country Gateways (GDG)e-Readiness Assessmentse-Readiness Assessments

Y2K

Initi

ativ

eY2

K In

itiat

ive

CISCOCISCO Training for Training for African Women in African Women in Internet Working Internet Working TechnologyTechnology

ITUITU Regulatory Regulatory ColloquiaColloquiainfoinfoDev SymposiaDev SymposiaPyramid ReportPyramid ReportAnalysis ReportAnalysis Report

IncubatorIncubator InitiativeInitiative

UNECAUNECA Global Global Connectivity for Connectivity for Africa ConferenceAfrica Conference

Global ICT Global ICT Colloquium (RFP)Colloquium (RFP)

AfricanAfricanConnec.Connec.

RuralRuralTelecom Telecom ((DFIDDFID))

ICO ICO 2121st st

century century Communi.Communi.

The Development Gateway

http:www.developmentgateway.org

Solve development problems by sharing high-quality information from local, national and global sources, tailored to users’ needs by topic and community, quickly and easily.

A platform to facilitate the establishment of common standards for the exchange of information among the development community.

Expanded opportunities for building and sharing knowledge and experience in and among developing countries.

Gateway Value Propositions

Algeria

Pakistan

Bulgaria

GeorgiaRomania

Dominican Republic

Indonesia

infoinfoDev Country Gateway GrantsDev Country Gateway Grants

Colombia

Russia

West Bank & Gaza

ArmeniaAzerbaijan

China

UkraineKyrgyz Rep.

Moldova

Costa Rica Venezuela Sri Lanka

Kazakhstan

As of April 4, 2001

Croatia Uzbekistan

Uruguay

Mongolia

Namibia

For more information...For more information...

www.worldbank.org/ict

www.infodev.org

www.developmentgateway.org

www.ecowas.int

www.unites.org