African CSOs in a Netted WorldAfrican CSOs in a Netted WorldGSI AssemblyGSI Assembly

London 2-3, December 2008London 2-3, December 2008Jalal Abdel-LatifJalal Abdel-Latif

UNECA/GPAD: CSO SectionUNECA/GPAD: CSO SectionAddis Ababa, EthiopiaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia

Jabdel-latif@uneca.orgJabdel-latif@uneca.org

Global WWW TrendGlobal WWW Trend

Rapidly & constantly changing Rapidly & constantly changing products and applicationsproducts and applications

Plethora of digital e-initiativesPlethora of digital e-initiatives

Number Africa oriented projectsNumber Africa oriented projects– E.g. UNECA, Information SocietyE.g. UNECA, Information Society

From W site – W portal - KMFrom W site – W portal - KM

Standards: Open vs. comStandards: Open vs. com

Rapidly changing biz modelRapidly changing biz model

Philanthropy TodayPhilanthropy TodayWorld of Givers : 300B in the USWorld of Givers : 300B in the USAid Industry: 35B for AfricaAid Industry: 35B for AfricaConvergenceConvergence– Asking the same questionAsking the same question– Tracking (fiduciary)Tracking (fiduciary)– Impact: Making difference, saving life, Impact: Making difference, saving life,

improved livelihoodimproved livelihood– Putting the human face to itPutting the human face to it

Both ExperiencesBoth Experiences

The Digital Age: Impact on AfricaThe Digital Age: Impact on AfricaReinvented GovernmentReinvented GovernmentImpact of connectivityImpact of connectivity– Vertical Structured – Horizontally integrated Vertical Structured – Horizontally integrated

InterfaceInterface– Fascinators and brokersFascinators and brokers

ImpactImpact– Deepening and improving social contractDeepening and improving social contract

ECA functionECA function– Tran planter of ideas, knowledge and Tran planter of ideas, knowledge and

technologytechnology

The Africa NPO portal: design & The Africa NPO portal: design & deploymentdeployment

Perceived GapPerceived Gap– Knowledge site: GatekeepersKnowledge site: Gatekeepers– Data Site: Data depositorsData Site: Data depositors– Associational site: Community MobilizesAssociational site: Community MobilizesFelt GapFelt Gap– Independent portalsIndependent portalsChallenge:Challenge:– How to balance? How to balance? – Medium of what? KX + Medium of what? KX + – How do we evaluate: Qlty & or Qunt.How do we evaluate: Qlty & or Qunt.Not the pioneersNot the pioneers

State of State of ee-Collaboration-Collaboration

Goal: supporting electronic NGO Goal: supporting electronic NGO networks is to foster more effective networks is to foster more effective civic engagement civic engagement

encourage co-operation, mutual trust encourage co-operation, mutual trust and information exchange and information exchange

Aiming at to further develop regional Aiming at to further develop regional electronic networkingelectronic networking

Afri Guide Star: FunctionalityAfri Guide Star: Functionality

Regulator Citizenry

GR: Transactional

AfriGuide Star

PrinciplesPrinciplesCollaboration and transparency Collaboration and transparency – Coalitions with demonstrated reasonable level of Coalitions with demonstrated reasonable level of

alliance building alliance building – Have greater potential for leveraging partnership Have greater potential for leveraging partnership

E-readiness: Data & Information E-readiness: Data & Information exchange & capacity building exchange & capacity building – Focus on electronic information networks, raise Focus on electronic information networks, raise

their capacity to use modern information their capacity to use modern information technologies, and engage in international technologies, and engage in international development partners development partners

Direction: Country – Sub regional - Direction: Country – Sub regional - ContinentalContinental

Components:Components:STRATEGY: STRATEGY: – DDegree to which the site has met egree to which the site has met stated objectivesstated objectives concerning its concerning its

target audience or market. target audience or market. ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURE – The structure of the website and the logic by which the pages The structure of the website and the logic by which the pages

interconnect. (interconnect. (navigability)navigability)TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY: – QQuality of the code and the appropriateness of any technologies used. uality of the code and the appropriateness of any technologies used. – Assesses relation to how Assesses relation to how accessibleaccessible and and available available

STYLE: STYLE: – appearanceappearance of the website and issues around the layout and display of the website and issues around the layout and display

of text and images.of text and images. CONTENTCONTENT : : – Quality, authority, readability, relevance and timeliness of text and Quality, authority, readability, relevance and timeliness of text and

images, and the degree to which images, and the degree to which useruser interactioninteraction is supported. is supported.

••MANAGEMENT: MANAGEMENT: – HHuman and financial resources that the site has at its disposal. uman and financial resources that the site has at its disposal.

DATA SETSDATA SETS

InstitutionsInstitutions

ContentsContents

CSO TypologyCSO Typology

Orientation: Secular vs. Faith basedOrientation: Secular vs. Faith based

Legal Status: Formal vs. informalLegal Status: Formal vs. informal

Local vs. InternationalLocal vs. International

Governance vs. service deliveryGovernance vs. service delivery

Membership based vs. non-Membership based vs. non-membershipmembership

Self-help and mutual associationsSelf-help and mutual associations

Support Organizations: CBOsSupport Organizations: CBOs

African networks distributionAfrican networks distribution

GeographicGeographic

Sector-focusedSector-focused

Issue basedIssue based

PassivePassive

ActiveActive

OutcomesOutcomes

Expanding civic and citizenry space: Expanding civic and citizenry space: EngagementEngagement

Increasing Aid flow: Responding to Increasing Aid flow: Responding to service deliveryservice delivery

Donor grant management changing:Donor grant management changing:

Seeking info, data, knowledgeSeeking info, data, knowledge

I4M: CriticalI4M: Critical

Mandate: ECA serving as the vehicle Mandate: ECA serving as the vehicle

CSOs Centrality in Public Policy CSOs Centrality in Public Policy Growth of nonprofit organizations as Growth of nonprofit organizations as service providers in developed market service providers in developed market economieseconomies– Vehicles of developmental and humanitarian Vehicles of developmental and humanitarian

operations in developing countriesoperations in developing countries– Intermediaries for good governance in Intermediaries for good governance in

transitional democraciestransitional democracies– Primary contractors in post conflict R & R Primary contractors in post conflict R & R

settingssettings– Instruments of government reform in former Instruments of government reform in former

socialist countriessocialist countries– Make the central to the public policy agendaMake the central to the public policy agenda

Africa Guide StarAfrica Guide Star

Regulator Citizenry

GR: Transactional

AfriGuide Star