Report of the High Level Working Group
1 April 1996

Economic Commission for Africa, Seventh Meeting of the Technical Preparatory Committee of the Whole (TEPCOW)

Preface

Resolution 795, "Building Africa's Information Highway", of the thirtieth session of the ECA Conference of Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning, held in Addis Ababa in May 1995, requested the Executive Secretary to set up a high-level working group on information and communication technologies in Africa, made up of African technical experts, to prepare a plan of action in this field for presentation to the thirty-first session of the Conference of Ministers. To accomplish this, funds were mobilized, the group has been constituted (a list of its members appears in Annex I), and has worked, both in meetings in Cairo, Dakar and Addis Ababa, and electronically, through a listserv¹. This document is the product of the Working Group.

This document is about African's development: its challenges and opportunities in an information age. It addresses specifically the role of information, communication and knowledge in shaping African Information Society to accelerate socioeconomic development.

This document attempts to address the issues related to information and communications for development. It targets decision makers and leaders in all sectors, including, in particular those responsible for planning, information, telecommunications, economic development, laws and regulations, health, education, trade, tourism, environment and transport. It aims to support the development of Africa's role and policies in a future where information is a crucial economic and social resource, and where electronic networks and information technology present a new venue for socio-economic and cultural activity, at both local and global levels.

The proposed initiative calls for the formulation and development of a National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) plan in every African country. This plan should be driven by national development challenges such as debt management, food security, health, education, population, unemployment, job creation, industrialisation, land reclamation, water, tourism, trade, etc. The emphasis is on the need to support decision making at all levels and to provide information and communication infrastructure for government, business and society to enlighten the process of development. Secondly, the initiative proposes cooperation, linkage and partnership between African countries to share the success of accumulated implementation experiences and stimulate regional development in various information and communication field.

Thirdly, the Initiative calls for bi-lateral and regional mechanisms to stimulate cooperation between African countries. Fourthly, the Initiative calls for support and partnership with the friends of Africa including bi-laterals, multi-lateral development agencies, regional economic organisations and the private sector. Collectively the Experts believe that Africa can make such a transformation towards an information society, with tangible economic and social returns:

• if we adopt an action oriented approach;
• if we work hard to implement such action;
• if we cooperate and form partnerships to face the developmental challenges;
• if we believe that we can and we will make it;
• if we compete in time;
• if we mobilise international support to help speed its implementation;
• if we keep perspective;
• if we believe in our African people, the engine of growth, and the means to reach the African Information Society.

1. An electronic mailing list on a particular topic by which all messages posted to the list are sent automatically to all subscribers. The group was provided with institutional support by the Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), as well as a large number of individuals who participated in face-to-face and on-line meetings, providing encouring and valuable feedback. The financial and substantive contributions of the International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Bank, and the International Development Research Centre to the High Level Working Group are gratefully acknowledged.

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