4 TH TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR FOR 2007 VENUE: KOFI ANNAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE DATE: APRIL 12, 2007

Transcription

1 4 TH TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR FOR 2007 VENUE: KOFI ANNAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE DATE: APRIL 12, 2007 IT ACCESS FOR ALL LEAD SPEAKER: A. KOFI ASANTE, ADMINISTRATOR GIFTEL

2 OPENING. Distinguished participants, Ladies and Gentlemen. Am here on an assignment as Lead Speaker for our 4 th Technology Transformation Seminar for 2007 on the topic IT ACCESS for all. This seminar brings together distinguished policy-makers, leading analysts and practitioners who will contribute and examine

3 the challenges and avenues for achievement of IT ACCESS for all. It is my prayer and am positive that the contributions that will be made by distinguished participants will mark a major milestone and affect policy, investment, priorities and implementation, towards IT ACCESS for all.

4 In my brief speech this evening, I would highlight on the following:

5 CONTENTS 1. WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 2. WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL 3. CHALLENGES OF IT ACCESS FOR ALL 4. MY FOCUS 5. THE WAY FORWARD 5

6 WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION FROM WIKIPEDIA, THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA AS DEFINED BY THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (ITAA) IT IS THE STUDY, DESIGN,DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, SUPPORT OR MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTER BASED INFORMATION SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS AND COMPUTER HARDWARE 6

7 WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (CONT.) IN SHORT, IT DEALS WITH USE OF ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE TO CONVERT, STORE PROTECT, PROCESS, TRANSMIT AND RETRIEVE INFORMATION. IN RECENT TIMES, IT IS BROADEN TO INCLUDE THE FIELD OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND REFERED TO IT AS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) 7

8 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL THE SCOPE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS QUITE LARGE AND COVERS MANY FIELDS IT PROFESSIONAL STUDY AND PERFORM AMONG OTHERS THE FOLLOWING; DESIGNING OF COMPUTER NETWORKS DATA MANAGEMENT 8

9 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) SOFTWARE DESIGN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT BUSINESS INFORMATICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AUDIT COMPUTER SECURITY AUDIT DIGITAL LIBRARY TELEMATICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE CRYTOGRAPHY, ETC. 9

10 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) FROM A BOOK VISIONS OF A BETTER TOMORROW NEPAD, ECOWAS AND AFRICA UNION PUBLISHED BY THE THEN MINISTRY OF REGIONAL COORPERATION AND NEPAD, GHANA, OCTOBER, 2001 UNDER SECTORAL PRIORITIES - i.e.; BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: INVESTING IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES. IT STATES ON PAGES 29, 30 AND 31 AS FOLLOWS; 10

11 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs), DRIVEN BY THE CONVERGENACE OF COMPUTERS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA, ARE CRUCIAL FOR THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE. IT ADDS THAT; INTENSIVE USE OF THE ICTs CAN BRING UNPRECEDENTED COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES TO THE CONTINENT. 11

12 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) IT CAN; PROVIDE AN IMPETUS TO THE DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE FACILITATE THE INTEGRATION OF AFRICA INTO THE NEW INFORMATION SOCIETY, USING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AS A COVERAGE. ICTs CAN BE HELPFUL TOOLS FOR A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS SUCH AS REMOTE SENSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL, AGRICULTURAL AND INFRASTURAL PLANNING; 12

13 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) THE EXISTING COMPLEMENTARITIES CAN BE BETTER UTILISED TO PROVIDE TRAINING THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A CRITICAL MASS OF PROFESSIONALS ON THE USE OF ICTs; IN THE RESEARCH SECTOR, WE CAN ESTABLISH AFRICAN PRGRAMMES AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGICAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES CAPABLE OF MEETING THE CONTINENTS SPECIFIC NEEDS, WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLETRACY; 13

14 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) ICTs CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY AND EXPLOIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRADE, INVESTMENTS AND FINANCE; CAN BE USED TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL DISTANCE LEARNING AND HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMES TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION IN THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION SECTORS; IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF PANDEMIC DISEASES, ICTs WILL HELP TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATION OF AN EFFICIENT EARLY WARNING MECHANISM BY PROVIDING THE TOOLS FOR CONSTANT MONITORING OF TENSION SPOTS 14

15 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) UNDER OBJECTIVES, FIVE (5) POINTS WERE STATED; TO DOUBLE TELEDENSITY TO TWO(2) LINES PER 100 PEOPLE BY 2005 WITH AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF ACCESS FOR HOUSEHOLDS; (AT THAT TIME AFRICAN TELEDENSITY WAS BELOW ONE (1) LINE PER 100 PEOPLE) TO LOWER THE COST AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY OF SERVICE; 15

16 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) TO ACHIEVE E-READINESS FOR ALL COUNTRIES IN AFRICA; TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE A POOL OF ICT PROFICIENT YOUTH AND STUDENTS FROM WHICH AFRICA CAN DRAW TRAINEE ICT ENGINEERS, PROGRAMMES AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS; TO DEVELOP LOCAL CONTENT SOFTWARE, BASED ESPECIALLY ON AFRICAN CULTURAL LEGACY; 16

17 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) THIS BRINGS INTO SHARP FOCUS, THE NEED FOR IT INFRASTRUCTURE, SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND EQUIPMENT TO BE MADE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO OUR PEOPLE FOR A BETTER FUTURE; PERMIT ME TO QUOTE SCIENTIST CHARLES KETTERING; WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR LIVES THERE 17

18 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) THE FUTURE IS RAPIDLY BECOMING PRESENT. AT THE WSIS IN TUNIS, NOVEMBER 2005, A COMMITMENT WAS MADE. THE UNITED NATIONS DESCRIBED HER PERSPECTIVE AS FOLLOWS; WE REAFFIRM OUR RESOLUTION IN THE QUEST TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ICTs CAN OFFER, BY RECALLING THAT GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS 18

19 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) 19 PRIVATE SECTOR, CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGIES AS WELL AS TO INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE, BUILD CAPACITY, INCREASE CONFIDENCE AND SECURITY IN THE USE OF ICTs; CREATE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT AT ALL LEVELS, DEVELOP AND WIDEN ICT APPLICATIONS; FOSTER AND RESPECT CULTURAL DIVERSITY, RECOGNISE THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA, ADDRESS THE ETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE INFORMATION

20 WHY IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) SOCIETY AND ENCOURAGE INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION. THESE DEVELOPMENTS INDICATE THAT THE WORLD HAS IDENTIFIED INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AS AN ENABLER AND DRIVER OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 20

21 CHALLENGES OF IT ACCESS FOR ALL SOME OF THE CHALLENGES INDENTIFIED IN OUR EFFORT AT IT ACCESS FOR ALL ARE; 1. INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE 2. HIGH COST OF COMMUNICATION 3. HIGH COST OF EQUIPMENT 4. HIGH ILLITERACY RATE ABOUT 38.1% 5. AVAILABILITY OF RELIABLE ENERGY 6. POLICY 7. REGULATIONS 8. MULTIPLE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL CONTENT 21

22 CHALLENGES OF IT ACCESS FOR ALL (CONT.) 9. INFORMATION ETHICS 10. SECURITY 11. MARKETING CHALLENGE 22 WITH ALL THE ABOVE LISTED CHALLENGES IT IS WORTHY TO NOTE THAT IN THIS ERA OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION SOCIETY THAT THE WORLD FINDS ITSELF, THE ABILITY TO TRANSMIT DATA, VOICE AND VIDEO OVER A ROBUST INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRUCIAL TO PROPEL NATIONS FORWARD IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

23 MY FOCUS UNDOUBTEDLY, AM CONVICED THAT WITHOUT THE REQUISITE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BENEFITS OF ICT CANNOT BE HARNESSED AND REALISED. THEREFORE UNLESS ISSUES RELATED TO ICT INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE BEEN WELL DEFINED AND ADDRESSED FORCEFULLY WITHIN POLICY AS WELL AS THE INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVES, THE ACCELERATED GROWTH AGENDA PERCEIVED WITH ICT AS AN ENABLER WOULD NOT BE ACHIEVED. 23

24 MY FOCUS (CONT.) IT IS WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT I SUGGEST THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A ROBUST, AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ALLIED NETWORKS AND SERVICES THAT ARE WELL INTERCONNECTED TO PROVIDE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GATE-WAYS IS THUS PARAMOUNT AT THIS STAGE WITH ICT INFRASTRUCTURE INDENTIFIED AS ONE KEY ENABLING COMPONENT TO FACILITATE THE ATTAINMENT OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS, WE WILL NEED TO ENSURE TO CONNECT UNDERSERVED, UNSERVED AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES WITH ICTs AND ESTABLISH COMMUNITY ACCESS POINTS. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A PANACEA IN ITSELF. IT IS RATHER A POWERFUL TOOL THAT CAN PRODUCE MEANINGFUL RESULTS ONLY IF IT IS PUT INTO EFFECTIVE USE. 24

25 MY FOCUS (CONT.) MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROVIDE RELIABLE ELECTRICITY (HYDRO, THERMAL, SOLAR, WIND ETC.) TO POWER TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS AND TRANSMISSIONS AT ALL TIMES. 25

26 MY FOCUS (CONT.) THE CHALLENGES WE FACE NEED BE ADDRESSED FULLY, BUT AGAIN, I WILL PROPOSE THAT WE ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE RESOURCE AS A PRIORITY SO THAT THERE CAN BE RAPID DEPLOYMENT AND UNTILIZATION OF ICT TO ACHIEVE OUR DESIRED GOAL OF BEING PART OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY THAT BRINGS IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL, IRRESPECTIVE OF GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION 26

27 THE WAY FORWARD THE NEED FOR A PLAN TO GUIDE US FOR A SYSTEMATIC ACTION ON IT ACCESS FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS NOW HAVE THE OCCASION TO CONTRIBUTE IN DETAIL A NUMBER OF IT APPLICATIONS THAT MAY ADDRESS OUR DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES-IT ACCESS FOR ALL THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION 27