4.
A federation of IT societies
50+ countries
Incl
13 Technical Committees
100+ working groups
ifip
800.000+ members in IFIP’s member societies
3000+ volunteers
80+ events annually
60+ publications annually
4
5. IFIP provides a global platform to:
ifip
• Advance information and communication
technologies (ICT)
• Advance the responsible application of
ICT
• Advance the role, position and
effectiveness of professional ICT
societies
• Advance professionalism in ICT
• Advance digital equity
5
11. quantum leap
• quantum leap: An abrupt change or
step, especially in
method, information, or knowledge
(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)
ifip
• quantum leap: A sudden highly
significant advance; breakthrough
[from its use in physics meaning the
sudden jump of an
electron, atom, etc. from one energy
11
level to another]
12. Inaugural ICT Indaba, 4-7 June
2012
Cape Town, SA
African ICT Ministerial Declaration
In supporting the outcomes of the ICT
INDABA 2012, underpinning the 2020
goals we commit to:
2. Set Africa on a quantum leap growth
curve by enhancing GDP growth through
lessons learnt and applying innovation
within the African context;
ifip
12
13. How ICT is creating Africa’s quantum leap
• Reaching out to communities
• Providing economic opportunities
• Eliminating / decreasing social and
geographical boundaries
ifip
• …..
13
14. Examples from WITFOR 2007
• Ethiopian Commodity Exchange
(ECEX), International Food Policy
Research Institute, Ethiopia
• Using ICTs for Managing Genebanks:
Experience of SADC Plant Genetic
Resources Centre, SADC Plant
Genetic Resources Centre, Zambia
ifip
14
15. Examples from WITFOR 2007
• The e-Agricultural Initiative: a
Community of Expertise for Sharing
Innovative Experiences, FAO
Regional Office for Africa, Ghana
• The Pan African e-Network
project, Ambassador of India in
Ethiopia
ifip
15
16. Examples from WITFOR 2007
ifip
• The BorgouNET Project, BorgouNET
NGO, Benin
• The use of ICT for increasing access
to and improving quality in higher
education in Africa, IAU /
UNESCO, Africa Committee of the
UNESCO Forum on Higher
Education, Research and
Knowledge, Mauritius
16
17. Examples from WITFOR 2007
ifip
• Village ICT Project at Lugoba in
Tanzania, Commission for Science
and Technology
(COSTECH), Tanzania
• Opportunities and Challenges of ICT
for Youth Development in Ghana for
the Ghana ICT4AD Policy, Youth
Development Foundation
(YDF), Ghana
17
18. Examples from WITFOR 2007
• Knowledge Transfer Beyond
Boundaries (NABU) - Cameroon
Project: Empowering rural
communities to use ICT in the fight
against HIV/AIDS, Cameroon
• Best practices in Community Media
Centres, Microsoft Public Sector
Group, South Africa
ifip
18
19. Cooperation
Why the list of examples?
To show it is a multi stakeholder effort
African proverb:
If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together
ifip
19
20. Cooperation
Who (type of organizations)
• Government
• Industry
• Academia
• UN – IGO’s – NGO’s
• Societies of professionals
ifip
20
21. Cooperation
ifip
Who (functions / roles)
• Politicians
• Policy makers
• Regulators
• Developers of standards
• Developers of products and
systems
• Researchers
• Practitioners (professionals and21
22. IFIP WITFOR
ifip
Goals:
• To share and discuss experiences in
drafting and implementing ICT
policies;
• To share and discuss experiences in
initiating and implementing ICT
projects;
• To present and discuss research
concerning the overall goal
22
23. IFIP WITFOR
The concept of WITFOR is to bring
together
politicians, policymakers, researchers
and practitioners from
developed, emerging and developing
countries with the aim of discussing
together ICT policies and practical
experiences.
ifip
23
24. IFIP WITFOR
Focussed on areas / topics:
• Agriculture
• Building the infrastructure
• Economic opportunity
• Education
ifip
24
25. IFIP WITFOR
Focussed on areas / topics:
• E-government
• Environment
• Health
• Social, ethical and legal aspects
ifip
25
26. IFIP WITFOR
Link with Summerschool themes
• Education
• (Use of) new technology
• Professionalism
ifip
26
27. IFIP WITFOR
ifip
Approach succesful because:
• Host country involved on highest
government level
• Participation as intended mix of high
level policy makers (up to
ministers), researchers and
practitioners
• Mix of stakeholders as presented
earlier
27
28. IFIP WITFOR
Approach succesful because:
• Willingness to not only talk high level
and UN declaration style but to also
talk about implementation and
practice
ifip
28
29. Challenges:
• Follow up on policies and projects
• Adapt examples for own situation
• Finding partners
• Lack of policies and / or regulation
• Lack of harmonization of policies /
regulation
ifip
29
30. ifip
But there is hope:
• Involvement in UNESCO and ITU
events, incl WSIS follow up shows
the same trend / direction as the
WITFOR approach
• Increasing willingness to cooperate
• Need for public – private
partnerships is clear
30
31. Personal view / appeal
Keep renewing and updating good
intentions and commitments in the
form of declarations and statements
BUT ALSO MAKE SURE TO
ifip
Transform these good intentions and
commitments into
practical, manageable
implementations
31
32. Personal view / appeal
AND
ifip
• Keep learning from each other, from
successes and from failures
• Don’t re-invent the wheel too often
• Don’t let prestige and single-sided
interests prevail above effectiveness
and common interests
32
