WSIS Parallel Event Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development

1. WSIS Parallel Event Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development Technical Assistance & Capacity Building on Statistics on the Information: The case of Africa Aida Opoku-Mensah OIC, DISD Economic Commission for Africa 15November 2005

2. Content • Why measure the Information Society? • SCAN Phase 1: Background • SCAN Phase 1: Technical Assistance • SCAN Phase 2 • African Academia Research Network on Indicators • Challenges

3. Why Measure the Information Society? • Rationale for Africa • Given the impact of ICTs on the globalised economy important for Africa to be part of the “new and emerging information economy’ or risk marginalized • Increasing evidence of impact of ICTs in socio-economic development, and as tool for e-strategy formulation and implementation • Emphasis laid in ECA’s work programme through the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) and SCAN ICT Project • Identified in Geneva Plan of Action as area of focus leading to Partnership on Measuring ICT4D (ECA working on SCAN as part of the partnership) • Measurement of ICTs in addressing MDGs and PRSs.

4. SCAN Phase 1 • Background Methodology based on indicators developed by IDRC, and on thematic areas outlined by the African Information Society Initiative (AISI). • These include infrastructure development, strategic planning, capacity building, sector applications, e-governance, Information Society and Information Economy • Aimed to expand data- collection and analysis and to monitor the progress made in the ICT sector by the pilot countries • Scan methodology designed to fine-tune indicators to match growing or changing needs of countries, and where appropriate new indicators developed • Launched in 2001 in 6 pilot countries – ECA/IDRC with support from NORAD & EC

5. SCAN Phase I: Technical Assistance

6. SCAN Phase I: Technical Assistance

7. SCAN ICT: Phase 2 • Background SCAN 2 is within Partnership for Measuring ICT4D with financial support from IDRC and the Government of Finland. Builds on Phase 1 based on the following principles: • integration of the IS/ICT4D indicators into e-strategy process • identify and classify the broad types of indicators to the phases of the ICT4D process • facilitate the identification of broad types of IS/ICT4D indicators to meet the core indicators developed by the international partners • Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Tanzania, Swaziland and Ghana • National Statistical Offices (NSOs)targeted for TECHNICAL SUPPORT to carry out activities.

8. Academia Research Network Information Society Indicators Research Network The Network brought together nine (9) academics/researchers from Tunisia, Morocco and Rwanda to work on : • Reviewing and fine-tuning Information Society indicators, benchmarks and methodologies of existing initiatives, so as to monitor the progress made in the local, national and regional context • Undertaking in-depth analysis on ICT penetration and impacts on society by using the data and information collected by various indicator initiatives • Build capacity among research institutions and researchers • on Information Society indicators to ensure sustainable involvement of African Academia in measuring impacts

9. Academia Research Network Information Society Indicators Research Network The Network with support from Ford Foundation and accomplished the following: • Reviewed available outcome of these initiatives in real field applications with a special focus on African countries • Developed a Reference Model encompassing the main features of the Geneva plan of action, and allowed a thorough comparisons of the existing initiatives • The model highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of initiatives and ways for improvements and also be used to define a complete set of reference indicators

10. Main Challenges • Technical Assistance in Policy Arena • To utilise data effectively in both formulation and implementation of policies in building the Information Society • Attention to be paid on mechanisms for data utilisation • Greater support to NSOs on a short, medium and long term to ensure that measuring IS is integral part of work in cooperation with respective national agencies

11. Main Challenges • Technical Assistance in Data Gathering, especially • in: • Identification of appropriate indicators as well as internationally agreed methodology for comparative analysis by national agencies • Developing culture of sustainable data collection mechanisms at national level – rationale for involving NSOs • Ensurin that data collectors are abreast of the rapid evolution of IS applications and their integration in various socio-economic sectors

12. Main Challenges • Technical Assistance for stakeholders other than • Government agencies and private researchers: • More involvement of Academic and research institutions in this effort • Encourage CSOs in this area, particularly in working on indicators at the community levels • Greater involvement of private sector • Multi-stakeholder partnership in data collection @ the national level could be explored more

13. Main Challenges • Technical Assistance for cross sector utilisation of • data: • Provide data for various sectors of national economy such as banks, trade and financial institutions, etc • Better monitoring and evaluation of usage of data by different sectors and agencies

14. Thank-You ! http://www.uneca.org/aisi/ aisi@uneca.org