Transcript Towards a national ICT Strategy

Towards a National ICT
Strategy
Mike Eldon
Chairman, KEPSA ICT Board/KIF
Governor, KEPSA
The story so far

NIC 2020
– No mention of ICT at all.
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PRSP
– Separate ICT SWG. Others ignore ICT.
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NDP
– No one noticed any of it.
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ERS
– Acknowledged lack of ICT focus, resources...
Kenya ICT Policy
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2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
None
PRSP
None
ERS (brief bullets)
At last, we hope… and
an e-Gov strategy already
Necessary, but not sufficient
Those wonderful Rwandese
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2001: WSIS-compliant, ECA-enabled 2001-5
ICT policy and plan approved by cabinet
Now implementing: learning from doing
President as champion
Rwanda IT Authority (RITA)
Presidential ICT adviser
Government retreat to harmonise ICT
priorities and resources
Dec 2004: All senior civil servants to be IT
literate and connected… or ‘they won’t be there’
and…
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Full telcom liberalisation (VSAT*, VOIP)
 Universal service fund
 Unified utilities regulator
 All ICT products zero tax rated
*Any ISP can have a VSAT
international gateway
ie, they have…
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a policy
 a plan
 a champion
 a home
 resources
… and they’re moving
Private sector and others filling the vacuum
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CSK, TESPOK, ITSA, KIS, ISACA,
CCOAK, KISE, E-Commerce Association
 NSE, KEPSA, ICT Board/KIF
Not to mention:
 Civil society
 Research and academic institutions
 Development partners
KIF Vision and Mission
Vision
To achieve a high quality of life
for Kenyans, and national competitiveness,
by stimulating effective ICT policy,
strategy and usage
Mission
To partner with other stakeholders in advising and
influencing government to develop & implement
an effective national ICT strategy
KIF’s horizontal partnerships
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Sister KEPSA Boards
Civil Society
Research & academic institutions
Government
Development partners
International
AITEC
Inclusive
Vertical integration
KEPSA
KIF
Constituent Associations
Support & Escalation
NOT duplication or competition
Bottom up strategy
from sectors:
the KIF/IDRC programme
Outputs
 ICT committees for KEPSA Sector Boards
 ICT sector strategies
 Proof of concept project proposals
Awareness and Empowerment
Mobilisation and support
Integration and Synergy
Motivation and Enthusiasm
KIF also worries about...
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Cost-justified budget/MTEF proposals
 Infrastructure
 Standards and syllabi
 e-Commerce
 ICT export services
 Office equipment
Other KIF values
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Focus on reducing the digital divide,
on wealth creation, on competitiveness...
and hence on poverty reduction
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Learning by doing
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Results and impact
Relating to government

Ups and downs
 Yearning for earlier, deeper
more sustained engagement
Roles as defined in draft
National ICT Policy
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Government
– Enabling policies, conducive to
private sector investment
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Development partners
– Build capacity, in collaboration with GoK
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Civil society
– Inform policy making (access, learning,
poverty, governance)
…and
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Consumers
– Participate in development, application, setting
standards; ensuring consumer protection
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Regulator
–
–
–
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Issue licences
Tariffs, interconnections
Standards
Frequency management; numbering;.ke domain
… and the private sector
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Investors, operators, service providers
– Develop an efficient ICT sector
– Commercial integrity
– Strong corporate governance
– High quality standards
– Participate in provision of universal access
Stern parent - Naughty child
Bottom line
Government: makes policy
Operators: operate!
What about
Public Private
Partnerships???
Parent - Child
to
Adult - Adult
The way ahead

ICT Sector Working Group
 Ministerial e-Government Committees
 National Economic and Social Council, &
Sector Economic and Social Councils
 National ICT Advisory Council… or
‘Presidential Commission on Information Society
and Development’
Where does the private sector fit in?
Composition of proposed
Presidential Commission
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11 Permanent Secretaries
 CEOs of major ICT companies
 NGO representatives
 Other relevant individuals
KEPSA / KIF / Professional Associations?
Public / Private proportion? Chair?
Current policy issues

Properly define economic impact of ICT
 Next stage of telcom/Internet liberalisation
 e-Commerce masterplan/legislation
 e-Government
 Human resource development
– work force of today
– work force of tomorrow
From policy to strategy
Policy:
Vision, principles and guidelines
Strategy:
Implementation plan who’s got to do what by when;
benefits and cost
Strategy priorities
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National champion; e-envoy
 High-level, one-stop government home
 Human and financial resources
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Legislation and regulation
 Liberalisation and privatisation
 Proof of concept projects
Operationalising strategy
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Mobilising/integrating the partners
 Think tank for issue management
 Project facilitation
 Performance management (M&E)
 Strategy reviews/updates
 Capacity building
 Resource mobilisation
ICT - still a minority sport
We need all the help
we can get