Dear GKD members, I would like to share with you a report we recently prepared on the National Symposium on ICTs and Information Gateways for Zambia. Best regards, Mwala Secretary, Copperbelt University Library Seminars and Research Committee Jambo Drive, Riverside Box 21692, KITWE ZAMBIA Tel/Fax: 260-2-223972 (The Librarian) Cell: 260-96-903744 (Organizing Committee Secretary) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________ SUMMARY REPORT ON NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ICTs AND INFORMATION GATEWAYS FOR ZAMBIA APRIL 24 - 26, 2001 KITWE, ZAMBIA Date: May 18, 2001 SUMMARY OF THE REPORT Godfrey L. Mbewe, Chairperson Mwala K Sheba, Secretary 1.0 Symposium Objectives The aims and objectives of the symposium were as follows: * To Develop and provide specialised information Services that will enhance socio - economic development and Community participation in Zambia. * Identify institutions that are willing to help create an Information Gateway for Zambia. * Identify information resources that could easily be shared through the Gateway. * Agree on mode of collaboration * Adopt a standardized information management system 2.0 Summary of the Proceedings The symposium noted that Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) were identified to have a significant role in the socio-economic development of any nation and could be an effective tool in poverty alleviation. It was evident that ICTs cut across all sectors that could benefit from the utilization of such ICTs. These sectors are: Health, Manufacturing, Education, Agriculture, Commerce, Tourism and other socio-economic sectors, like good governance. However, it was noted that for ICTs to play an effective role, it required strong government interventions in terms of creating an enabling environment for the flourishing of ICTs in the country. The Symposium observed that Government's role was important in the areas of regulation, infrastructure building and licensing. Further observed that, Zambia had moved a step ahead with the establishment of the Communications Authority that is responsible for Regulatory and Licensing activities. 3.0 Existing Constraints The symposium observed that currently there were a number of hindrances in the development and expansion of ICTs and ICT connectivity in the country. These were: * High prices and tariffs in Telecommunications services and Internet Access at the moment. * Lack of coordinated efforts in the establishment of information Gateways leading to duplication of efforts. It was established that three Ministries in Zambia were currently vying to spearhead the ICT drive and each had their own defined objectives. These Ministries were: Science, Technology and Vocational Training; Communications and Transport; Information and Broadcasting Services. * Lack of government's involvement in the development strategies of ICTs. This was coupled by lack of finances, legal barriers, and inappropriate infrastructures. * Lack of coordination and collaboration within sectors with similar objectives. * Low computer penetration * Obsolete copyright laws * Poor national infrastructure * Urban-rural dichotomy * Lack of skilled human resources. Most institutions lacked appropriate personnel with appropriate skills for the ICT crusade. * Lack of a National IT Coordination Centre 4.0 Benefits of Using ICTs The Symposium noted that there were many benefits to be derived from proper utilization of ICTs. ICTs guaranteed fast access to information resources globally. It enhanced resource sharing through networking, collaboration and coordination amongst information professionals, stakeholders and other special interest groups, regardless of where they were located. 5.0 Symposium Resolutions The Resolutions of the symposium were as follows: 5.1 Resolved to set up a National Steering Committee (Champions), comprising of the following institutions and organizations: * Communications Authority (ICT Regulator) * Zambia Telecommunications Company (Internet Service Provider & Infrastructure back-bone) * National Assembly of Zambia (Legislator) * Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (Ministry charged with Task of spearheading ICT in the Country) * Non Governmental Coordinating Committee (NGO-CC) representing the Civil Society) * Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) Representing the Media Fraternity) * Zambia Library Association (for content standardization) * The University of Zambia Library * the Copperbelt University Library (Champions for the Gateway in Zambia.) 5.2 Resolved that the Steering Committee should develop Content covering the following areas in the initial stages: * Agriculture * Health * Education (distance Education) * E- governance * Human Rights * E- commerce * Research and Development * Science and Technology 5.3 That Government should be lobbied to relax tax (on ICTs related equipment and accessories) and instead introduce tax rebates in order to encourage a large participation and creation of an enabling environment for the flourishing and promotion of ICTs in the Country. 5.4 Government should be lobbied to clearly identify one ministry within the existing three Ministries currently involved in ICTs to champion the overall development of ICTs in the country. 5.5 That CBU Library staff in conjunction with the Steering Committee draft a Project Proposal for the Country Gateway. 5.6 Encourage the Cooperation and collaboration between the National Information Coordinating Task Force (Policy) and National Gateway (Content) in order to harmonize policy and content. 5.7 Agreed to consider two options to develop our proposed Gateway: the Sabinet line in South Africa or the Namibian Gateway proposal with the World Bank. It was finally decided that the Namibian example be adopted because the country had no capacity to develop an information network service on the South African Model. 5.8 That Political awareness by requesting political Parties state their vision in their respective Manifestoes and the promotion of ICT debates in both electronic and Print media. 5.9 To encouraged stake holders to embark on ICTs use and expansion, especially in the rural areas in order to curb the urban - rural information gap. 6. Recommendations The Symposium came up with the following recommendations: 6.1 Unanimously recommended that a National ICTs Coordinating Centre be established. It was acknowledged that Zambia was in her early stages of developing a National Information and Communication Policy. In order to avoid duplication and ensure proper utilization of scarce resources, it was strongly recommended that a National IT Coordinating Centre be established. The need to build efforts and learn from others in order to mould a shared national vision for the future development of ICTs in the country was clearly recognized. 6.2 The Copperbelt University Library be initially selected as the National Coordinating Centre. This was in recognition of the pioneering role played by the institution in organizing the ICTs national symposium. 6.3 That the National Gateway Project be initially started on a small scale pilot project. The project could easily be monitored by looking at its Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities ahead. 6.4 We should use the Namibian model of establishing a national gateway, and learn from experiences from other countries such as Kenya and others that have initiated and put tangible ICT in place. 6.5 In order for the National Gateway to have meaning and relevance, its character must be national and as such, local content must be the optimum goal in the design. The strength and survival of the project lied in the collaboration among all stakeholders. It was therefore recommended that champions within the stakeholders should be identified to play the role of pace setters for others. 6.6 The symposium resolved to respond to the call by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services' invitation to have an input as stakeholders on the draft National Information Policy Bill. In order for the proposed Gateway to be meaningful it must be supported by a policy that identified and responded to the needs of stakeholders. Acknowledgements The Symposium Organisers would like to acknowledge support rendered by various institutions and individuals during the preparations of the symposium. We would like to thank our donors: the World Bank through (InfoDev); USAID; United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) AND Unesco Regional Office for Africa Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for financial Support. We would like to thank the World Bank for hosting our web page and for accepting to host the papers presented at this Symposium. We would like to specially acknowledge support rendered by Mrs. Louise Chamberlain and Ms. Pamela Street of the World Bank in Washington D.C. We sincerely thank them for personal efforts they made to see to it that material on the web site were regularly updated. We acknowledge the presence of the former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Hon. Newstead L. Zimba who enthusiastically accepted our invitation to open the symposium. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the Minister gave participants an assurance that political will was there to spear head the ICT crusade in the country. We gratefully acknowledge the moral and financial support rendered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor of the Copperbelt University and in particular Dr. John Lungu for hosting a Cocktail for Symposium participants. We further acknowledge the presence of donor representatives at the symposium Mr. Fred Mungandi (USAID); Mr. Ernest Matongo (World Bank); Mr. Gunther Cyranek (Unesco) and Dr. Robert Okello (UNECA); who were with us for the 3 days of the symposium. Finally, we would like to thank all stakeholders who responded and participated in this symposium and our resource persons from within and outside the country. We hope that the suggestions contained herein will be acted upon by all concerned parties; Government and all stake holders in the country. ------------ ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.globalknowledge.org>
