[GKD] World Bank Webcast on Designing and Implementing e-Government

[Oleg Petrov]

WORLD BANK'S E-GOVERNMENT PRACTICE

invites you to a training workshop via live webcast

Designing and Implementing e-Government: Key Issues, Best Practices and
Lessons Learned?

Tuesday, April 26, 2005, 8:45 am - 4:45 pm (EST)
Wednesday, April 27, 2005, 8:45 am - 4:45 pm (EST)

Room MC C2-131, 1818 H Street NW Washington DC

Participating by videoconference: World Bank Country Offices in
Azerbaijan, Ghana and Rwanda

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

E-Government is a comprehensive approach to leveraging Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) for public sector modernization and
private sector competitiveness. In addition to the technology
components, successful implementation of e-government requires a
complementary set of government process changes to induce governance
that is more client-oriented, transparent, effective, efficient, and
empowering. It could establish a new way of doing the business of
government with a more integrated delivery of information, services and
processes.

Many World Bank client countries are in the process of designing and
implementing e-government strategies, programs and projects. There is a
growing demand for World Bank assistance in this area both in terms of
knowledge and financial support. Many countries have already requested
Bank support and several projects are under preparation or
implementation (e.g. in Sri Lanka, India, Romania, Ukraine, Tunisia,
Ghana, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ethiopia et al). Learning about best
practices and lessons learned from early implementers may help avoid
common pitfalls and maximize returns on investment.

The purpose of this training workshop is to empower Bank staff and
clients with knowledge, tools and operational recommendations to 
design and implement comprehensive e-government strategies, 
programs, projects and increase effectiveness of traditional Bank
projects in various sectors through the use of ICT. The discussion will
start with a comprehensive overview of the e-government framework and 
enabling environment on the first day and move towards detailed
discussion of implementation issues, emerging trends and applications
on the second day with a strong focus on good practices and lessons
learned in the context of mainstreaming e-government in World Bank
Operations. Therefore, the workshop will provide both macro- and
micro-views on e-government.

Featuring:

Albert Kan-Dapaah, Ghana ICT Minister, Ministry of ICT Ghana (via
videoconference)
Ali Abbasov, Minister of ICT of Azerbaijan, Ministry of ICT Azerbaijan
(via videoconference)
Sam Pitroda, Former Adviser to Prime Minister of India  (via
videoconference)
Mark Forman, former Administrator, Office of E-Government and IT, USA
(via videoconference)
Mart Laar, former Estonian Prime Minister  (via videoconference)
Jeongwon Yoon, Director, National Computerization Agency
Ake Gronlund, Swedish e-Government Expert
Subhash Bhatnagar, Professor, IIM Ahmedabad

and many World Bank experts:

Arleen Seed, Senior Information Officer, ISGIF  (via videoconference)
Bruno Lanvin, Senior Adviser, E-Strategies, CITPO
Carlos Braga, Senior Adviser, PRMTR
Charles Watt, Senior ICT Policy Specialist, CITPO
Deepak Bhatia, Manager, ISG e-Government Practice, ISGIF
Eduardo Talero, Senior Consultant, E-Government, E- Procurement, ISGIF
Fernando Rojas, Lead Public Sector Management, LCSPS
Greg R. Georgeff, Corporate Chief Information Officer, Government of
Ontario
Hamid R. Alavi, Senior Private Sector Development Spec., MNSIF
Mark Dutz, Sr Private Sector Development Spec., SASFP
Mohamed Muhsin, ISG VP and CIO, ISGVP
Navin Girishankar, Senior Public Sector Specialist, AFTPR
Pierre Guislain , Manager, CITPO
Ramesh Siva, Lead Information Officer, ISGIF
Randeep Sudan, Senior ICT Policy Specialist, CITPO
Robert Schware, Lead Informatics Specialist, CITPO & Co-Chair,
e-Development TG Robert Valantin, Lead Information Officer, ISGIF &
Co-Chair, e-Development Thematic Group
Roberto Panzardi, Senior Public Sector Management Specialist, LCSPS
Samina Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, infoDev
Sanjay Pradhan, Sector Director, PRMPS
Sudhakar Kaveeshwar, Program Manager, ISGIF
Tenzin Dolma Norbhu, Senior ICT Policy Specialist, CITPO
Waleed Haider Malik, Lead Public Sector Management, LCSPS

To watch the live webcast click here:

http://webcast-ext.worldbank.org/streaming/live.ram

Tip: The live stream is only to be viewed with Real Player (RealOne or
the latest RealPlayer10 that can be downloaded for free at
http://www.real.com). We will encode at both 56K for low bandwidth
connections and at 150K for higher bandwidth connections .

For more information or to register in the webcast please email
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or visit:  or





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[GKD] APC Launches New Gender and ICT Policy Portal

[Katerina Fialova]

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The APC Women's Networking Support Programme is proud to announce the
launch of our new Gender and ICT Policy Monitor, GenderIT.org.
GenderIT.org is a practical tool for women's organisations and
policy-makers so that ICT policy meets women needs and does not infringe
on their rights. We hope that GenderIT.org will help to promote the need
for gender advocacy in ICT policy as well as the "how to" of pushing for
policy change. As a clearing house on gender and ICT policy issues,
GenderIT.org is an open platform for ANY gender and ICT advocate to
publish her/his resources and papers, and to register in the 'Who's who
in policy' directory of key actors.

***We are looking forward to your FEEDBACK, and CONTRIBUTIONS at
www.genderit.org!***

Please help us to circulate the attached press release (in Spanish, and
English) as widely as possible.

Find out more:
[English]http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=91258
[Spanish]http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=91260
Visit the site: http://www.genderit.org/

Katerina Fialova,
Gender and ICT Policy Monitor Project Manager
---


**PLEASE DISSEMINATE WIDELY**
**Apologies for cross-postings**

==
PRESS RELEASE, April 11 2005:
NEW GENDER AND ICT POLICY WEBSITE HELPS WOMEN MAKE ICT POLICY A PRIORITY

==
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Gender and technology activists, the APC WNSP,
have launched GenderIT.org, a new information and communications
technology (ICT) policy portal for women and policy-makers.

ICT policy is not just about legislation of infrastructure and
operators. Good ICT policy can promote economic empowerment. It can
counter the negative uses of ICTs, such as trafficking of women.
GenderIT.org promotes the need for gender advocacy in ICT policy as well
as the "how to" of pushing for policy change.

With the growth of infrastructure and access, ICTs are beginning to
permeate even the most isolated regions. Access or lack of access to a
medium that in some places has become a principal means of expression,
economic survival, and decision-making is vital for women. Kofi Annan,
Secretary General of the United Nations, has observed that: "There is no
tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women."
However, the gender implications of ICT policy are seldom taken into
consideration.

The Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking
Support Programme (APC WNSP) developed GenderIT.org to broaden awareness
of gender and ICTs and to offer a practical tool for ICT advocates,
especially women's organisations and movements to ensure that ICT policy
meets their needs and does not infringe on their rights.

"ICTs can assist in bringing food to the table or in promoting a
reproductive rights agenda," says Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng of the ISIS -
Women's International Cross-Cultural Exchange in Uganda and a member of
the APC WNSP's worldwide network.


What does GenderIT.org feature?

The issues: GenderIT.org spell outs technology policy issues and
implications so that women's activists can clearly see the links to
their work in the defence of women's human rights.

Worldwide perspective: GenderIT.org offers special focus on Africa,
Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Regular news
features come from GenderIT.org's policy-writers living in those regions.

Events and Who's Who in Policy?: GenderIT.org presents the main actors
and arenas for ICT policy from the global level right down to the
national scene.

Resources and articles: GenderIT.org links local to global, to ensure
that activists at home can take advantage of advances in international
policy instruments and processes. It highlights local and regional ICT
policy examples and implications.

Policy-makers' section: GenderIT.org provides orientation for policy
makers too on how to draft gender-sensitive national ICT plans.

Anti-jargon: GenderIT.org demystifies ICT policy and technical language.

As a clearing-house for all resources, papers, and articles on gender
and ICT policy issues, GenderIT.org helps gender and ICT advocates keep
informed on pressing ICT policy issues and frameworks being planned
nationally, regionally and globally.


Who's using GenderIT.org?

GenderIT.org is an open platform for ANY gender and ICT advocate to
publish her/his work. It brings together diverse actors to build
partnerships and alliances.

"The Monitor project is a critical and unique tool to build our
technological literacy so that staff and partners have easy access to
resources that help us to understand the issues related to access,
content and policy," comments Deputy Director Joanne Sandler at the
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). "This is important
for ongoing work to support women's rights organising and particularly
timely in the lead up to the World Summit on the Information Soci

Re: [GKD] RFI: ICT Demand Patterns in Africa

[Barbara Fillip]

Hi Peter,

On the DOT-COM Alliance site, you will find a recent assessment report
for the Community Learning and Information Centers (CLICs) in Mali. This
is a USAID-funded project implemented by dot-ORG which includes 13
CLICs. The report includes some interesting data about demand in the
shape of the revenue share of specific services. The report does look
at the issue from the point of view of the access providers and in the
context of the access providers' efforts to supply services that are in
demand and that can help them become sustainable. I hope it helps in
some way!

See:



Best,


Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Communication Specialist
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003



On 4/18/2005, Peter Baldwin wrote:


> ...The reason for this posting is to request information on examples
> anywhere in Africa of sustainable and potentially scalable applications
> of ICT in the realm of local governance, education, health care, mobile
> banking, or private enterprise. I am preparing a report for infoDev
> which will examine up to five case studies in order to assess demand
> patterns for ICT in as-yet-unserved areas. This report will focus not so
> much on access providers as what people and companies are doing with
> that access. If you know of examples in any of these areas that you
> think provide particularly insightful information, please share them!




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[GKD] A Crack in the SAT-3/SAFE Monopoly Pricing?

[Ken DiPietro]

Dear Colleagues,

It appears that the cartel is starting to fall apart. This could be
excellent news for the spread of ICT and Telecommunications throughout
Africa.

Let's hope.

Respectfully,

Ken DiPietro
New-ISP
NextGenCommunications

***

NITELNET, the Internet arm of the National Carrier has concluded plans
to launch its wholesale internet service next week. Nitelnet wholesale
internet service would sell bandwidth on wholesale basis to Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), Private Telecom Operators (PTOs) and
Application Service providers at discounted rates designed for volume
customers.

But even before it launches the service, NITEL has clinched a deal with
a consortium of bandwidth users led by Kemson Concepts Limited.
KemsSAT-3 Wholesale Internet Services is a set of Internet connectivity
services that will enable Internet Service Providers (ISP's),
Application Service Providers (ASP's) and IP Carriers working with
Kemson to have access to NITEL's SAT-3 IP carriage capacity throughout
Nigeria to provide broadband internet service to Providers, Resellers
and User members of the community.

The special advantage for the members of the consortium is that they
would benefit from special volume discounts that NITEL gives to volume
buyers even though their individual monthly consumption could be small.

Describing how it would work, Benjamin Aduli MD/CEO of Kemson Concept
says that the consortium would aggregate the purchase of Bandwidth from
Nitel SAT-3 and get the Bandwidth at a cheaper cost to each individual
member of the consortium.

That way, if 4 members of the consortium consume 4MB in month one, the
cost per MB for each member will be $5,688.00. However if by month two
10 members of the consortium consumes 16 MB, the cost per MB for each
member will be $4,345.00 thereby saving each member the sum of $1,343.00
per MB consumed. As the consortium membership grows, so the volume of
consumption and the higher the savings made for each member.

Foundation members of the KemSat3 consortium include Chams Limited,
National eGovernment Strategies (NeGST) Ltd, VGC Communication Limited,
XS Broadband, PAC Solicitors and Vital Telecoms Limited.

Messrs VGC Communications and XS Broadband are expected to provide the
last mile service, which guarantees connection from the Nitel IP Gateway
in Lagos to members of the consortium. VGC will provide DSL data
costumer premises equipment that will be connected via copper to VGCCL
data network switches to Kemson Gateways in Lagos, Abuja and Port
Harcourt and then connected via the SAT-3 cable to the worldwide
Internet. XS Broadband would however use a Wireless Access Solution of
3.5 GH to deliver to the consortium members.

Nitel IP Gateway is connected via the SAT-3 cable to the worldwide
internet and gives connectivity to the Lagos Internet Exchange that will
be established in the nearest future. For this service a dedicated
connection to the Internet is delivered at the Nitel IP gateway located
at Necom House in Lagos. The wholesale service customer can be connected
either at the Nitel IP Gateway or at the customer's location by using an
additional Leased Line service from Nitel.

NITEL Wholesale Internet Service is sure to have a strong competition
from Globacom which said last week that it would soon complete work on
its undersea cable to the UK and the laying of optic fibre cable across
different parts of the country including Lagos. It is expected that
Globacom would come up with pricing which would put the bandwidth market
on edge. Globacom says it would deliver bandwidth to the doorsteps of
its customers in different parts of the country.


The article can be found here:





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