No subject

expected.  The key issue was that representatives of civil society
organizations alongside private sector entities are recognized as ‘Observers
’, and thereby do not have equal access, speaking, negotiating and/or voting
rights to the WSIS process and Summit. This greatly limits the participation
of civil society organizations in this process and is bound to influence the
outcomes.

Addis 2002:

In November 2002, more than 80 civil society organizations met in Addis
Ababa at a workshop on ICT policy and civil society organized by APC in
collaboration with UNECA and Article 19. Outcomes of the workshop included
an action plan on issues relevant to WSIS.  This meeting has lead to further
Africa civil society involvement in the WSIS process at national,
sub-regional, regional and global levels, including active participation in
PrepCom 2.

Details of the workshop can be found on the following website:
http://www.apc.org/english/rights/africa/workshop.shtml

PrepCom 2:

PrepCom 2 took place in Geneva from 17 to 28 February 2003. The Africa Civil
Society Caucus was represented by between 30 – 50 organizations. The caucus
met informally almost on a daily basis to ensure active participation in the
formal process as well as in the different informal meetings, activities and
events that were taking place.

The Africa civil society caucus made various submissions for input to the
draft declaration and action plan, as well as on issues regarding civil
society organizations involvement and participation in the process.

The Civil Society Bureau:

An interesting development during PrepCom 2 was for the formation of the
Civil Society Bureau (CSB). The stated purpose of the CSB is to facilitate
civil society organizations’ participation in the WSIS process and Summit.
The formation and functions of the CSB - which is seen in a similar
structure to the Governmental Bureau - was and continues to be a very
controversial issue.  The main concerns were centred around its operations,
representation and accountability. The CSB was 'formally' constituted at
PrepCom 2 and is now in operation comprising of about 25 representatives of
various thematic groups known as 'families'.

Full details of the CSB and its working mechanism can be found on the
following address:
http://www.geneva2003.org/wsis/index_c01_2_08.htm

Tasks done by the CSB during PrepCom 2 included:

§	Defining principles of modalities and participation of civil society
§	Establishing a finance task force to work on how funds allocated to civil
society for participation will be disbursed
§	Liaison with the civil society content and themes working group

It is important that Africa civil society representatives follow the
development of this bureau closely. Africa is represented in the CSB
regional thematic caucus ‘Africa’ family, and in a few of the thematic
focused families.

Africa Civil Society Bureau represented by:
Anais Network (Oliver Nana Nzepa [anais_ac at yahoo.fr]) and FEMNET (Alice
Munyua [munyua at femnet.or.ke])

The Africa Civil Society Caucus:

The Africa Civil Society Caucus of the WSIS was initiated through joint
efforts of civil society organisations present at PrepCom1. The aim of the
Caucus is to strengthen African civil society’s capacity to ensure that its
perspective on the information society are articulated in the WSIS process.

The Caucus has discussed the agenda and content and themes of the WSIS in
online discussions and at physical meetings wherever possible. Some of the
key areas of concern African civil society organizations identified were:
fostering an enabling environment for the development of an information
society freedom of expression, universal and affordable access, gender
equity, sustainable development, cultural and linguistic diversity,
democratic governance, capacity building and global social justice.

Open and inclusive platform:

The Caucus is an open platform and invites all individuals and organizations
in or with interest in Africa to participate online and at physical meetings
whenever possible. A steering committee was formed during PrepCom 2 of the
WSIS in Geneva in February 2003.

Make sure your voice is heard:

The Africa Civil Society Caucus is using an online forum, convened by the
steering committee content working group of the Africa Civil Society Caucus,
to prepare inputs for WSIS. Weekly summaries in English and French will be
available. (April 28 – to May 23).

You are all urged to join this forum and use it as a central civil society
space for talking about WSIS related issues.

To subscribe to this list please visit:
http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/africa

A website is currently under construction to enable access and sharing of
relevant documents and information during and after the forum.
http://www.wsis-cs.org/africa

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2. Training Course by APC and CTO Helps Civil Society Organisations
Understand how ICT Policy Decisions Can Affect Your Work
 “ICT Policy for Training for Civil Society in East Africa”
Kampala, Uganda, June 16-19, 2003

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC), with the support of
the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) is now preparing to
hold the second ‘ICT Policy training for civil Society’ in Kampala, Uganda,
starting on June 16.  Participants will come from civil society
organizations in East Africa. The objective of the course is to build the
capacity of CSOs to understand policy and regulation related to ICTs.

The training course is aimed at building the confidence of CSOs to engage
and influence relevant ICT policy processes at national, regional and global
levels. The course will be followed by a public meeting on ICT and
development on June 20.

An estimated 25 participants and facilitators, from countries such as
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda will attend.

This is the second 4 day course offered by APC to civil society groups. The
first was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in March 2003, and was attended
by Southern African CSOs.

Contact: Emmanuel Njenga [africa.rights at apc.org] or Milton Aineruhanga
[milton at wougnet.org] for more information about how your organization can
become involved.

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3. New African ICT policy reports available:

New research reports on the participation of civil society in national ICT
policy-making in Africa are now available on the APC Africa ICT Policy
Monitor Website:

Egypt:

Egypt’s CSO sector is active and far reaching, however despite the increase
in the number of users, and the fact that Internet policy and regulation is
becoming an issue, although only a tiny minority of activists work in this
area. Recent lobbying on the newest communication bill is an encouraging
sign that representatives of civil society are waking up to the fact that
civil society much stake a claim in ICT policy formulation processes.

This report describes ICT infrastructure, policy and regulatory developments
in Egypt, and notes the activities of civil society organizations -in
responding to ICT policies

http://africa.rights.apc.org/research_reports/egypt.pdf
Report by Leila Hassanin, ArabDev.

Benin:

With a current population of about six million people, Benin has a poorly
developed telecommunication infrastructure in spite of being connected to
the Internet since 1995. There are few civil society organizations and most
work primarily in "traditional" areas of health, education, human rights and
rural development. A few have recently began work in the area of ICTs.

This report examines ICT policy and regulation and the role of CSOs active
in this field. The report also describes the current state of the ICT sector
and the impact that this has on the work of CSOs. It concludes with some
recommendations on how CSOs can play an active role in the formulation and
regulation of ICT Policies.

Report by Ken Lohento, of Oridev
http://africa.rights.apc.org/research_reports/benin.pdf

Cameroon:

Cameroon has fewer than two hundred registered NGOs, and few of these
organizations are active in the ICTs sector. This situation is changing
rapidly mostly because of awareness-raising on the importance and role of
ICTs in development. The emergence of an information and communication
sector in Cameroon has brought forward various debates regarding the
formulation and strategies for the implementation of ICT policies.

This report describes a partnership building process between the Cameroonian
government, private sector and CSOs in an effort to build the ICT sector in
response to government’s perceived failure to do so.  The report covers the
context of the emerging information society in Cameroon and the inadequacy
of the current ICT policy framework. It emphasizes the role of civil society
in the formulation of national ICT policy and strategies and the creation of
an enabling environment for ICT sector growth. The report concludes with an
articulation of civil society’s capabilities in mobilization and intervening
in ICT issues in Cameroon.

Report by Olivier Nana Nzepa of Anais.Ac?
http://africa.rights.apc.org/research_reports/cameroon.pdf


The “ICT and Civil Society in Africa” reports were commissioned by APC to
explore the role of local civil society organisations (CSOs) in developing
and strengthening ICT policy-making at a national level in Africa. You can
read and download these and other country reports from the APC Africa ICT
Policy Monitor Website: http://africa.rights.apc.org

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4. New content on APC Africa ICT Policy monitor website:

The APC Africa ICT Policy Monitor Website has been updated with new content
reflecting ICT Policy news, documents and resources as well as alerts and
campaigns relevant for civil society organizations in Africa.

In this edition of “Chakula”, of note:

Djibouti’s National ICT strategy:
04/04/2003: United Nations Development Programme

President Ismaïl Omar Guellah of Djibouti is supporting a national strategy
to move the country, strategically located on the Horn of Africa at the
mouth of the Red Sea, into the digital age by 2010 to promote development
and reduce poverty.
http://www.undp.org/dpa/frontpagearchive/2003/april/4apr03/index.html


The Right to Communicate: Women in the Information Society
2003-03-01: CRIS

As part of the CRIS campaign, members are producing a series of papers for
the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) as
input to the WSIS. This paper by: Dafne Plou.

http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=4&subsection=2&doc=17

R63m African Connectivity Project Launched
04/22/2003: ITWeb

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC), funded by the Canadian
government, has launched a R63 million project aimed at improving access to
information and communications technology (ICT) in Africa.

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/telecoms/2003/0304220849.asp?O=E

Africa Launch of the Digital Diaspora Initiative
04/24/2003: Wougnet

Information and communications technologies (ICT 1) are becoming widely
accepted as integral means for transforming the path of development. As
envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the importance of
harnessing information and communication technologies for poverty
eradication cannot be overemphasized. Yet, as statistics describing the
growing digital divide demonstrate, women and girls are at particular risk
for exclusion from opportunities presented by ICT to secure better
livelihoods and other rights.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/UNIFEM/ddi_ug.html

The reality of e-commerce with developing countries
04/11/2003: IDS

Business-to-business e-commerce applications are being promoted as tools
that will enable producer firms in developing countries to reduce their
costs substantially, thereby easing their access to global markets.
Internet-based Business-to-business e-commerce, the argument goes, should
help producers in developing countries obtain better information on global
markets and give them direct access to new customers.

http://www.gapresearch.org/production/Report.pdf

E-Africa - Journal of Governance and Innovation
04/11/2003: Pambazuka News
e-Africa - Journal of Governance and Innovation will be launched on May 1 by
the South African Institute of International Affairs Johannesburg, South
Africa www.wits.ac.za/saiia ) . It will be a free e-publication to the
leaders of nations, policy makers, key business and NGO people, academics
and journalists across Africa.
http://www.pambazuka.org/newsletter.php?id=14403


APC-Africa-Women: Women's Electronic Network Training Workshop for Africa
(WENT-Africa 2003)
04/02/2003: APC-Africa-Women

Based on the successful WENT experiences in Asia co-organised by APC's
Women's Networking Support Programme, APC-Africa-Women offered a training
workshop which aims to build the capacities of women and their organisations
to utilise information and communication technologies in social development
work and policy advocacy from 29th March - 4th April 2003 in Cape Town,
South Africa.

http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=10230

THETHA - Cyberlaw and Internet Rights - May 22, 2003
05/08/2003, David Barnard: SANGONeT

The Southern African Non-Governmental Organisation Network SANGONeT) has
been providing networking, information and training services to Southern
African civil society organisations (CSOs) since its inception in 1987.

http://africa.rights.apc.org/news-content.shtml?x=11683


Many more news and documents available on the website:
http://africa.rights.apc.org/


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Chakula: Africa ICT Policy Monitor newsletter
Contact chakula at apc.org with questions, comments and contributions.

Chakula is produced by the Africa ICT Policy Monitor Project of the
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
http://africa.rights.apc.org

APC: http://www.apc.org

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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emmanuel Njenga Njuguna
Project Coordinator
AFRICA ICT POLICY MONITOR PROJECT
E-mail: njenga at apc.org or africa.rights at apc.org
URL: http://africa.rights.apc.org
Association for Progressive Communications
http://www.apc.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~