| The 1960's witnessed the advent of | | | | distribution for better planning • |
| information technology in Ethiopia, when the | | | | Enhanced national cohesion and integration of |
| mainframe computers were introduced for the | | | | heterogeneous social composition or |
| first time in Africa. Despite being installed | | | | geographical dispersal Core ICT Application |
| in the important sectors of military, | | | | Areas for Development in Ethiopia To attain |
| defense, finance, telecom, electricity & | | | | the benefits mentioned above, Ethiopia should |
| power, and railways, the mainframes had no | | | | define areas of outmost strategic importance |
| interactive boundaries within the sector. | | | | that should be put in place for continued |
| Later, microcomputers spread widely in the | | | | economic development. This would include |
| country either by direct purchase or through | | | | those areas that: • Promote food |
| donor development aid. Like its predecessor, | | | | security (food chain information systems, |
| the initial use of microcomputers was | | | | agricultural information systems and |
| characterized by inadequate literacy and | | | | networks, etc.) • Help in overall |
| patchy understanding of the technology by | | | | poverty reduction enhancing quality and |
| potential users. A centralized approach to | | | | quantity of education and health (basic |
| building information and communication | | | | education and health care information |
| technologies in Ethiopia was first proposed | | | | systems, telemedicine and healthcare |
| by donor agencies such as UNESCO and IDRC as | | | | networks) • Build the necessary human |
| soon as microcomputers were introduced to the | | | | capital (school, university and research |
| county. In 1986 national computing and | | | | networks) • Facilitate general economic |
| information center was also established. | | | | activity (statistical information systems, |
| However, the intended goals were not realized | | | | geographic information systems, judicial and |
| by the centre due to high control by the | | | | administration systems such as inland |
| military government of the time, inadequate | | | | revenue, municipalities activities, land |
| resources, high turnover, shortage of skilled | | | | registry information systems and networks) |
| manpower and insufficient knowledge of | | | | • Improve financial market and the |
| information technology by decision makers. | | | | development of private sector (property, land |
| After the change of government in 1991 the | | | | and business registry systems and networks, |
| efforts were resumed with regard to promoting | | | | payment clearance and financial institutions |
| the awareness and growth of computers. A | | | | oversight systems); • Improve trade and |
| survey carried out in response to a study on | | | | global competitiveness (trade information |
| national informatics policy in Ethiopia in | | | | systems, customs and clearance systems, |
| 1993 covering 81 major institutions reports | | | | business promotion information systems and |
| 1550 microcomputers, 38 mini computers and 8 | | | | networks) • Improve the delivery of |
| mainframe computers. 25% of these machines | | | | infrastructure and social services |
| were owned by international organizations and | | | | (transport, communication, utilities |
| aid agencies. By the end of 1998, extensive | | | | management information systems and networks) |
| growth in computers in business, academic | | | | • Support the management of |
| institutions and households were seen raising | | | | macroeconomic planning and project |
| the figure to an estimated 15,000 | | | | implementation at national level (planning, |
| microcomputers. Awareness of the effect of | | | | budgeting, monitoring, tax administration, |
| information technology has been growing among | | | | expenditure management system both at |
| users in the field of research, those working | | | | national and federal states level). • |
| for international organizations and those in | | | | Assist in the preservation of the environment |
| business. All of which has encouraged the IT | | | | (regional planning, environment monitoring, |
| sector in the country - proliferation of | | | | early warning information systems, etc.) |
| private companies that provide value added | | | | • Encourage the tourism sector |
| services in information technology, training | | | | (promotional and cultural information |
| centers and the establishment of a computer | | | | systems) and • Provide conditions for |
| science unit at Addis Ababa University, | | | | popular participation (community centers, |
| efforts towards standardizing Ethiopic | | | | information systems between various regions). |
| software, etc. Public access links were | | | | Recommendations Ethiopia should develop a |
| introduced in 1990 and the first Internet | | | | National Information Infrastructure (NII) |
| connection was established by the Ethiopian | | | | plan that covers the above mentioned areas of |
| Telecommunications Corporations (ETC) in | | | | strategic information systems and networks |
| October 1996 with a T1 connection to the | | | | backed by efficient telecommunication |
| United States. Currently there are over 2500 | | | | networks and people that implement it. The |
| Internet users but the quality of service | | | | NII plan should encompass connectivity (built |
| leaves much to be desired. Recent move of the | | | | on robust and low cost technology), content |
| government towards increasing the bandwidth | | | | (mainly strategic information systems), |
| to 1Mb line, privatization of energy and | | | | infrastructure (human, energy, |
| telecommunication sector could open further | | | | telecommunications, and social) and enabling |
| opportunities for growth in information and | | | | policy for private sector investment and |
| communication sector. However, surveys show | | | | participation. Ethiopia should not leave ICT |
| as much as 83% of the capacity of a PC is | | | | as sector for commercial interest or free |
| often underutilized and the quality of | | | | market and privatization as such but rather |
| services offered is often poor. Challenges to | | | | regard them as part of the general public |
| the Growth of Information Technology in | | | | interest, participation, use and debate. With |
| Ethiopia Full adaptation of the technology | | | | the growing population pressures, the policy |
| has been difficult due to: § Lack of | | | | on rural economic development requires |
| national guidelines and consistent | | | | considerable investment and attention to ICT |
| information and communication policy § | | | | to achieve sustainable growth in the long |
| Lack of academic institutions that act as | | | | term. The application of information and |
| sources of well-grounded study in information | | | | communication technology does not just |
| technology § Non-existent computer | | | | encompass technology - hardware, radios, |
| literacy in primary and secondary education | | | | computers, telephones and software and the |
| § A weak education infrastructure § | | | | content or data, but also needs organization, |
| Shortage of skilled human resources and | | | | incentives, procedures and people The ability |
| computing infrastructure colleges and | | | | to participate in information and |
| universities § The School of Information | | | | communication technologies requires |
| Studies for Africa (SISA) that was to become | | | | participation, partnership, understanding of |
| a center of excellence in new techniques of | | | | social implication of new technologies and |
| information systems development for Africa | | | | management of changes at national level. |
| has limited intake of students - degrees for | | | | Furthermore, democratization of access to ICT |
| less than fifteen African students per- due | | | | to the 90 percent of rural and sub-urban |
| to its heavy reliance on donor funding and | | | | disadvantaged communities is also crucial. |
| lack of vision. § Shortage of programmers | | | | But it requires considerable resources. Some |
| in custom and new systems development § | | | | of the key steps for democratization of |
| Poor quality of internet services § A | | | | access to ICT that remain as a principle to |
| restrictive information seeking culture § | | | | Acacia initiative and crucial for Ethiopia |
| Limited access to software and training | | | | include: • Promoting applications and |
| materials § Diverse local languages, | | | | services that respond to communities' needs |
| scripts and dialects in Ethiopia - user | | | | (e.g. enhancing the delivery of education, |
| friendly interface in the local languages for | | | | distribution of health and agricultural |
| on-line connectivity is needed in promoting | | | | information, and other applications) • |
| information sharing and developing a | | | | Fostering it and telecom policies which are |
| successful national network in Ethiopia The | | | | hospitable to ICT access in rural and small |
| Role of International Organizations and | | | | town communities (e.g. changes in pricing |
| Development Aid Agencies The international | | | | policies, regulatory frameworks, the delivery |
| organizations and aid agencies have played a | | | | of public information, and promotion of |
| significant role in information technology | | | | universal service/universal access); • |
| diffusion in the country. Their existence has | | | | Supporting human capacity and innovative |
| helped create opportunities for | | | | infrastructure that extends communication |
| demonstrations of key information technology, | | | | networks to rural and small town communities |
| transfer of ideas, sponsoring structural | | | | (e.g. radio, satellite, cellular |
| development projects and a potential market | | | | phone-computer linkages); • Encouraging |
| segment for emerging small and medium | | | | the development of tools and technologies |
| enterprises in the field. The number of | | | | that facilitate ICT use by the marginalized |
| international organizations recognizing the | | | | groups including the disabled and illiterate |
| importance of information technology for the | | | | (e.g. graphic, touch-screen or language |
| development of local capacity has been | | | | interfaces); and, • Developing, |
| increasing. Potential Benefits of Information | | | | organizing and dissemination of content in |
| Technology in Ethiopia • Efficient | | | | structured and non-structured format through |
| communications for manufacturing, service and | | | | a variety of media to be accessed and |
| tourism sector • Fast response to | | | | advanced by communities. Besides meeting the |
| natural disasters and effective rural health | | | | general needs of the rural areas the National |
| and family planning services • | | | | Information Infrastructure should take |
| Effective governance and administrative | | | | overall national strategy for development |
| effectiveness • Efficient education, | | | | into consideration. The NII plan should also |
| research and communication of research | | | | be built on existent tools and infrastructure |
| results • Access to global market and | | | | that underpin the current economic activity |
| research information • Employment | | | | and new tools and technologies that must be |
| opportunities for small and medium | | | | put in place to sustain emerging economic |
| enterprises • Effective and enhanced | | | | activity. |
| data and information gathering and | | | | |