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