Parliamentarians as publicly elected officials and lawmakers of countries can play a significant role in building the Information Society in Africa. However, not many parliamentarians are fully aware of the issues and implications of the Information Society in their countries, hence not able to actively participate in national debates on e-strategies and translating citizens’ needs into policies. more...

Programme [Format: ] [Lang: English]

9:00 - 9:45

Session I: Opening session

Chair: Ms. Cecilia Matanga, SADC PF Secretariat

• Arrival of Honorable MPs and other dignitaries
• Welcoming remarks : Mr. Sizo Mhlanga, ECA, Ethiopia
• Welcoming remarks : Hon Dr Willibord Slaa MP, Tanzania : Member of ICT Portfolio SADC Parliamentary Forum
• Opening Remarks : Ms Bookie Kethusegile-Juru, Assistant Secretary General/ Director PLC- SADC Parliamentary Forum
• Key Note Address: Hon Lutero Simango, MP Mozambique: Chairperson: Inter Parliamentary and Capacity Building Committee: SADC Parliamentary Forum

This session will focus on the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in accelerating growth and promoting sustainable development leading to the eradication of poverty towards the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s). The African Information Society Initiative (AISI), an action framework to bridge the digital divide and speed the continent's entry into the information and knowledge global economy will be outlined. AISI also represents a regional framework to support the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Plan of Action. The global platform for developing a common vision and an understanding of the Information Society and charting a way forward, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) will also be highlighted.

Chair: Hon Ronald Ridge, MP Botswana

Presentations:

• ECA work programme, implementing the AISI at national level and regional level – National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) process, and NICI status in Africa in general and SADC, in particular. Sizo D. Mhlanga, ECA [Format: ] [Lang: English]
• The Parliament Information System and involving Parliaments and MP’s in building the Information Society; Thierry Amoussougbo, ECA [Format: ] [Lang: English]

10:45 - 11:15

Coffee Break

Session III: Understanding the SADC ICT Legislative Environment

The session will review the SADC Protocol on Information, Sport and Culture and Declaration on ICTs and examine the provisions for setting up the legislative environment for ICT and ICT policy development. What does it mean as a framework governing ICT development; what are the key areas covered by the Protocol and how are these impacting on ICT policies at national level?

Chair: Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo- ECA, Ethiopia

Presentations:

• Review of the SADC Protocol on Information, Sport and Culture and Declaration on ICTs and associated provisions on ICT policy development and feedback from the SADC ICT Ministers Meeting 2006. – Robin Unuth / Cecilia Mamelodi SADC Secretariat- Botswana [Format: ] [Lang: English]
• Modalities of moving towards harmonized model ICT legislation responsive to the dynamic growth of the ICT sector. ICT policy formulation process and best practice from the region or beyond. Antony Mugeere CIPESA

Discussions on Sessions II and III

12:30 - 14:00

Lunch

Session IV: Enabling environment - Information for all

This session will discuss the main requirements for establishing an enabling environment for the attainment of Information for all, including the legal and regulatory mechanisms, appropriate policies and strategies for universal access. The session will also examine the role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians in facilitating the establishment of an enabling policy and regulatory environment supporting the use of ICTs in underserved communities at affordable cost and look at possible Financing mechanisms and emerging technological and Information Society issues.

Chair: Mr. Luke Wasonga, UNDP Regional Service Centre for East and Southern Africa

Presentations:

• Emerging issues:
  • Information Society issues: IPR, E-security and the role of MP’s; - Thierry Amoussougbo, ECA, Ethiopia [Format: ] [Lang: English]
  • Technological issues: Mobile – 3G, wireless; IP Telephony (VOIP - Voice over IP); FOSS; new ICT developments etc- Perspectives from Private Sector- GIJIMA AST, South Africa, Perspectives from Non Profit Organisation, Muroro Dziruni Connect Africa [Format: ] [Lang: English]
  • Infrastructure issues: The Eassy project, The NEPAD Protocol ICT Infrastructure – Antony Mugeere CIPESA, Cecilia Mamelodi SADC Secretariat Botswana , Dr Edward Katiki NEPAD E-Commission
    

Session V: Institutionalising ICTs

This session will focus on strategies for ensuring that ICTs are “mainstreamed’ into the agenda of Parliament, looking particularly into the importance of ICT Committees and their mandates and strategic positioning of ICTs in parliaments. The information needs for Parliamentarians. As publicly elected officials and lawmakers of the country, the Parliamentarians leadership role to ensure sufficient budget, vote the Information Society adequate law and foster the enabling environment for harnessing ICT for socio-economic development will be explored. What should Parliamentarians be lobbying and negotiating for? Charting the road map for MP involvement in regional Information Society issues.

Chair: Mr. Sizo Mhlanga, ECA, Ethiopia

• MP’s role in the Information Society: "Framework for ICT Initiative for Parliamentarians”- Luke Wasonga UNDP Regional Service Centre for East and Southern Africa [Format: ] [Lang: English]
• Case studies:
  • The role of Parliamentary ICT Committees – Hon Edward Baliddawa Chairperson ICT Committee Uganda Parliament
  • ICT and the Knowledge Technology – Luke Wasonga : UNDP Regional Service Centre for East and Southern Africa [Format: ] [Lang: English]

10:45 – 11:15

Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:30

Group activity on the way forward: (Facilitator)

Facilitators: Hon Ronald Ridge, Bostwana, MP and Muroro Dziruni, Connect Africa

• Developing the Parliament Information System policy and strategies

• Establish within the Parliament a mechanism to promote the Parliament involvement in building an inclusive Information Society within the SADC region

• Developing a national and regional Plan of Action

12:30 – 14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 16:00

Group activity (ctd)

9:00 - 10:45

ICT4-D - Constituency Based ICT initiatives

The session will focus on ICT 4-D and why it’s important for Parliament and Parliamentarians to be involved in developing ICTs with a particular focus on ICT based Constituency initiatives as a way of providing information knowledge and establishing ICT based enterprises

Chair: Hon Mrs Bedwantee Juggo, Mauritius

Presentations

• The Concept of ICT4-D and why it’s important for Parliament and Parliamentarians to start looking at ICT as a development issue. Role of legislation in ICT4-D - Muroro Dziruni – Connect Africa [Format: ] [Lang: English]
• Overview and success stories of ICT for development projects and programmes within SADC Region - Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Luke Wasonga : UNDP Regional Service Centre for East and Southern Africa
• The importance of ICT Based Constituency initiatives as a way of providing access to information and knowledge and ICT based enterprises. The role of Parliaments in creating an enabling environment that support the functional use of ICTs in underserved communities at low cost and wider access. Dylan Kasonde IT Officer: Zambia Parliament [Format: ] [Lang: English]

10:45 - 11:15

Coffee Break

11:15 - 12:30

Action Planning – Towards Constituency inclusion (facilitator)

Group Activity

12:30 - 14:00

Lunch

Afternoon Plenary Session - Networking and any other business

Departure