Civil Society, ICTs & Governance in Africa. October 2002.

ECA recently organized an e-forum on E-governance in Africa. The 8 weeks
discussion considered a number of issues, including the context of e-governance,
challenges and opportunities, best practices, e-readiness and strategies. The
outcomes of the forum are expected to provide valuable input to the next African
Development Forum on governance.

Due to the overwelming success of the initiative, and in collaboration with the
Association of Progressive Communication (APC), ECA is following up on this
discussion by examining the contribution of African civil society groups to the
emergence of Information Society.

The capacity for participating in all aspects of civil society have been made
possible due to the use of ICTs, and the view that the Information Society will
offer a new arena for public opinion formationa and expression is fast becoming
a reality. Civil society groups have already been benefiting from electronic
communication for advocacy/lobbying through which they can participate in
decision-making processes as well as supporting community development
initiatives.

Whilst there is a widespread recognition that civil society groups have been at
the forefront in advancing ICT applications in various sectors, for the purposes
of this discussion we will confine issues to civil society within the context
of ICTs and governance.

It is expected that the discussions will feed into forthcoming events being
planned by APC as well as ECA such as conference on Civil Society and ICTs in
Africa (November 2002); Committee on Development Information (CODI/2003); and
the African Development Forum (ADF). Furthermore, the discussions will also
form the basis for articulating civil society views in the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) in 2003 and 2005.

Consequently this forum being held from 1-30 October hopes to discuss the role
of civil society in promoting the use of ICTs to strengthen and stimulate
participatory approaches to governance in Africa.

The discussion on e-governance alluded to the fact that ICTs have the potential
to promote Open Government. The idea is to focus the discussion on civil society
and ICT governance in Africa reflecting on:

a) Week One: policy and decision-making, identifying factors that encourage
civil society participation in ICT policy making. For instance, in order to
improve democracy and empower people, the physical ICT infrastructure should be
in place and afffordable. How can civil society promote and advance such goals
in their respective countries with respect to policy and its implementation?

b) Week Two: Factors inhibiting civil society to operate in the policy arena.
Are civil society groups necessarily pursuing these goals in partaking directly
or indirectly in ICT policy-making within countries? If not, what are the
inhibiting factors? What is needed to get them involved at this level?

c) Week Three: ICTs as tools for better governance with practical examples of
how this is being done throughout the continent. Examples will help crystallize
ideas and suggestions for recommendations. There is very little information or
evidence of the use and promotion of ICTs by civil society groups in the
democratisation and governance process. How do we get more voices heard on this
issue from the grassroots? Are there any models?

d) Week Four: recommendations.