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What is international ICT policy? Who are African stakeholders?
Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
Extracted from the CIPESA International ICT Policy Commentary Series Volume 1, Commentary 1
February 25, 2005

[NOTE: This commentary is part of the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), a programme of bridges.org. This is one of a series intended to spark thinking and dialogue on important issues in the field. These short informative pieces give an overview of an international ICT policy issue relevant to African stakeholders, and stir discussion by presenting strong views and provocative questions. Readers are encouraged to respond to the points raised, via email or in the "comments" box under each commentary on the CIPESA website at www.cipesa.org/AfricansCareAboutICTPolicy.]

Why International policy is important
The ability to make an international telephone call or send a letter across the world is the direct result of long-established international agreements that set out rules for telephone traffic and postal systems. Since the end of World War II, international cooperation has played an increasingly important role in setting global rules for trade, dispute resolution, and technical compatibility. Globalisation is viewed by many as a threat to national identity, culture, and indigenous business. Yet more effective international cooperation may be the only hope for addressing the most critical problems the world faces today, including massive poverty, environmental degradation, and health crises. And these issues are inextricably tied up with socio-economic development on one level, and national security on another. The result is interdependence of national economies, and interconnectedness of national and international policy-making processes. All of this makes international policy more important than ever before.

International ICT policy basics
"International ICT policy" includes a wide range of agreements, white papers, strategies, and other forms of government plans that frame legislation, regulations, or government actions, which govern or affect the use and usefulness of information and communications technology (ICT) in the short and long-term. For example, ICT policy takes shape at the international level in treaties on telecommunications or trade practices, and model laws on e-commerce or electronic signatures. It sets out rules for Internet governance, as well as technical standards that allow Internet infrastructure to connect seamlessly. At the regional level it is seen in cross-border affairs, like Internet exchange point negotiations, technology trade and investment cooperation, or consortium bids to roll out Internet backbone infrastructure.

Developing countries are affected by ICT policy linked to donor aid, such as World Bank deliberations on ICT infrastructure investment. And they are affected by US and European-led policy processes that will have an eventual impact for them, such as the Council of Europe Cyberlaw Treaty, software patent discussions, or deliberations on national environmental legislation mandating life-cycle responsibility for computer purchases.

Identifying African stakeholders
Any African that wants to make a phone call or log onto the Internet has a stake in the way in which these resources are managed, regulated and run. But the reason Africans should care about ICT policy extends beyond that. ICT offers tremendous potential to empower Africans to overcome development obstacles; to address the most important social problems they face; and to strengthen communities, democratic institutions, a free press, and local economies. All individuals or organisations that want to put ICT to use for the benefit of citizens, constituents, customers and employees in Africa are stakeholders who should care about how international ICT policy affects the continent.

Institutional processes ICT
Policy-making processes play out in various institutions at international, regional (and sometimes national) levels. Traditional international treaty organisations like the ITU*, UNCITRAL*, and WTO* organise negotiations among government representatives through formal procedures, usually in international capitals like Geneva, Paris, or New York (and often behind closed doors). New kinds of policy-making institutions have emerged as part of the Internet age –- such as ICANN*, the regional Internet registries, the IETF*, and the W3C* –- which have open, community-based, consensus-driven decision-making processes. (*See below for a description of acronyms used here.)

Effective participation requires far more than showing up for meetings. By the time an issue reaches the agendas of international meetings, it has been discussed by numerous stakeholders in various national and regional fora. Identifying issues as they stand within national and regional contexts, setting agendas, negotiating with other stakeholders and implementing and evaluating policy programmes and action plans are all important aspects of effective participation in international ICT policy.

But most international ICT policy-making processes are difficult to penetrate. Participation in traditional treaty organisations often means navigating a maze of bureaucracy and requires extended commitments to stick with slow processes. New institutions operate at lightning speeds in ways that demand participants to have deep knowledge of the technologies and their policy implications. In these environments, African stakeholders face tremendous disadvantages.

African participation
Sometimes African representatives are ill-prepared for international ICT policy deliberations. For example, busy government officials responsible for a broad portfolio can be out-manoeuvred by high-level specialists representing the world's richest countries. In many cases African stakeholders are left out of ICT policy discussions that affect them, simply because they do not now how to get involved. Most African stakeholders lack the knowledge, funding, and institutional capacity to participate on an equal basis with those from the developed world. Moreover, African participants at international meetings are fewer in number, and are consequently often overwhelmed with the demands of representing entire regions, building local stakeholder communities, keeping up with the latest developments, providing substantive input and commentary, and, usually, earning a living elsewhere at the same time.

Ineffective participation in international policy-making processes ultimately has serious implications for whether and how ICT can be used to improve people's lives and reduce poverty in the places that need it the most. In many cases, important policy decisions regarding the rollout, access to and use of ICT in Africa are being made without the input of the stakeholders on the continent. Improving the participation of African countries in these international processes will only be achieved through improved coordination and a reduction in duplication of effort, the availability of more relevant information for African decision-makers, and a greater role for African stakeholders.

We want to know what you think!
Broader debate and coordination are needed for improved participation by African stakeholders in international ICT policy. CIPESA has launched a discussion forum that aims to achieve just this. Please let us know what you think about the following questions:

• Do you think international ICT policy is important for Africa?
• Are you an African stakeholder in international ICT policy-making?
• What do you think are the most pressing international ICT policy issues facing Africa?
• Why do you care?
• Why should other Africans care?
• Is it worth it for Africans to participate in international ICT policy processes?
• What is needed for African stakeholders to participate more effectively?

Please share your views with us via email to cipesa@bridges.org or post them in the "comments" box under this commentary on the CIPESA website at www.cipesa.org/AfricansCareAboutICTPolicy. (Email responses will be posted to the website too.)

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