Background
Thetha Project Background
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) highlight poverty as one of the key challenges facing the global community. In the Southern African region, an increasing number of people are living in adverse poverty. While this situation is not unique to Southern Africa, a number of factors play a significant role in this regard, including alarming HIV/AIDS infection rates and high unemployment.
It is generally acknowledged that ICTs have a crucial role to play in the fight against poverty. The positive impact of ICTs on socio-economic development has been witnessed in various parts of the world, and increasingly in developing countries. ICTs offer opportunities for the developing world to leapfrog stages of development and embark on new directions towards meeting social needs and enhancing countries’ competitiveness.
However, although there has been an increase in the use of ICTs in the region, their impact on poverty eradication policies and strategies still require much attention.
The current and future capacity of Southern African countries to facilitate and sustain access to ICTs for their citizens is an important regional development priority. Central to the ICT4D prospects of Southern Africa, and a key issue that will influence future economic growth and prosperity in the region, is the role of the telecommunication industry, infrastructure and policies. Southern Africa continues to experience significant growth in its telecommunication sector. Over the past few years the mobile industry has grown exponentially, covering areas which were previously unreachable by fixed telephone lines.
Despite these developments, telecommunication costs in Southern Africa remain among the highest in the world. Critical questions that require attention include:
However, the current status quo in the region illustrates the failure of ICT policy and investment interventions in creating an enabling environment necessary for long-term socio-economic growth and a comprehensive response to specific development priorities such as education, healthcare, the fight against HIV/AIDS, gender equality and employment creation.
Although various local and international roleplayers are involved in efforts to strengthen the role and impact of ICTs in support of the regional development process, very few opportunities are available to compare and review different ICT policy initiatives and interventions, learn from these experiences, and build the capacity of various stakeholders to influence and engage with these issues in a more meaningful manner.
Given the outcomes of the first regional Thetha project, through in-country research interventions, public consultations, Thetha forums and cross-country analysis, the Phase Two project provides an important regional platform in support of developing a comprehensive understanding of the specific ICT priorities and developments which will inform the ICT4D process in the Southern African region in the next ten years. The research results and outcomes of the Thetha forums will be widely publicised to create public awareness, develop local capacity to inform future ICT and related policies, and stimulate new ICT investment and development interventions.
It is generally acknowledged that ICTs have a crucial role to play in the fight against poverty. The positive impact of ICTs on socio-economic development has been witnessed in various parts of the world, and increasingly in developing countries. ICTs offer opportunities for the developing world to leapfrog stages of development and embark on new directions towards meeting social needs and enhancing countries’ competitiveness.
However, although there has been an increase in the use of ICTs in the region, their impact on poverty eradication policies and strategies still require much attention.
The current and future capacity of Southern African countries to facilitate and sustain access to ICTs for their citizens is an important regional development priority. Central to the ICT4D prospects of Southern Africa, and a key issue that will influence future economic growth and prosperity in the region, is the role of the telecommunication industry, infrastructure and policies. Southern Africa continues to experience significant growth in its telecommunication sector. Over the past few years the mobile industry has grown exponentially, covering areas which were previously unreachable by fixed telephone lines.
Despite these developments, telecommunication costs in Southern Africa remain among the highest in the world. Critical questions that require attention include:
- What impact does the high cost of telecommunication have on the social and economic situation of ordinary citizens in the region;
- Have the interventions introduced to transform the telecommunication environment in Southern Africa been effective;
- What are the long-term implications of this situation on future socio-economic development and poverty eradication strategies?
However, the current status quo in the region illustrates the failure of ICT policy and investment interventions in creating an enabling environment necessary for long-term socio-economic growth and a comprehensive response to specific development priorities such as education, healthcare, the fight against HIV/AIDS, gender equality and employment creation.
Although various local and international roleplayers are involved in efforts to strengthen the role and impact of ICTs in support of the regional development process, very few opportunities are available to compare and review different ICT policy initiatives and interventions, learn from these experiences, and build the capacity of various stakeholders to influence and engage with these issues in a more meaningful manner.
Given the outcomes of the first regional Thetha project, through in-country research interventions, public consultations, Thetha forums and cross-country analysis, the Phase Two project provides an important regional platform in support of developing a comprehensive understanding of the specific ICT priorities and developments which will inform the ICT4D process in the Southern African region in the next ten years. The research results and outcomes of the Thetha forums will be widely publicised to create public awareness, develop local capacity to inform future ICT and related policies, and stimulate new ICT investment and development interventions.
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