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