Bridges.org partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in 2001-02 to hold a consultation among stakeholders on e-readiness issues, and draft a report that looked at how ready SADC countries are to adopt information communications technology (ICT) in terms of infrastructure, legal frameworks, and sectoral development.

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Table of contents

Message and Acknowledgements
Preface
Contents
Executive Summary
1 Introduction: The Promise of ICT for the Developing World

1.1 Roadmap to This Report

3.1 Overall Best Practice Recommendations

3.1.1 Policy Framework 3.1.2 Infrastructure
3.1.3 Ground-level Initiatives

3.2 Summary of Country Specific Recommendations

4.1 Overview of the Path towards e-Readiness
4.2 Best Practices for Achieving e-Readiness

Acknowledgements

In recognizing the spirit of partnership expressed by Minister Tomás Augusto Salomão of Mozambique, chairperson of the Southern African Transport and Communications Commission (SATCC), the World Economic Forum would like to express its gratitude for the invitation to join its multi-stakeholder platform to participate in this process. We are grateful for the leadership and management of our collaboration by Eric H. Msolomba, Director, SATCC, and his team in Maputo, Nitin Jaddoo, Information Technology Officer. Likewise, we acknowledge Evans Namanja, Chair, SADC e-Readiness Task Force in Malawi. Together, the SADC as coordinated and led by this team ensured a coordinated and consultative approach to address e-readiness.

We are grateful for the commitment of Ivy F. Matsepe-Casaburri, Minister of Communications of South Africa, on placing e-readiness as a priority both within South Africa and the region. Through his passion on e-readiness as a tool to enhance overall development efforts, we would like to recognize Andile Ngcaba, Director-General of the Ministry of Communications, South Africa for ensuring that e-readiness is always on the regional and national policy agendas. Likewise, we would like to thank Lyndall Shope-Mafole, Minister Plenipotentiary, Communications, and the International Section of the Ministry of Communications, South Africa, for the support and coordination of the e-readiness process in the SADC region. We would also like to thank the experts at African Connection for their tireless contribution in this consultation process.

We are grateful for the support and contribution of the Task Force and particularly the Steering Committee on Policies and Strategies. We would like to recognize the vision of AOL Time Warner and Flag Telecom, which together, led this committee.

We extend special thanks to Teresa Peters, Executive Director, and Ewan McPhie, Policy Director, at bridges.org for coordinating the consultation process on behalf of the Steering Committee and preparing this report in a short time frame. Bridges.org is an international non-profit organization combining ground-level ICT initiatives with ICT policy to help span the digital divide. We appreciate the friendship and partnership of bridges.org in our SADC-World Economic Forum consultation process.

Finally, we would like to recognize Accenture, AOL Time Warner and the AOL Time Warner Foundation, MIH GROUP and Vivendi Universal for making the SADC-World Economic Forum consultation process and this report possible by contributing resources, support and expertise.

We look forward to working with you in 2002.
The Global Digital Divide Initiative
Geneva, 2002