Title: ‘Clean, Green and Mobile; Making Technology Work for the Poor’
Source: www.infodev.org
Publisher: The World Bank
Date (published): 11/06/2010
Date (accessed): 13/06/2010
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
infoDev held its Annual Symposium this week, on 9 June, 2010 in Washington DC. An invited audience of stakeholders from leading experts and practitioners in information and innovation for development, donor agencies, partner organizations, foundations, and World Bank and IFC colleagues attended the event themed ‘Clean, Green and Mobile; Making Technology Work for the Poor’.

Title: Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation
Publisher: World Bank
Date (published): 12/11/2009
Date (accessed): 16/11/2009
Type of information: website and many documents
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML and pdfs)
Abstract:
The World Bank just announced in its study, Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation, that the poor state of infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa—its electricity, water, roads and information and communications technology (ICT)—cuts national economic growth by two percentage points every year and reduces productivity by as much as 40 percent. The study team conducted an in-depth assessment of the state of infrastructure in 24 countries across the continent...Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation highlights the results of the Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD), a study conducted by a partnership of institutions including the African Union Commission, African Development Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, and the World Bank.

The study is one of the most detailed ever undertaken on the African continent. Surveys were conducted among 16 rail operators, 20 road entities, 30 power utilities, 30 ports, 60 airports, 80 water utilities, and over 100 ICT operators, as well as the relevant ministries in 24 countries. The results were derived from detailed analysis of spending needs (based on country-level microeconomic models), fiscal costs (which involved collecting and analysis of new data) and sector performance benchmarks (covering operational and financial aspects as well as the country’s institutional framework).

See also:
Half of Africa's improved growth from ICT
Business Report

Title: The impact of the crisis on ICTs and their role in the recovery
Authors: OECD
Pages: 57 pp.
Source: Workshop: Policy Coherence in the Application of Information and Communication Technologies for Development, Paris, France /10-11 September 2009
Publisher: OECD
Date (published): August 2009
Date (accessed): 11/10/2009
Type of information: background paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:...
ICT policies need re-examination and refinement in the crisis and recovery. In recent years these policies have been increasingly integrated into broader strategies to use ICTs, the Internet and other networks to achieve growth, employment and wider socio-economic objectives. These objectives include addressing national challenges (e.g. social cohesion, ageing societies, national security) and global ones (e.g. climate change, energy-efficiency, global health), and using e-government to make the delivery of such services more efficient. The crisis and launching of economic recovery measures are a propitious time to re-evaluate these policies.
Economic stimulus packages to address the economic crisis affect the ICT sector directly and indirectly. The immediate aim of these packages has been to restore the health of the banking sector and stimulate demand in the short-term; re-financing banks, injecting cash into the economy and protecting jobs. These measures may help counteract downward pressures on the ICT sector and sustain the diffusion of ICTs. Most governments also plan to foster growth through long-term investments which have potentially providing an anti-cyclical stimulus on the supply-side. In many cases these long-term plans are directly related to the ICT sector or ICT applications, including “smart” applications in urban systems, transport systems, electricity distribution, etc. The question is how current ICT policies should be maintained or rethought in the context of the economic crisis and what is the appropriate balance between continuity in proven ICT policies and change in the form of ad hoc crisis measures.

Title: $215 Million Central Africa Backbone Program Will Bring Low Cost, High Speed Internet to the Region
Source: The World Bank Group
Date (published): 06/10/2009
Date (accessed): 09/10/2009
Type of information: news release
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
GENEVA, October 6, 2009 – Today the Executive Board of Directors of the World Bank Group has announced its endorsement of the $215 million, ten-year Central African Backbone Program (CAB Program). This program will support the countries of the Central African region in developing their high-speed telecommunications backbone infrastructure to increase the availability of high-speed Internet and reduce end-user prices. The CAB Program will also help countries harmonize the laws and regulations that govern the ICT sector to increase private sector investment and improve competition.

Title: How the developing world may participate in the global Internet Economy: Innovation driven by competition
Author: Rohan Samarajiva
Pages: 37 pp.
Source: Workshop on “Policy coherence in the application of information and communication technologies for development"
Publisher: OECD, World Bank
Date (published): 02/09/2009
Date (accessed): 05/10/2009
Type of information: conference paper, draft
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
This report demonstrates that voice connectivity was achieved for a majority of the world’s people, including substantial numbers of the poor, because governments removed or lowered barriers to participation in the supply of telecom services and created conditions somewhat conducive to competition, even if less than perfect.

Table of contents
Executive summary
1.0 Foundation of the global Internet Economy: Electronic connectivity
2.0 How was this foundation laid?
3.0 Lessons from the mobile success story for broadband
4.0 Internet/telecom access and wealth creation through service industries
5.0 Policy and regulation conducive to the Internet Economy
6.0 Conclusion

Report for Joint Workshop on “Policy coherence in the application of information and communication technologies for development,” organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Information for Development Program (infoDev), World Bank, 10-11 September 2009, Paris, France

Title: World Bank Board Approves US$ 151 Million to Extend Affordable Communications Services to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania
Source: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank
Date published: 25/06/2009
Date accessed: 03/07/2009
Type of information: news release
Language: English
On-line access: Yes (HTML)
Abstract:
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$151 million to extend access to affordable communications services to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. This is the third phase of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) – a US$424 million regional program that will increase the availability of reliable communications services for citizens, businesses and governments in Eastern and Southern Africa. Under RCIP 3, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania will receive US$20 million, US$31 million and US$100 million respectively.

Title: Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact
Author:
Pages: pp.
ISBN:
Publisher: World Bank
Date published: 30/06/2009
Date accessed: 20/06/2009
Type of information: research publication
Language: English
On-line access: partially, some chapters in pdf
Abstract:
...takes an in-depth look at how ICT, and particularly broadband and mobile, are impacting economic growth in developing countries. The data section includes at-a-glance tables for 150 economies of the latest available data on ICT sector performance. Performance measures for access, affordability and applications in government and business are also introduced.

CHAPTERS

Select chapters will be available for download in PDF format after June 30.You can purchase the full report from World Bank Publications website.

* Table of Contents PDF (443Kb)

Part I

* Chapter 1: Overview PDF (550Kb) Available June 30, 2009 in English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, and French
* Chapter 2: Nothing Endures but Change: Thinking Strategically about ICT Convergence
* Chapter 3: Economic Impacts of Broadband
* Chapter 4: Advancing the Development of Backbone Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa
* Chapter 5: How Do Manual and E-Government Services Compare? Experiences from India PDF (550Kb) Available June 30, 2009
* Chapter 6: National E-Government Institutions: Functions,Models, and Trends
* Chapter 7: Realizing the Opportunities Presented by the Global Trade in IT-Based Services

Part II

* Trends Analysis PDF (511Kb) Available June 30, 2009
* ICT Performance Measures: Methodology and Findings
o ICT Performance Measure Table
* User's Guide to ICT At-a-Glance Country Tables
* At-a-Glance Country Tables
* Key ICT Indicators for Other Economies, 2007

See also: Data, key findings, methodology