The latest (2006-2007) World Economic Forum Global Information Technology report shows that African countries are still lagging behind in terms of using opportunities offered by ICT for development and enhancing competitiveness.
A myriad of factors still affect the application of ICTs in Africa helping to widen the "digital divide" -- the gap between those who have access to ICTs and those who don't have at national, regional and global levels.
According to the new World Economic Forum Networked Readiness Index (2006-2007), Tunisia, ranked 35th globally, is the top African country in terms of ability to utilise opportunities offered by ICT for development and increasing competitiveness.
Tunisia has a rating of 4,24, followed by South Africa (ranked 47th globally) with 4,00 points, Mauritius (51), with 3,87, came third while Botswana (ranked 67th globally) was at number 4 in the African countries rankings list.
The WEF's Global Information Technology Report has been published annually since 2002.
It uses a Networked Readiness Index to measure the degree to which countries are able to take competitive advantage of their ICT resources.
The WEF says the NRI attempts to quantify each country's ICT capabilities across three dimensions: the readiness of governments, businesses, and individuals to effectively utilise ICT, the general ICT regulatory, business and infrastructure environment, and usage of available technology by the above-stated stakeholders.
Morocco, ranked 76th globally, is at position 5 in Africa with 3,45 points, Egypt (77), with 3,44, is at number six, Algeria (80) number 6 with 3,41 points while Namibia (85), which scored 3,28, is eighth in the continental ratings.
North African country Mauritania (87) is ninth with a score of 3,25, and Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria (88) with 3,23 points, is at number 10.
Zimbabwe, with a score of 2,60, is ranked 117 globally and is number 23 on the African list.
Globally, Europe is leading in the effective use of ICTs, according to the global WEF report.
Denmark, with a score of 5,71, and Sweden (5,66) top the list, while the United States, with 5,54, has slid all the way to seventh place after holding the top spot in 2005-06.
Denmark has been steadily climbing towards the number one slot and ICT experts credit government policy along with a good system of higher education that produces technology-savvy graduates.
"Nordic countries have shown how an early focus on education, innovation and promotion of ICT penetration and diffusion is a winning strategy for increased networked readiness and competitiveness," said WEF senior economist and report co-editor Irene Mia.
"Denmark, in particular, has benefited from very effective government e-leadership, reflected in early liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, a first-rate regulatory framework and large availability of e-government services."
"Much of the slip can be attributed to a relatively complex political and regulatory business environment," Soumitra Dutta, Dean of External Relations at INSEAD and another report co-editor, was quoted saying on the fall of the US in global ratings.
Dutta also said that the US is falling behind the curve when it comes to adopting emerging technologies.
He pointed out that the US is only ranked 48th when it comes to mobile subscribers.
Elsewhere, the biggest movers were the Netherlands, Sweden, and Mexico (at 49). Estonia tops Eastern Europe at position number 20, up from 23 in the last report.
In Latin America, the top countries were Chile (31, down from 29), Mexico (49, up from 55), and Brazil (53, down one position).
In Asia, China plummeted eight positions to 59 while India slid four places to 44.
According to the WEF's report, China's slide is due primarily to lack of innovation and the inefficient integration of ICT into value chains.
ICT experts say countries that are able to combine effective public policy with infrastructure improvements and technical know-how will continue to prosper according to the WEF's technology ratings.
However, Africa continues to face numerous challenges when it comes to utilising its ICT resources.
Some of the challenges identified by African ICT experts include:
- inadequate communications infrastructure;
- Lack of ICT facilities;
- Lack of ICT skills;
- Limited institutional arrangements;
- Inadequate financial resources;
- Limited public-private sector partnerships;
- Limited data management capacity;
- Poor bandwidth capacity nationally and internationally;
- Lack of political commitment; and
- Lack of school ICT development programmes.
There are numerous other constraints that include access to programming and cheap access to broadband capacity (either by satellite or fibre) and complications in accessing copyright programming.
But it's not all gloom and doom. It is encouraging that most African countries have developed their own ICT policies to support their national economic development thrusts.
New technologies are offering African people the opportunity for a wide range of media delivery - radio to mobiles, mobcasts, podcasts and new digital channels for both radio and television.
Africa has also registered a huge growth in mobile phone use, e-banking services and e-commerce despite the challenges.
There is great scope for expanding Africa's ICT sector if African governments remain committed to mainstreaming science and technology and ICTs, in particular into the continent's development agenda.
Africa Bole! Africa Can!
Autor(en)/Author(s): Sifelani Tsiko
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 13.08.2007
