African delegation of 47 participates in the 2007 CePRC e-Government Study Program and GTEC

The Canadian e-Policy Resource Center (CePRC) hosted 47 African delegates from 21 countries* to a 3rd annual CePRC e-Government Study Program and the Government Technology Exhibition Conference - GTEC (www.gtec.ca) held in Ottawa, October 15-19, 2007. The Study Program is intended to complement and strengthen the ongoing e-policy development efforts of African countries by enabling key African policy makers to participate in this valuable networking and knowledge sharing medium. Equally advantageous, GTEC, which precedes the program, centers on innovation and advancements in governments' use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

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CePRC e-Government Study Program 2007 Delegation

The African delegation consisted of senior policy makers, ICT specialists and regulators, representing four African geographic regions. This demonstrates commitment of African governments to acquire the knowledge needed to better use ICTs in realizing their social and economic goals. Delegates exchanged knowledge and shared ideas with other international delegates and their Canadian counterparts at this unique networking opportunity. This is particularly valuable, as delegates noted, in fostering greater South-South cooperation, through which African countries can identify similar challenges and discover solutions to overcome them.

Through numerous GTEC presentations on the use of ICTs in the public sector, African participants increased their knowledge of ways to improve service delivery through the management of information and technology. In order to maximize the learning component of its study program, CePRC collaborated with Algonquin College (www.algonquincollege.com) and CGI (www.cgi.com), to provide participants with an opportunity to observe ICTs in action. Both Algonquin College and the CGI hosted the African delegation, significantly complementing the theoretical part of their learning experience. The Algonquin College tour featured a presentation on online learning, a demonstration of OR programming via videoconferencing, a demonstration of a health emergency scenario and tour of the simulation centre.

Delegation at Algonquin College

Delegates found both site visits useful and instructive in broadening their horizons in the ICT application sector. Furthermore, a visit to CGI - a leading IT and business process services provider - was particularly interesting in highlighting the "value of private-public partnership and how best to make it a tool for public service delivery", as a delegate from Kenya noted. Another significant outcome of this year's Study Program was the development of a Regional ICT Needs Assessment through the collaborative work of the delegates. Recognizing the ability of ICTs to transcend national boundaries, delegates worked together to identify regional needs, as opposed to focusing on specific country challenges. Completing the task allowed participants to learn more about the state of ICTs in neighboring countries, opening doors for future South-South collaborations and partnerships.

The CePRC e-Government Study Program is strategically designed to greatly contribute to Africa's quest of further capitalizing on the benefits offered by ICTs. Described by one of the delegates as a "good ground for gathering lessons learned", the visit to Canada and participation in the Study Program were hailed by delegates as highly effective in supplementing Africa's efforts to create enabling ICT environments through development of effective e-policies and strategies. This kind of empowerment is essential as it stimulates greater deployment of ICTs on the continent, which are increasingly recognized as a powerful enabler in improving socio-economic conditions and promoting good governance.

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