[kictanet] Day 7 of 10:-IGF Discussion, Economic Issues

Tue Aug 19 11:22:19 EAT 2008

/FYI


--- On Tue, 8/19/08, Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
> Subject: Fwd: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance Forum(IGF) Discussion, Economic Issues
> To: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
> Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 1:19 AM
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Crystal Watley Foshee
> <crystal at voicesofafrica.org>
> Date: Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance
> Forum(IGF)
> Discussion, Economic Issues
> To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
> 
> 
> Alex,
> 
> I have just a few words on e-commerce and online
> government. First,
> e-commerce. The laws and licensing are important to
> internet
> consumers, but not more so than the other import/ export
> laws
> governing the country. When I think of the consumers in
> this case I
> would like to think of those who would consume if they had
> the
> opportunity. In many villages there are income generation
> projects
> that would benefit from being able to market their wares on
> the global
> stage. The issue is access.
> 
> This takes me to the second point of e-government. First,
> the reality
> on the ground is that it is almost impossible to get a list
> of the
> NGOs and CBOs working in various locations of the country
> from the
> government offices. This is because they have one computer
> and no one
> on staff who knows how to use it. This is the computer
> literacy within
> the lower branches of the government. So who is the
> e-government
> targeting? Is it the wananachi? In the States I used
> e-government to
> do everything. Rarely did I visit government offices. Here
> it is the
> only available option and it takes days, weeks, or months
> to get any
> information.
> 
> What we are doing now on the ground is getting into
> communities and
> assessing their information needs. The biggest problem we
> are facing
> is lack of consumer access. People lack the funds to be
> able to access
> the computers, the training, and even more so the internet,
> when and
> where it is available.  Voices of Africa has become a legal
> NGO and we
> are building our research capacity. Something at that EAC
> Harmonization conference struck me. 90% of all internet
> users are in
> Mombasa and Nairobi, right? I have spent much time writing
> and
> studying the rural areas, but it dawned on me that the
> people who
> should have high rates of access in these areas have almost
> none. Thus
> I am in Likoni, a 'slum' of Mombasa directly across
> from the port. I
> am doing a needs assessment to compare to Western province.
> Here in
> Likoni there is no cybercafe. Few of the organizations have
> internet
> access and none of them offer it to the community.
> 
> We both know the power of information. These people have
> such limited
> access, yet somehow most of the bandwidth is being pulled
> here. So I
> thought it would be interesting in light of the submarine
> cables
> coming DIRECTLY into the beach to do a needs assessment
> before and
> after and see what kind of equipment we can use to prepare
> the
> community. It will make a nice case study.
> 
> To plainly answer your question there are many who would be
> consumers
> if they had access. When we are talking about consumers
> needs a
> priority should be placed on the potential for increasing
> the demand
> for internet and other ICT services. In Kenya we need to
> invest in
> using ICT to raise the standards of living so the consumers
> have more
> ability to consume. (Please remember that for most in Kenya
> that may
> mean extra skuma for the kids.)
> 
> The Likoni survey is attached. Results to follow next
> month.
> 
> Many blessings,
> 
> Crystal
> 
> On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 1:09 AM, Alex Gakuru
> <gakuru at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Greetings,
> >
> > Simultaneous Internet Governance discussions are
> taking place in
> > Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi inline
> with one EA
> > Community. Later, an EA IG Forum will be held in one
> of the countries
> > to articulate priority Internet Governance issues for
> the community.
> > This will be the position presented at the  3rd United
> Nations
> > Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be held in
> Hyderabad, India from
> > 3-6 December 2008 at the Hyderabad international
> Convention Center
> > (HICC). (see venue picture here:
> >
> <http://ipjustice.org/wp/campaigns/igf/igf-2008-hyderabad/>)
> >
> > An ongoing IGF discussion on kictanet mailing list
> mentions you - the
> > consumer and in adding your voice onto the
> conversation, could I
> > request that you raise pressing issues whether
> mentioned on Mwende's
> > below email or not.
> >
> > Yes, we have always known too well that official
> consumer protection
> > failed a long time ago. Consumer empowerment to
> face-off aggressive
> > and evasive service providers, ever  re-inventing
> "new" services
> > mostly costing an arm and a leg, is what we need and
> ICT knowledge is
> > the starting point - therefore, recognise CCK's
> sharing new Consumer
> > Eduction Programs we were invited to a few months ago.
> >
> > But in view of the backlog of unattended issues, what
> else needs to be
> > done for the consumer to assert their voice in the ICT
> marketplace?
> >
> > You may opt to raise them online or send me an
> off-list message. I
> > could frame the issue in the IGF context in our
> response to today's
> > topic.
> >
> > View this is an opportunity for your opinion - the
> consumer - to reach
> > the highest levels at the United Nations;)
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> >
> > Alex
> >
> > --- On Mon, 8/18/08, mwende njiraini
> <mwende.njiraini at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > From: mwende njiraini
> <mwende.njiraini at gmail.com>
> > > Subject: [kictanet] Day 7 of 10:-IGF Discussion,
> Economic Issues
> > > To: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
> > > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> > > Date: Monday, August 18, 2008, 10:21 PM
> > > Morning!!
> > >
> > > Thank you all for your contribution to various
> aspects of
> > > internet
> > > governance.  Today we start our discussions on
> economic
> > > issues.  The
> > > internet is increasingly playing a critical role
> in
> > > economic development
> > > specifically in facilitating international trade.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The economic issues therefore basically relate to
> the
> > > framework that makes
> > > e-commerce possible. The participation of
> developing
> > > countries in e-commerce
> > > is limited by the lack the appropriate
> legislation,
> > > authentication
> > > technologies and electronic payment methods.  The
> main
> > > limitation however is
> > > the lack of appropriate legislation that is
> essential in
> > > the protection of
> > > consumers in relation to confidentiality,
> misleading
> > > advertising and
> > > delivery of faulty products.
> > >
> > >
> > > In your view, who should be responsible for
> protection of
> > > the consumer in
> > > light of the fact that the national legislation
> may be
> > > faced with the
> > > limitation of jurisdiction?  Given that mobile
> services are
> > > available to the
> > > majority, should developing countries concentrate
> their
> > > efforts in enabling
> > > m-commerce to overcome the challenges of
> e-commerce?  What
> > > private sector
> > > initiatives are there in e-commerce particularly
> in
> > > e-Payments?
> > >
> > > Looking forward to hearing from you.
> > >
> > > Kind regards
> > > Mwende
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Disclaimer: These comments are the author's
> own
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> > >
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> > >
> > > This message was sent to: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
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> > >
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> > _______________________________________________
> > ke-internetusers mailing list
> > ke-internetusers at bdix.net
> > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Crystal "Naliaka" Watley
> Voices of Africa
> Mbambe Rural Resource Management Programme
> crystal at voicesofafrica.org
> http://www.voicesofafrica.org/
> http://www.mbamberuralresources.org/
> 
> "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi


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