[kictanet] Kenya's Software Development initiatives feature in key UN report

[Evans Ikua]

What a great theme of the report! "The Software Industry and Developing
Countries"

This is a very interesting report and I just hope our policy heads in
Government will read it page by page. I just want to recap on the outline
of the chapters which just in their naming give a very telling story:

   1. Chapter I - Software for Development
   2. Chapter II - Software Trends
   3. Chapter III - Software Market Orientation
   4. Chapter IV - Role of Free and Open Source Software
   5. Chapter V - Policies to Enable National Software Systems

Basically, see what other countries are doing to promote their own software
industries using open standards, and what they are doing to develop local
capacities. See how much countries are making annually in software exports,
and then ask ourselves how much we are exporting and how much we are
importing.

What we are doing in Kenya now does not in any way reflect where we want to
be as a leading software (and IT) exporter in the years to come. From my
perspective, we are mainly developing our capacities as users, not as
producers. I stand to be corrected.

Evans Ikua
On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 4:18 PM, Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke> wrote:

> Thanks Rachel for sharing.
>
> *Ali Hussein*
>
>
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>
> Skype: abu-jomo
>
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 12:47 PM, Alwala, Rachel <Alwala at cck.go.ke> wrote:
>
>>  Listers,
>>
>> I happened to attend the launch of the *UNCTAD  - Information Economy
>> Report 2012* , subtitled *The Software Industry and Developing Countries,
>> * on 28th November in London. The report urges governments to adopt
>> policies that can help build domestic software capabilities. I was proud to
>> see Kenya cited in the report as one of  the countries that have
>> demonstrated high potential in this sector and I think we should laud Dr.
>> Ndemo's 'evangelism' in this area and indeed many others.  There are a
>> number of examples that we can learn from in oder to leverage our
>> capabilities as a nation in this multi-billion industry.   Sri Lanka  is a
>> case in point, alongside other countries that are way ahead.  We need to
>> think of catalysts  that are suitable to our local situation including a
>> critical mass of skills, increase in broadband access  to boost local
>> demand and also create a flexible environment that will encourage more
>> developers.  The incubators are doing a great job in nurturing the
>> developers but we also need to go further and create industries through
>> provision of capital, etc.  All the same, you may want to access the report
>> and get some the insights from the link -
>> http://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=271
>>
>> Enjoy the reading.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Rachel Alwala
>>
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>



-- 
*----------------------------------------------------
Kind Regards,
Evans Ikua,*
lanetconsulting.com,
lpi-eastafrica.org,
ict-innovation.fossfa.net,
Skype: @ikuae
Cell: +254-722-955831
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