During a recent workshop held in Nairobi for Kenya’s MPs with the theme "Empowering Parliamentarians for Building an Inclusive Information Society", Andrew Gakiria, a member of the EAC’s regional working group on e-government (EAC/ IWG) said that the implementation of the regional Customs Union will to a greater extent need the use of ICT in government processes, both national and cross-border.
The protocol on the establishment of the East African Customs Union was signed on March 2 2004.
In his presentation to participants at the two-day workshop, Gakiria said: "It is in this regard EAC has recognised the need to develop a harmonised and co-ordinated sub-regional e-government framework."
The idea of a regional e-government strategy was mooted during an earlier workshop held in Tanzania in 2004 by Africa IT Exhibitions and Conferences (Aitec) with support from the EAC, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca).
The Tanzania workshop was aimed at examining, consolidating and sharing views as well as agreeing on strategic priorities for e-government.
The major issues discussed at the meeting were the strategic objectives and goals that the EAC as a region wants to achieve, the financial, technical and human resources dedicated to achieving the e-government goals as well as the political will and availability of national and regional champions to lobby and lead the implementation of the process.
At the end of the workshop, participants agreed on the need to establish a regional Working Group on e-government (EAC/ IWG), and engage a consultant to develop a draft Regional e-Government Strategy for East Africa.
They also resolved to develop a start up work plan whose main action points include the operationalisation of the Regional e-Government Working Group (IWG), development of the Regional e-Government Strategy for East Africa and mobilisation of technical assistance.
Law on cyber crime a priority
Gakiria said that a study commissioned by the EAC/IWG came up with several issues that needed to be addressed as well as recommendations. These included the creation of an enabling legal and regulatory environment which the study report noted was "a critical enabling factor for effective implementation of e-government strategies at national and regional levels."
The report also said that "operational efficiency of any e-government strategy will need a strong back-up support of necessary legislation on data security, network security, cyber crime, information systems and electronic transactions."
The study report concluded that "to deliver e-government, leadership and long-term commitment are sought from policy makers at all levels, senior managers in the public service, private sector and the civil society."
According to Gakiria, upon the establishment of such structures, the region would move towards the realisation of such ICT-enabled applications like e-Customs, e-Parliament, e-Commerce, e-Health, e-Procurement as well as on the delivery of information on meteoerolgy.
Higher growth rates expected
The development of the regional e-government strategy by the EAC member states is in line with the African Information Society Initititive’s (AISI) commitment of building an East African information highway and develop an ICT policy and programme in support of the East African regional integration.
AISI was launched in 1996 by Africa’s planning and economic development ministers and endorsed by the African Regional Telecommunications for Development Conference held in Abidjan the same year.
Its main aim is to achieve higher growth rates in all spheres of socio-economic activities using ICT as a platform to implement applications and provide services at national, sub-regional and global levels.
Already, the initial three partner states of the EAC, (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania), have committed themselves to the goal and it is only expected the newly inducted members of the community (Rwanda and Burundi) will commit themselves to the realisation of the same goals.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Michael Ouma
Quelle/Source: The Standard, 07.01.2007