Honourable Ministers,

The Secretary General Utsumi,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors and High Commissioners,

Leaders of the Corporate World,

Representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen…..

Let me convey my delight at being part of the ITU AFRICA TELECOM 2001 event. Our country and people are greatly honoured at being presented with the opportunity to host this prestigious telecommunications event for the second time.

In the last few years the African continent has developed a sense of hope and is becoming vibrant with developments and brimming with potential for growth. It has also generated an unprecedented amount of interest from developmental organizations and investors.

Why is this, one may well ask?
This is because there is a new political will, commitment and energy to take Africa out of her marginalisation. Our leaders on the continent have embarked on a process of introspection and have pledged a firm commitment to driving the process of transforming the economy and governance of the continent in a manner that will lead to a better life for all of the peoples of this continent.

Ladies and gentlemen,
One is of course fully cognizant of the fact that the challenges facing our continent are enormous, “half the population live on less that US $1 per day. The mortality rate of children under five years of age is 140 per 1000 and life expectancy at birth is 54 years. The rate of illiteracy for people over 15 is 41%. There are only 18 mainline telephones per thousand people compared with 146 for the world as a whole and 567 for high income countries.” 

These dour statistics have propelled leaders of this continent to act so as to reverse this scourge of underdevelopment.

The African continent is one that is quite paradoxical in nature. Governments across borders have to constantly strive to balance the needs of those surviving on the most meager of incomes whilst ensuring that those who have an edge do not lose the edge, as doing so would be to the detriment of all.

So whilst we seek solutions that cater for the needs of the poorest of the poor we also seek balance as developments such as globalisation bring home the reality that forces beyond our borders have an impact on how we mould our future.

The continents leadership has recognized ICTs as one of the four priority programmes of NEPAD. Because of their cross-cutting nature, ICTs are seen as crucial for the speedy implementation of not only ICT sector-related but also all other development projects and programmes.

In order to ensure that the priority programmes are implemented speedily and that they have a visible positive effect on the lives of ordinary Africans, the leadership established special Task Forces for the implementation of the priority programmes.

It is with a great sense of privilege therefore, that I am honoured to announce the implementation of the first NEPAD initiative, the e-AFRICA COMMISSION. 

This Commission will be responsible for developing e-strategies and projects at continental level as well as managing the structured development of the ICT sector. It will also develop broad e-strategies and a comprehensive action plan including infrastructure needed to accelerate development of African inter-country, intra-country and global interactions. 

The ICT challenges on the continent are huge. They need leadership vision and commitment. As an African, I am singularly proud to announce that the President of Mali, President Alpha Oumar Konare has accepted to be the Chairperson of the e-Africa Commission. 

We have no doubt that under his leadership Africa will indeed emerge as an equal member of the Global Information Society.

Assisting President Konare as his Deputy will be Dr. Henry Chasia. Dr. Chasia is a well known telecommunications expert on our continent. Our country is proud to have him as one of the members of President Mbeki’s International Advisory Council on Information Society.

Other members of the Commission are as follows:

1. Mr. Raafat RADWAN (Egypt)
2. Prof. O.E. AJAYI (Nigeria)
3. Dr. Peter KINYANJUI (Kenya)
4. Mr. Andile Ngcaba (South Africa)
5. Lyndall SHOPE-MAFOLE (South Africa)
6. Mr. James ONOBIONO (Cameroun)
7. Dr. Nii QUAYNOR (Ghana)
8. Mr. Majid HARBI (Algeria)
9. Ms. Effat EL SHOOKY (Egypt)

The following have been proposed but their confirmation is still awaited.
10. Dr. Sheick DIARRA (Mali)
11. Ms. Maimouna DIOP (Senegal)
12. Ms. Anjelique KIDJO (Benin)
13. Mr. Youssou N’DOUR (Senegal)

The Ministers responsible for communications from the following 15 countries that are members of the Heads of State Implementation Committee of NEPAD will serve as Ex-officio members of the Commission:

 

From North Africa	Algeria Egypt Tunisia
From West Africa	Mali Nigeria Senegal
From West Africa	Cameroon Gabon Sao Tome et Principe
From Central Africa	Ethiopia Mauritius Rwanda
Southern Africa	Botswana Mozambique South Africa

Also serving as ex-officio members of the Commission are Secretary Generals or Executive Directors of the continental specialized agencies in the ICT sector:

• ATU
• PANA
• URTNA
• ACCSP
• PAPU

And finally also serving on the Commission will be the Representatives of the regional economic integration bodies as well and the Director of Ikomtek at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). This structure which is based in Pretoria will serve as the Secretariat of the Commission.

Education has been identified as the top priority ICT application if Africa is to bridge the digital divide quickly. The preparation of Africa’s youth for active participation in the New Economy is of vital importance. It is for this reason that the e-schools project has been identified as the first of the projects to be embarked on in the ICT initiative.

The e-schools project will be the first project of the e-Africa Commission. 

Every school would be equipped with a basic e-schools module. The module would be a standard set of ICT equipment necessary for basic functioning in the new economy.

The objective of the e-schools project is:

• To minimise the impact of the digital divide on today’s young generation by giving them the most basic skills required for today’s new economy.
• To make universal e-access in every institution of learning a policy priority on the African continent.
• To ensure that every African youth who leaves school is e-literate, thus being better equipped to : further studies 
        enter the job market
        be self employed 
• Re-define universal service to meet the requirements of the new economy
• Transform every institution of learning into a zone to combat communicable diseases by establishing a health point at every school.

Our target through this project is that in five years time every high school student will be e-literate and that the same programme will have been extended to every primary school in ten years time.

The challenge before us is not just about technology. It is about creating African content. About African history, geography and culture. It is about African languages and about science in an African context. That is the spirit of NEPAD.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, NEPAD is about a partnership. A partnership for Africa’s development.

When he presented his State of the Nation Address this year, President Mbeki announced the establishment of his International Advisory Council on Information Society. The Advisory Council , which is made up of top executives of international companies as well as not-for-profit organizations met last month in George in the Western Cape Province. 

In what was a very touching show of commitment, the members of the Council committed themselves not only to a partnership with South Africa but to a partnership for Africa.

I am therefore pleased to announce the members of the Presidential International Advisory Council on Information Society as the Founding Members of the Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development, ISPAD.

ISPAD is NEPAD in the ICT sector. It is a partnership for bridging the digital dive in Africa. It is a partnership for development.

We trust that many of you who have been indicating your interest to work with us will join us in this partnership and make it the biggest and most effective of the NEPAD sectoral partnerships..

Your Excellencies,
When our global leadership met at the Millennium Summit, they adopted the Millennium Declaration which recognises “the wide consensus that information and communication technologies (ICT) are central to the creation of the emerging global knowledge-based economy and can play an important role in accelerating growth, in promoting sustainable development and eradicating poverty in developing countries as well as countries with economies in transition and in facilitating their effective integration into the global economy by amongst other things,

The United Nations system, in particular the Economic and Social Council, is playing a pivotal role in promoting synergies and coherence of all efforts directed to expand the development impact of ICT in a number of ways. 

We are delighted to note that the UN ICT Task Force, which is part of the implementation of the Millennium Declaration will be officially launched next week by Secretary General Kofi Annan. 

We look forward with anticipation to the results of the work of this important body.
The ITU, as the specialized agency of the UN for telecommunications has a particularly important role to play in the implementation of our millennium undertakings. The lack of even the very basic telecommunication infrastructure in Africa poses an even greater challenge to the ITU.

The activities at national, regional and global level in the past two years have brought to the fore with greater urgency the need to bridge the ever increasing digital divide.

In order to address them adequately, today’s challenges need institutions that are structured and geared to meeting today’s needs and are reflective of today’s environment. It is for this reason that the reform of the institutions of global governance is one of our top foreign policy priorities.

In that regard, the reform of the ITU, into a body that can play a key and effective role in the effort to build a just and equitable Information Society is the most important issue that the Plenipotentiary Conference will face when we meet in Marakesh next year. 

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to recognize the companies that are not only part of the exhibition but who will also sponsor the numerous events that will be taking place in the next few days. 

Fluctuations in market growth and developments over the past few months have dented the confidence of even the most ardent investors. We therefore greatly appreciate your presence at this event, especially as exhibitors and sponsors.

The adoption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is an affirmation of this belief. It is a call by Africans to other Africans. It is a call by Africans to the rest of the world.

It is a call that simply says
“ Join us as we go forward and take responsibility for our own destiny”
“ Join us as we realize our vision of a better life for our future generation”
“Join us as we strive to be part of the global economy”
“Join us as we bridge the digital divide”

I thank you.