Background

The overall objective of the BAAP Programme No. 9 (VAP Programme 3) is to develop best-practice, sustainable and replicable models of ways to provide access to modern telecommunication facilities and information services, particularly to people in rural and remote areas. To this end, pilot projects are implemented in a number of countries in different regions, at different stages of development and with different geographical, social, economic and cultural conditions.

One objective of the programme is to evaluate the social, economic and cultural impact of providing access to such facilities and services and thereby sensitize policy makers to the needs and cost-effectiveness of providing such tools for development. Another objective is to assess the needs for ICT in rural and remote areas.

Provision of telecommunications and IT facilities is not a goal in itself. To have a real impact on development, the introduction of such facilities and services must be done as an integral part of a cross-sectoral, multi-disciplinary effort of community development. Thus, many specialized UN agencies and NGOs have an important role in capacity building for the development and adaptation to the local context of applications and "content" relevant to their field of activity. The Multipurpose Community Telecentre (MCT), introduced in the pilot projects will provide facilities and support for a wide range of services and applications responding to the needs of the community. By sharing the cost of the telecom infrastructure, IT facilities and support, the MCTs are expected to provide both public and private ICT-based services at more affordable cost and still become commercially viable.

The set up and applications supported by so called telecentres varies considerably. In its simplest form the telecentre may be limited to providing public telephone and fax services and be run, for example, by a local shopkeeper. However, such "telecentres", sometimes called Public Call Offices (PCO) or "telekiosks" are usually established in more densely populated or urban areas and would not qualify as "multipurpose" centres. Such telecentres have in recent years mushroomed in many developing countries. Recent studies indicate that such telecentres are commercially attractive both to the franchisee and the telecom operator and that they generate a considerable number of jobs (at least in densely populated areas).

Policies, tariffs, and mode of operation that have spurred the phenomenal growth of such telecentres and the impact of these telecentres should also be studied as these too contribute to improve Universal Access to ICT and there are important lessons to be learned.

At the other end of the scale there are telecentres with (shared) offices for local small business and "teleworkers" equipped with computers, printer, photocopier, etc. Such centres would provide access to data networks (e.g. Internet) for e-mail, file transfer, access to electronic libraries and databases, government and community information, systems, market and price information, environment watch, etc. In addition they may well contain facilities and equipment for teletraining and telemedicine. Some may also provide facilities, equipment and training for local production (and reception) of radio and TV broadcasting programmes so as to offer information relevant to the local population and to promote local culture.

The BAAP programme 9 focuses on the latter type and on reaching out to rural and remote areas. The "Multipurpose" and "Community" aspects of the telecentres are essential in the pilot projects. As well as providing a community owned, shared information and communication facility for people living in rural and isolated areas, each MCT offers user support and training so that the community can gain the maximum benefit from these facilities and services.

Within the BAAP Programme 9, pilot projects are currently being negotiated and implemented in Benin, Bhutan, Honduras, India, Mali, Mozambique, Suriname, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam. Feasibility studies have also been made for pilot projects in Haiti, the Maldives, and Romania. Other proposals have been received from a number of developing countries and may be implemented at a later stage. The pilot projects in Benin, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda are implemented within the framework of the UN-System-wide Special Initiative for Africa. More information about the status of these projects is given below.

All pilot projects are implemented in partnership with concerned national and international organizations, including, in some cases, the private sector.

Seminars

The objectives of these seminars are to:

• raise awareness amongst decision and policy makers about the potential of MCTs to promote economic and social development in rural and remote areas and "best practice" policies for promotion and replication of the MCT models.
• provide participants with the information they need to develop business plans and options for financial strategies;
• bring together nationals involved in MCT pilot projects partners to share information, experiences and best practices;
• solicit material in the form of papers / presentations that can be made available to a wider audience via the Web and (later) in a publication on Telecentres (see below)

Concerned international organizations are invited to partner with the ITU in these seminars. In particular they are invited to contribute speakers to highlight the ways that ICTs can foster development and participative democracy through applications in the fields of health, education, agriculture and trade, government-on-line, etc. and to sponsor participation of nationals from their respective sector or projects.

MCT Seminars will, when possible, piggyback on already planned conferences or seminars where this theme fits. The tentatively propose host countries and scheduled is as follows:

• Central European Countries (CEE): Budapest, Hungary 7 - 9 December 1998
• Africa: Johannesburg, South Africa : February 1999 (Tentatively proposed to be held in partnership with the BICA 99 Conference)
• Arab States : Tunis - March 1999
• Americas: Honduras, November 1999 (Proposed)
• Asia-Pacific: Proposed to be held in conjunction with ITU/BDT’s Regional telecommunication Development Conference for Asia-Pacific (ASP- RTDC-99), Date and venue not yet decided. (another option under consideration would be to hold this in conjunction with the FAO/WB/ etc. GKP Conference on "Harnessing Information Technology for Agricultural Extension" currently planned for April 12-15, 1999 in New Delhi, India)

Publication about MCTs

Web Site on Universal Access and Rural Development

ITU-D Study Group questions on Universal Access and Rural Development

• Question 7/1: Universal Access/Service
• Question 13/1: Promotion of Infrastructure and use of Internet in Developing Countries
• Question 10a/2: Communications for rural and remote areas
• Question 10b/2: Development of multi-purpose community telecentres
• Question 10c/2: Penetration and service targets for rural telecommunications
• Question 10d/2: Definition of a set of indicators describing the state of development of a country's rural telecommunications network and service
• Question 10e/2: Sound and television broadcasting and communications for rural and remote areas
• Question 10f/2: Measurement of the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in rural and remote areas
• Question 10g/2: Enhancing the capacity of NGOs to achieve development aims through the use of telecommunication

Question 13/1 "Promotion of Infrastructure and use of Internet in Developing Countries" has been submitted to a Focus Group with an accelerated one-year study cycle. This Focus Group will hold its first face-to-face meeting in Bonn, Germany on 15 and 16 December 1998. The terms of reference of this Focus Group as well as agenda for the Bonn meeting can be found at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccess/.

Update on Multipurpose Community Telecentre Pilot Projects

BENIN

International partners: ITU, UNESCO/DANIDA, IDRC and possibly CIDA. UNDP/SDNP has developed a complementary proposal for a project in Benin and expressed the intention to participate in the pilot project (not yet defined).

National partners: OPT plus concerned Ministries and local authorities

Status: Project Document not yet finalized. Draft proposal, including preliminary business plan, received in 1997, following ITU missions (preparatory assistance). A joint ITU/UNESCO/IDRC/UNDP (SDNP) mission together with representatives of potential local partners visited Malanville in April 98 and reported that local authorities and user groups are very enthusiastic. A local project committee has been established and local authorities have offered to contribute to the project by providing land and building.

A joint IDRC/UNESCO mission was also undertaken to Cotonou and Malanville in August 98 to assist in finalizing the project document (report not yet available).

An ITU consultant carried out a mission to Benin in September/October 98 with the task of assisting in the planning and specification of the VSAT system for the MCT in Malanville (preparatory assistance funded by BAAP P9).

MALI

International partners: ITU, UNESCO/DANIDA, IDRC, FAO, WHO
National partners: SOTELMA, National Commission for UNESCO, Ministère de la Culture et du Tourism

Status: Project Document signed (by all the above partners, except WHO and local authorities) in December 98 / January 99. Since then FAO has joined the project. FAO has a community radio project which may be complementary to the MCT pilot project. WHO has expressed the intention to join.

National executing agency: SOTELMA. SOTELMA will initially be responsible for the operation of the MCT. By the end of the pilot project, the intention is to hand it over to the local authority/association and/or that it be operated by a franchisee.

Achievements

The MCT is now operating in temporary premises in an underused wing of the local hospital, while awaiting the construction of a building, provided by the local community, to be located in an attractive setting in the centre of Timbuktu. The existing Domsat link Timbuktu - Bamako will be upgraded to handle a leased 64 kbs line to the MCT.

Short-term international volunteers have been active in helping to install PCs and to establish the network. They are also providing the local community with training and on how to use personal computers and Internet applications such as e-mail and the WWW. A Web site has been established for the Timbuktu project (hosted on a server in Bamako).  

Evaluation (see Uganda below).

MOZAMBIQUE

National partners: Eduardo Mondlane University Informatics Centre (CIUEM)

Status: Feasibility study and development of project proposal with tentative business plan done by national team with members from CIUEM, TDM (Mozambique Telecommunication Company) and social sciences, funded by IDRC and with support of the Mozambique Acacia Advisory Committee Secretariat (MAACS). Project approved by IDRC (?) will be revised after planned round-table meeting with partners.

SENEGAL

TANZANIA

International partners: ITU, UNESCO/DANIDA, IDRC (and possibly CIDA)

National partners (proposed) Tanzania Telecom Company Ltd., Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science, Technology & Environment (COSTECH), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Peoples Communities, local Government, Open University in Tanzania, Hospital and Health organizations in provinces/area, Local industries and/or sales offices in Tanzania, DATEL

Status: Project Document still to be finalized. Initial proposal received 1996. Revised draft proposal received in 1997 following joint ITU/UNESCO mission (preparatory assistance). A joint ITU/UNESCO/IDRC mission together with representatives of potential local partners visited Tanzania to assist in finalizing project document in September 98.

UGANDA

International partners: ITU, UNESCO/DANIDA, IDRC, British Council

National partners: UPTC, Uganda Public Library Board and Uganda National Commission for UNESCO

Status: Project document signed (by all the above partners) in December98/January 99.

National executing agency: National UNESCO Commission in collaboration with other national partners. However the telecom infrastructure required to link the Nakaseke MCT with Kampala will be executed by Uganda Telecom Ltd. (UTL former UPTC) and a separate agreement with ITU is being developed which will stipulate how they will use the ITU contribution allocated for this purpose.

Achievements

The Uganda Telecom Ltd. (UTL) is providing the telecommunication link to Nakaseke, waiving the justification in terms of economic potential and financial viability normally required. The cost of this link will be partly covered by the ITU contribution allocated for this purpose. The link is expected to be in operation by December 1998.

The local council provides the building for the MCT, currently being refurbished and secured. The council will also be responsible for providing local assistants and ensuring maintenance. A small branch library based in the Telecentre is already stocked with donated books and the IDRC, within the framework of its Acacia programme, will fund the implementation of 4 additional MCTs in Uganda that will be linked to Nakaseke pilot project.

The Nakaseke Multipurpose Community Telecentre is expected to start operating by the end of 1998.

Evaluation

It is envisaged to contract a consultant firm to assist in the refinement of this framework, develop tools, train local counterparts and undertake a baseline study in Uganda and Mali before the end of 1998.

Similar allocations have been made for the Mali project and it is envisaged to pool these resources in order to use the same consultant firm for both projects. A proposal for execution has been received by a US based NGO by name of PACT. The framework and tools developed for Mali and Uganda could then be used also in other MCT pilot projects.

HONDURAS

Project site: Valle de Angeles Duration: 3 years (approx.) Starting date: End 1998

International Partners: ITU, UNESCO, and UNDP/SDNP

National partners: Hondutel and local authorities

National Executing Agency: Hondutel

Status: Draft project document prepared and reviewed by Hondutel (now being revised)

ITU has funded a study of the network for MCTs in Honduras and the preparation of a prototype web page for the MCT. Round table meeting with potential partners held in June 98. (preparatory assistance)

HAITI

Feasibility study for an MCT pilot project, funded by ITU being carried out in August 1998 (report will be available in October).

SURINAME

International partners: ITU, Dutch Government, Berocan International, Canada Northern Telecom (in kind), UNESCO (complementary project), WHO (to be defined)

National partners: Telesur, concerned Ministries and NGOs

Status: First phase, including the base line evaluation May 98 (report pending).

BHUTAN

International partners: ITU, UNESCO, FAO, WHO and bilateral agencies (Danida and Dutch) have expressed their intention to participate. Telemedicine equipment (X-ray scanner and software) offered by Japanese supplier. IDRC is implementing a complementary project aiming at the establishment of an Intranet in Bhutan and will collaborate in capacity building.

National partners: Division of Telecom, Bhutan. Other proposed partners include the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and the hospitals in Jakar.

National executing agency: Telecom Division, Royal Government of Bhutan. National Co-ordinator appointed.

Status: Feasibility study carried out with ITU assistance in 1996. Project document signed by RGoB in May 98. The project started in 1997 on the basis of exchange of correspondence between the BDT and the Division of Telecom, implying mutual acceptance of the project.

Achievements

INDIA

International partners: ITU, UNESCO. Other international partners who have indicated intention to participate include FAO, WHO and CIDA

National partners (to be confirmed): Department of Telecommunications (DOT), India: and State Government of Gujarat: other proposed partners include National Diary Development Board, Worldtel, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Health and the hospitals in Rajkot.

National executing agency: DOT or State Government of Gujarat (to be defined)

Status: Feasibility studies and business plan, including project proposal was prepared with minimum ITU support and submitted in 1997. Following a roundtable meeting with potential partners in May 1998, the project document now being revised. A draft MOU has also been prepared and now awaiting comments national partners.

MALDIVES

VIETNAM

International partners: ITU, Sida, Sweden, Ericsson, Siemens, Sagem. UNESCO, FAO, WHO, UNIDO and International Red Cross/Red Crescent have expressed their intention to participate.

National partners: DGPT/VNPT and local partners. Other proposed partners include Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and hospitals in the concerned regions and Ministry of Science and Technology.

National executing agency: VNPT

Status: Agreements with Sida signed in 1995 (for preparatory assistance) and 1997. Project Document signed by ITU and DGPT, Vietnam in February 98. National project coordinator appointed.

Achievements

Networks for the two regions are being planned in collaboration with suppliers (private sector partners). Preliminary plans for development of services and applications have been prepared with assistance from international partners. Mission to identify telemedicine applications undertaken in 1997. Mission of 3 ITU experts (review of work plan, project planning and telemedicine applications) will take place in October 1998. Vietnam plans to convert post offices throughout the country to become MCTs in a longer perspective.

ROMANIA

International partners(proposed): ITU, UNDP

National partners (proposed): ROM Telecom, Prisma supermarket

National executing agency: ROM Telecom (to be confirmed)

Status: Feasibility study and business plan, including project proposal was prepared by ITU consultant under BAAP P9 in November 1996.