Prepared by: Bakary N'jie
Gamtel
bk.njie@gamtel.gm

INTRODUCTION

In this increasingly information based environment, access to information is necessary for sustainable human development. Also access to Internet is recognised as essential for providing valuable economic, social and technical information to the public and private institutions, organisations and civil society.

New ideas and applications of Information and Communications Technology will transform society in general over the next few years and this has to be recognised and planned for by the telecommunications industry.

The development and growth of the industry will depend to a large extent on the degree to which the challenges of these new technologies are taken up.

For PTTs to contribute effectively to regional development they must reform to become key players in the increasingly converging Internet and telecommunications industry.

Gamtel has taken a step in this direction with the installation of an Internet gateway at its Earth Station Complex in Abuko.

INTERNET INITIATIVE FOR THE GAMBIA (GAMBIA GOVT./UNDP COLLABORATION)

It is in this vein that the Government of the Gambia, in collaboration with the UNDP, became involved in the Internet Initiative for Africa (IIA), an experience I proudly wish to share with this Asia Africa Forum III. This is commonly known as the Internet Initiative for The Gambia (Gambia Govt./UNDP) which is part of the ICT and Regional development programmes towards the realisation and implementation of the ECA IIA.

Prior Experience

Prior to the project, access to the Internet was through an X-25 network commissioned in 1992, which provided only BT messaging services (Telecom Gold) up to June/July 1995. This service had limitations in that there were only a few customers and limited data/computer services available on the network. The network was seriously under-utilised primarily due to high tariff, low speed links and very low computer usage. In October 1995, access to CompuServe Online services was introduced with indirect access to the Internet. Although the customer base increased substantially, the service was too expensive due mainly to the traditional X.25 tariff structure. In an attempt to rectify this situation and encourage a greater user base, the tariff was drastically reduced from US$0.40 per minute to US$0.10 per minute. Furthermore, access to Delphi Online services was introduced in June 1997. However, both these services were still relatively expensive and so limited access.

The Gambia government, through Gamtel, had therefore set out a strategy to provide access to the Internet by setting up a national Internet gateway. This initiative, however, was overtaken by events. As a result of consultations held during the Internet sub-regional workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, in April 1997, in which The Gambia participated, a UNDP Regional Project - the Internet Initiative for Africa (IIA) - was formulated and signed, and The Gambia became the first country to be selected to benefit from the project.

Guiding Principles

The Internet Initiative for Africa is guided by the following operational objectives:

Capacity building:
The initiative builds on the current local expertise and relies on national expertise in assisting in the formulation and implementation of the project. Provision is made for public and private sector training at technical and management levels and so far all training have been carried out under this principle.

Participatory
Internet nodes which are provided to the beneficiaries are open to all members of civil society, including government, private sector, NGOs, academic sectors.

Partnership
Country offices, governments and private sector are full partners in this endeavour both financially and operationally and the support of the host government is crucial to the success of the project.

Sustainability
UNDP's involvement is limited to a period of three years. After this time, Gamtel and the private sector should be in position to market the operation and services, on commercial and profitable basis.

Requirements of the MOU

The MOU signed between the UNDP and the Government of The Gambia established a number of specific conditions, both financial and technical. Financially, The Gambia provided 50% of the estimated project cost of US$1m for provision of a fully functional Internet gateway. The UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa provided the remaining 50%. In addition, the UNDP Banjul office provided US$100,000 for a support project to IIA mainly to provide connectivity for national institutions and backstopping for the main project.

Technically, the national Internet gateway was required to provide full and direct access to the Internet for messaging, web browsing and data transfer. The local infrastructure was to provide direct and dial-up connection and to manage all internal e-mail message within the country without using satellite connection. To ensure the achievement of these requirements, a decision was taken to install a robust national Internet gateway at 512Kbps, and build a national Internet backbone with PoPs in all the major growth centres.

Strategy

In addition to these requirements, a policy decision was taken to:

• provide direct access to major health centres, schools and research institutions
• create an Information Society in The Gambia
• establish Internet café services at all major towns countrywide
• set up content development centres, both private and public
• explore data hosting by Gamtel
• provide private ISP services countrywide
• connect public institutions to the Internet.

In achieving the strategy for full Internet connectivity, it was necessary to be clear about how prepared we were and how we would achieve our objectives. The strategies adopted focused on four main areas;

• Public sensitisation to create an awareness of the benefits and uses of the Internet.
• Institutional framework and management mechanisms to create an enabling environment to actively promote the use of the internet in various economic and social sectors.
• Human resource development to promote basic IT literacy and skill and skills development needed to facilitate use of the Internet.
• Technical resources (infrastructure) to develop telecommunications to complement the traditional infrastructure and extend it to provide value added services.

Sensitisation
It was true of the Gambia, and indeed most countries setting up an Internet gateway, that the vast majority of the general public and a large number of senior public servants were not aware of the facilities the Internet has to offer. This situation needed urgent attention if the initiative was to become an effective reality. Not only public servants but Gambians across the country needed to be made aware of implications of the information revolution, its challenges and benefits. Specifically, the enablers of this initiative - policy makers, opinion leaders, teachers, young people and media practitioners - must be targeted. In this connection, even before the inauguration of the gateway, strategies were implemented to rectify this situation. These included:

• engaging in awareness and sensitivity programmes targeted at policy makers, media practitioners, the private sector and the educational community. These took the form of seminars and workshops.
• exposing the key player to the various forms of services available through the Internet.
• holding workshops/seminars on basic uses focussing on methods of searching and retrieving information through the Internet and use of electronic mail.
• Carrying out a high level of public information and awareness campaign nation-wide highlighting the benefits of the Internet initiative.

Policy
The Internet initiative could not have been a success without the appropriate institutional, legal and regulatory framework and mechanisms being put in place. Existing Government regulations, high import duties on ICT equipment and relatively high levels of taxation for value added service providers, which is harmful for young businesses, were seen as some of the impediments to the initiative.

It was realised at an early stage that most of the obstacles to the development of a national information infrastructure, its integration into the Global Information Infrastructure, and the realisation of the major benefits which the information revolution offers are not technical or financial. They are essentially regulatory and organisational. It was, therefore, necessary for the Department of State for Works, Communications and Information to work closely with key players to overcome these obstacles and to adopt a national strategy for the provision of full Internet connectivity in the shortest possible time.

Policy strategies for the realisation of the initiative include:

• establishment of a broad-based national advisory body and specialist sub-committees to direct the Internet initiative.
• eliminate or drastically reduce import tariffs, taxes and other legal barriers to the use of ICT. Government has since reduced the duty on ICT equipment by some 24% to its present level of 10% and this is to be further reduced.
• implement a policy for using ICT in government in particular and society in general. A number of Departments have been provided with access and even been assisted with ICT equipment by both Gamtel and the private sector.
• establish priority in serving the rural areas, grass-root society and women. This is one of the corner stones of the IIA and a number of specific institutions are targeted including

i. Office of The President
ii. Department of State for Education
iii. Education and Research Institutions; Gambia College, Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), The Gambia Telecommunication and Multimedia Institute (GTMI), Management Development Institute (MDI), the University Extension Programme (UEP), National Agriculture and Research Institute (NARI), Medical Research Council (MRC).
iv. Department of Health Services
v. Junior and Senior Secondary Schools
vi. The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)
vii. The Print Media
viii. The Gambia National Library and other library services
ix. Women's Bureau
x. The Association of Non-Government Organisations (TANGO)

The support and involvement of Government, as target beneficiaries and key players, in all stages of the IIA work programme and service delivery has mitigated against all possible obstacles for the successful execution of the project.

Human Resource Development
Training at all levels is central to the success of any Internet initiative. System engineers and operators must be exposed to the technology associated with the establishment, maintenance and day to day management of Internet nodes to be able to provide the assistance needed to support and sustain Internet nationally.

Information systems specialist have to learn how to design and implement information systems in different applications.

Information service providers need to know how to analyse user needs and identify what information services the users require. Information network specialist need to learn how to plan, design, install, operate and maintain communication and information networks.

There is a lack of training in basic computer literacy as far as the general public is concerned and the production of multimedia content is also virtually non-existent.

For The Gambia to be part of the information revolution, education and training practices are being put in place to encourage the society to appreciate the use of ICT in order to enable people to benefit fully in the long run from the information society. Clear strategies were be put in place and implementation included a detailed human resource development plan. The most important of these are:

• it must be stressed that the success of the whole Internet initiative depends on the availability of appropriate human resources and the immediate training of trainers was seen as the first and crucial step. Care must be taken in identifying personnel for training particularly in the technical areas as there is an increased danger of losing trained technical personnel. Any training must be duplicated and checks put in place to retain those trained. It is important that the initial core of trained network operators are in place during the installation of the gateway and establishment of the network.
• implementing a competence development programme for professional and skill workers including systems engineers and administrators. Experience has shown that the initial training provided at the inception of the project was highly inadequate, not least because the ICT environment is fast changing one with low application in Africa.
• running seminars for personnel to develop marketing stools and long-term strategies to sustain the Internet and service quality. In a short term the initiative will not be economically viable but training should be provided for marketing personnel, managers and other service providers to develop long-term strategies to sustain the Internet.
• providing basic computer literacy programmes followed by specialised courses on using the Internet especially for selected teachers in schools. Low levels of computer literacy is a major constraint in ICT development and usage.
• running specialised courses for selected personnel in the public sector on Internet use with the object of developing skills and expertise.

Infrastructure
Over the past twelve years The Gambia, through Gamtel, has developed a modern, reliable and cost-effective telecommunications infrastructure which, in addition to having a tremendous impact on the nation's socio-economic growth, has also provided a positive environment to support and stimulate the innovative use of the Internet and related IT applications and information management practices. Although these developments in the telecommunications infrastructure have provided the necessary foundation for the introduction of relevant technology, they had not been supplemented by essential technological developments in the communications and information infrastructure to support and stimulate the innovative use of the Internet in the emerging information society. The provision of the Internet gateway went a long way in rectifying this situation.

To enhance the telecommunications infrastructure we had to

• develop a fully-fledged router-based national Internet Network (TCP/IP protocol based) with points of presence (PoPs) in all the major towns in The Gambia, 12 in all, connected by 2 Mbps links.
• implement a phased-out programme to provide access to low-cost, high-capacity telecommunications links to support multimedia and interactive applications. This is being done by subsidising the cost for such connections.
• look into ways of establishing a complementary international Internet (IP) gateway with two reliable and redundant international private circuits (IPCs) connecting to the global Internet network backbone, through well established global network service providers. A Teleglobe link at 512 Kbps was acquired at the inauguration of the gateway and arrangements with BT for a second circuit are in progress.
• expand the local network with a view to increasing penetration and access, especially in the rural areas.

Present Penetration
Since the inception of the project there have been encouraging developments in Internet access. These include;

• two commercial ISPs, one run by Gamtel (Gamnet) and the other by a private company Quantum Associates (QuantumNet). There are differing views as to whether the PTT should be an ISP or not. We believe that at the early stages this is necessary, as number of social services would have to be provided which, if left to the commercial sector, would lead to exorbitant costs. The PTt, with its core of professionals, will also regulate the quality of service provided by the private sector ISPs.
• two non-commercial ISPs, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and UNDP.
• over 1,500 dial-up customers, --- (Gamnet) and approximately --- (Quantumnet)
• a number of dedicated leased line accesses, QuantumNet (connected to the national backbone),MRC, UNDP, Maersk Line (a shipping agency), The |Gambia Technical Training Institute, the Management Development Institute all at 64 kbps and the Gambia Telecommunications and Multimedia Institute (the Gamtel training institution) at 128 kbps.
• there is also a fast growing number of Internet cafés run both by Gamtel and the private sector.

EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THE IIA PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Gambia became the first country in Sub Saharan Africa in July 1997, to benefit from the ITA project by the UNDP. It came at a time when most African countries were inundated by the usual barrage of technical offers and solutions with expensive credit line financing by various suppliers for direct Internet connectivity. The UNDP project was, at its initial concept well focused with set goals and objectives for the judicious development of the service nation-wide by mutual collaboration and participation of both public and private sector enterprises over the contract period of three years.

The project implementation extended beyond the normal acquisition of equipment to a well monitored and supervised progressive work plan in the attainment of multifarious capacity building for sustainable operation, maintenance and marketing of the network by the end of the three year period. The appointment of the National Project Professional Personnel (NPPP), jointly by the Government of The Gambia and UNDP, for the enforcement of these tasks during the project circle, is an important element and contribution to the success of the Gambia's Internet gateway initiative by the UNDP.

The Gambia is endowed with reasonable good quality network infrastructure based on a fibre optic digital platform stretching from West (urban) to East (rural) along the entire length of the country. This has strategically laid the foundation for progressive extension of ICT to the rural population in support of Government aspirations and policies for easy access to information.

The change of office location and personnel of the regional programme coordination of the IIA project from New York to Africa (Accra) has been rather frustrating, contrary to our expectations, in lending the necessary support and guidance on continuous basis to the local management team in The Gambia during a crucial period of the project.

CONCLUSION

This presentation briefly highlights the needs and strategy of what most observers consider a successful initiative to connect The Gambia to the global information network. This is just the beginning and quick and decisive action must follow to keep pace with changing arising from advanced technologies. These advances are taking place now and actions taken must reflet the urgency and immediacy. A strong commitment is required from government, the private sector, NGOs and civil society as they all have a role to play in delivering the required responses. The risk of not taking action quickly would have significant implications for the future of The Gambia.

To ensure continuous monitoring of the project after the three year contract period for each country, UNDP should facilitate the holding of annual seminars for beneficieries to share experiences including ways of sustaining the facilities.