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ADDRESS TO THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

ADDRESS TO THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. BY DR. IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 18 MAY 2000. Integrating Africa into the digital economy.

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ADDRESS TO THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

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  1. ADDRESS TOTHE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES BY DR. IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 18 MAY 2000 …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  2. Integrating Africa into the digital economy I am honoured by the opportunity to address this this important Conference and would like to thank the European Union and UNCTAD. It is my hope that in some way, this will make a difference in our collective efforts aimed at integrating Africa into the digital economy and the Global Information Society as a whole. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  3. I AM A MESSENGER • The decision that mandated me to be here today was in a sense taken in Mulungushi Hall, in Lusaka in August 1998. • It is a product of the 6th ordinary Session of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Pan-African Telecommunications Union, PATU. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  4. I AM A MESSENGER... • That historic Conference, recognising the importance of telecommunications for socio-economic development and the continuous need for policy decisions to be made in between conferences, established the Ministerial Oversight Committee, MOC. • My country, South Africa, was honoured with the responsibility to chair. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  5. I AM A MESSENGER... • At its 3rd meeting that took place in Cape Town in March this year, the MOC, instructed me and the Minister of Zambia, in our respective capacities as chairpersons of the MOC and the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries, respectively, to attend this conference and bring our collective message. • So I stand here before you today as a messenger of the MOC - a collective of African Ministers of Communications …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  6. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? • I am greatly honoured to bring to you a message on behalf of so many of my colleagues, and I am profoundly humbled by their trust in me to deliver this message. • The MOC, whose message I bring represents not just a bureaucratic structure of African Ministers of Communication that was set up in Lusaka in 1998. • The MOC is the embodiment of tireless efforts of many Africans, over many years. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  7. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? • The MOC is an embodiment of the countries that for many years, long before 1998, were engaged daily, trying to ensure that our telecommunications sector develops • The MOC is an embodiment of the sweat and determination of countries such as Burundi, Uganda, the Cameroon,Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali and others that ensured that PATU did not die. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  8. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? • It is an embodiment of the efforts of the Sudan, Djibouti, Ghana,Senegal, Malawi and others who sustained our collective energy by always being there so that the MOC could meet and take decisions. • It is the hope that countries such as Mauritius and Namibia, who were then not members of the ATU, gave us when they joined our efforts. • It is the beacon of hope given by Egypt when, at a very dark hour, it hosted the historic Council that ensured that the ATU was born. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  9. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? • The MOC is an embodiment of passionate African ICT experts from the Cameroun, Ghana,Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria,Senegal who have been contributing their expertise to me and the MOC - without any renumeration whatsoever, in the service of their continent. • The message I bring is on behalf of three mothers, who are now no more, but whose children: Mavis Ampah-Sintim Misa, …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  10. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? Dr. Joseph Okpaku and Dr. Henry Chasia , who felt duty-bound to make sure that our work continued, even as they were busy with the painful task of preparations to lay their mothers to final rest. • This is a message on behalf of many African professionals serving with distinction in the highest offices of the UN system such as the ITU, in the ATU, RASCOM,INTELSAT, World Space. Africans in the public or private sector . …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  11. WHO’S MESSAGE DO I BRING? • Our message, is a message developed together with and shared by colleagues in the other structures on our continent. • In particular, it is a message shared with the Economic Commission for Africa, the ECA, whose programme, the African Information Society Initiative, AISI, and other efforts in this area are greatly appreciated. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  12. WHAT MESSAGE DO I BRING? • Africa’s challenges are in every sphere of life • ICTs can be an important tool for socio-economic development • Africa’s challenges need urgent intervention: • ICTs can assist us to address our challenges faster …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  13. WHAT MESSAGE DO I BRING? • The development of ICT infrastructure and their applications need to be part and parcel of our normal economic planning and priority. • The development and application of ICTs should serve as a firm foundation for the advancement of our development programmes. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  14. WE ARE HERE BUT NOT HERE • Africa is e-absent!!! • Africa is marginalised from the world, let alone the digital, economy!!! • Africa’s children in schools today will effectively be illiterate unless they become e-literate today!!! • But Africa has the biggest potential to benefit most from ICTs!!! …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  15. WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY!!! • August1998 we adopted the African Connection • December 1999 we re-structured PATU and elected a new Secretary General. • October 2000 we engaged the following • the Okinawa charter on Global Information Society • the Cairo declaration and Programme of Action • the Millenium Declaration • March 2001 the MOC made a collective African input to the DOT Force …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  16. AND WE ARE MOVING ON!!!! • March 2001 MOC proposed that the forthcoming OAU Summit • considers adopting a declaration on bridging the digital divide in Africa • develops an action plan for bridging the digital divide in Africa • As instructed by the OAU, preparations are underway for the consideration by the July Summit, of a programme for Africa’s recovery. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  17. WE HAVE A MAP • Under Senegal’s leadership, the ICT sector is preparing its input into the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme, MAP. • When it meets in July, the OAU Summit will decide on the way forward for our continent. • Our responsibility is to make sure that our map has all the necessary contours that are needed to navigate us surely and safely to our destination - …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  18. WE HAVE A MISSION • To provide basic health services to our people • To give our peoples access to knowledge so that they can change their lives for the better • To give our peoples visibility in all their colours and shades…. and give them a voice • To give all our children hope for a better life …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  19. WE HAVE A PROGRAMME • After adoption by the OAU Summit, it is expected that our programme will be sent to the G8 Summit in Genoa • A partnership will be established with the UN Secretary General and his Task Force …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  20. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US in a millennium partnershipso that... “no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be African.” …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  21. A MILLENNIUM PARTNERSHIPSO THAT... ...every African child, should want to stand up straight, at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, and shout loudly, clearly, deliberately and proudly “I am an African” …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  22. In my language there is an expression that there is no existing path ahead, we shall carve it as we move forward. …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

  23. Asante …no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African...

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