Text: Africa Benefiting from Increased Information Technology

While Africa "lags behind" other continents in information technology (IT), that same technology is now bringing benefits all across the continent, Congressman Ed Royce (Republican, California) told U.S. lawmakers May 16.

Royce, who chairs the Subcommittee on Africa in the U.S. House of Representatives, made that point as he opened a hearing on Capitol Hill that examined the level of Internet access across Africa.

Listing the advantages of improved IT, Royce said Africa now enjoys:

-- improved flow of information: some 120 African newspapers and news magazines are now available on-line;

-- increased job creation: a major U.S. health insurer is now processing claims in Ghana using telecomputing technology;

-- greater economic integration: a West African women's fishing cooperative has set up a Web site to enable its 7,000 members to monitor export markets and negotiate prices with overseas buyers;

-- enhanced education: medical students in Senegal are being instructed by doctors in Belgium via video link; and

-- greater accountability: the Southern Africa Development Council's Parliamentary Forum is using the Internet to encourage greater government accountability.

"Unfortunately," he warned, "while there has been considerable IT expansion on the continent over the last decade -- every African country now enjoys Internet connectivity -- Africa is not expanding its IT as rapidly as the rest of the world."

Following is the text of Royce's remarks:

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U.S. House of Representatives
Subcommittee on Africa

Statement of Chairman Ed Royce
"Bridging the Information Technology Divide in Africa"

The international community is increasingly focused on this "digital divide," being particularly aware that IT (information technology) is a significant factor in attracting foreign investment and fueling economic growth. The World Bank reported in 1995 that, "The information revolution offers Africa a dramatic opportunity to leapfrog into the future, breaking out of decades of stagnation or decline." It warned though that, "Africa must seize this opportunity, quickly. If African countries cannot take advantage of the information revolution and surf this great wave of technological change, they may be crushed by it."

The concern is that without IT tools, Africa will be unable to expand, or even maintain, its already very low level of engagement with the world marketplace. Africa also risks forgoing the advantages IT brings to confronting educational, health, governance and other challenges. These concerns led the U.S. Agency for International for Development to launch its Leland Initiative in 1996. The Initiative aims to promote Internet connectivity in Africa. This hearing aims to assess the Leland Initiative, while exploring the potential of IT in Africa and the roadblocks to its expansion.

Information technology is already bringing benefits to Africa. These include:

Improved flow of information: Some 120 African newspapers and news magazines are now available on-line.

Job creation: A major U.S. health insurer is now processing claims in Ghana using telecomputing technology.

Economic integration: A West African women's fishing cooperative has set up a web site to enable its 7,000 members to monitor export markets and negotiate prices with overseas buyers.

Education: Medical students in Senegal are being instructed by doctors in Belgium via video link.

Accountability: The Southern Africa Development Council's Parliamentary Forum is using the Internet to encourage greater government accountability. This effort addresses issues of conflict resolution, HIV/AIDS, regional economic integration, and parliamentary cooperation and oversight. Democracy activists throughout Africa are using e-mail to press for democratic change.

Unfortunately, while there has been considerable IT expansion on the continent over the last decade -- every African country now enjoys Internet connectivity -- Africa is not expanding its IT as rapidly as the rest of the world.

While Africa has an estimated 2.6 percent of the world's Internet connections today, this figure is expected to decrease to 1 percent by 2005. The World Bank, USAID and other institutions have been focused on aiding African governments in establishing a regulatory environment encouraging of critical IT investment. This means liberalization. Added challenges to IT expansion in Africa include training, affordability, and illiteracy.

Despite the benefits of IT, some have questioned whether its development should be a priority for African countries. Why, some ask, should resources be devoted to IT when tens of millions of Africans lack running water and electricity? Others, and I include myself in this camp, believe that IT development now is largely a matter of private sector investment, hence it is not a public sector resource drain, and that IT is increasingly central to economic growth, which is a prerequisite to addressing the health, environment, government and myriad other challenges Africa faces. We should also weigh the fact that African governments appear committed to developing the continent's IT infrastructure.