The Accra Declaration on technology and economic growth in Africa

THE ACCRA DECLARATION
ON TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN AFRICA

We the participants in the 3rd Annual InterCED Conference on ICT and
Economic Development, held in Accra, Ghana from March 3 to March 5, 2004
recognize that Information Technology is simply a tool for the realization
of the dreams of people.

We further recognize that the creation of economic opportunity, jobs, and
social capital require that all hands are put to the task and that all
sectors of the society have a meaningful role to play in bringing about a
renaissance of the African economy.

In one voice, we declare that it is time for the entire continent of Africa
to come together, to work together and to create change together. While we
do not subscribe to re-inventing the wheel, we seriously agree to work with
existing technologies but adapting them in relevant and locally useful ways
with full indigenous participation.

We agree that all hands must be seriously engaged in this process of change
and as such, we call on all members of the social fabric of Africa: those
who live and work here, those who provide assistance, and those who do
business within this fabric, to engage in the business of building dreams
(economic capacity and social capital) using ICT as a tool for realizing
those dreams. We specifically encourage further action in the following
venues:

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION

Education is the most fundamental cornerstone to a vibrant economy.
Businesses consider many factors when locating, starting, or expanding but
the quality of workforce, particularly for ICT related businesses is
paramount. Accordingly, we make the following recommendations:

. Specifically, we ask that African governments should make technology
education start from the kindergarten and the primary level;

. African governments should aggressively bring to fruition the commitment
to universal and free education using both conventional and innovative ICT
solutions to make the dream a reality;

. African governments should focus on growing a well-developed workforce in
the area of ICT, as this has become a strategic imperative for the
development of the continent;

. Education is the greatest force for change. It is also the greatest
investment that the nations of Africa can make for economic and social
development of the continent; and

. Governments must work to re-engineer our educational systems to provide
curriculum that meets international standards for quality education at local
rates using ICT so that our graduates can compete globally in the
ever-growing international job market

THE ROLE OF LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS

It is the role of government to facilitate the creation of jobs through an
enabling environment in which individuals, businesses and organizations can
flourish and create sustainable job growth. We therefore call upon
governments to:

. Aggressively move forward with the further development of a legal
infrastructure for e-procurement, the enforcement of contracts and the
transparency of business transactions as it relates to both Internet and
conventional transactions;

. Immediately move toward deregulation of technology growth, innovation and
investment and focus on regulating service provision;

. Actively support the creation of regional approaches to issues of trade,
tourism, ICT and monetary policies;

. Re-engineer our educational systems to provide curriculum that meets
international standards for quality education at local rates using ICT so
that our graduates can compete globally in the ever-growing international
job market

. Aggressively work to stamp out corruption and to build an atmosphere of
confidence that mitigates the risk of investment;

. Expand the opportunities for private ownership at all levels to encourage
competition that lowers prices and enhances access and opportunities for all
citizens;

. Provide meaningful incentives for financial institutions to provide
lending to Small and Medium Enterprises and implementing innovative policies
for building economic capacity at all levels;

. African governments to provide Universal Access Provider (UAP) licenses
for operation in the under-served rural areas of the continent thus bringing
ICT use and deployment to Africa's overwhelmingly rural population
predominantly characterized by low per-capita income; and

. Provide meaningful incentives for the development of a culture of
philanthropy.

THE ROLE OF BUSINESS

Private business is the principal engine for job creation and a leveling of
income disparity. Corporations are rightfully in the business of making
profits. However, they have a responsibility to participate in their
communities as both economic engines and corporate citizens leading the way
toward both a culture of economic excellence and a culture of philanthropy.
We therefore call on corporations within Africa and those doing business in
Africa to:

. Aggressively engage government in the process of building physical and
legal infrastructure that promotes the general and economic well being of
all citizens. This should include but not limited to: expanded competition,
contract enforcement and transactional transparency, lending practices for
SMEs and greatly expanding access to ICT;

. Develop "Partnerships for Excellence" with educational institutions that
offer opportunities for enhancing the quality of the workforce;

. Serve as the vanguards for the development of a "culture of philanthropy"
that is generous in its giving and demanding in successful outcomes;

. Encourage regional approaches to ICT policies, trade, tourism, and
monetary policies.

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY, NGOS & INDIGENOUS PROFESSIONALS

Civil Society organizations, NGOs and indigenous professionals play a
critical role in building the Social Capital of nations, regions and
communities. Improved Social Capital enhances both economic opportunities
and the human condition.

Economic opportunity and the human condition cannot, and must not, be
separated from one another in our struggle to improve economic growth in
Africa. Growth, opportunity and improvement of the human condition must
stretch across all levels of the socio-economic strata of our societies. In
keeping with this we recommend the following:

. Enhanced commitment within NGOs budgets for capacity building and
professionalism, ICT training and support, and professional development that
enhances sustainability;

. Deploy ICT more aggressively to enhance knowledge sharing among employees
and clients and to reduce operational expenses associated with travel and
couriers;

. Work with the donor community and private businesses to develop ICT
Solutions to challenging issues with regard to cost and sustainability, e.g.
Software solutions to the challenges of handling large numbers of micro
loans.

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND FUNDING AGENCIES

Foundations, International Institutions and Funding Agencies play a critical
role in addressing the social and economic needs of Africa. Initially these
funders provided grants and loans to nonprofit organizations largely based
in developed countries.

There were valid reasons for such funding decisions including transparency
and professionalism but during the past decade, in many regions of Africa,
indigenous organizations have made great strides in enhancing their own
capacities and professionalism.

Today, many of these organizations have the capacity to serve as the lead
organization for such grants yet too often Foundations, International
Institutions and Funding Agencies continue to provide assistance through
surrogates who are not based in the countries or regions that the funding is
intended to assist.

While there are still economies of scale and professional development
considerations, the preference for indigenous organizations should be a
fundamental tenet of funding considerations.

We call on international Institutions, Foundations and Funding Agencies to
increase the levels of funding and particularly the levels of funding that
have a direct impact on the community or problem being targeted. To achieve
this we suggest the following:

. Deployment of ICT for the cooperative development of valid assessment
protocols and the sharing of that information. Such assessment should be
targeted at the challenge of providing transparency and confidence among
donors that encourages greater levels of funding for indigenous
organizations while at the same time demands a higher levels of skills
within those organizations;

. Greater flexibility for grants and loans requiring government endorsement
and a preference for extra-governmental organizations as the lead partner in
such grants;

. Increased capacity building, wherever possible by local organizations,
focusing on ICT skills, professional development, and development and
fundraising to enhance the professionalism and sustainability of
organizations;

. A zero tolerance policy for official corruption that unjustly affect
indigenous organizations who could perform the function without government
endorsement, e.g. a by-pass policy allowing direct funding where official
corruption can be demonstrated or a by-pass policy based on a finding of
recent precedent;

. Increase funding for innovative economic development projects that have
synergies contributing to the enhancement of Social Capital such as
technology parks creating strategic partnerships between businesses,
educational institutions and government;

. Encourage alliances between NGOs, the private sector (including industry)
and the academia to develop innovative ICT solutions that lower costs, reach
the rural communities and enhance the sustainability of organizations

THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE

Osita Aniemeka, Lagos, NIGERIA - Chairman

Paul Adade - Kumasi, GHANA - Member

Tony Mintah - England, UK - Member

Florence Etta - Nairobi, KENYA - Member

Chris Uwaje, Lagos, NIGERIA - Member

Kwame Boateng, Kumasi, GHANA - Member

Shanker Rao - Ontario, CANADA - Member

Artemy Izmestiev, Yonkers, NEW YORK - Member

Ebenezer Thompson - Accra, GHANA - Member

Godwin Nwaobi - Benin City, NIGERIA - Member

John Asebere - Accra, GHANA - Member

Wayne Douglas King, Rumney, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Member