The 21st century has brought sweeping changes to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across the globe and in Africa. Expanded voice telephony and worldwide internet access have transformed society and business, allowing for instant global contacts and information transfer. But why is Africa lagging behind many other parts of the world in reaping the benefits?
In a Development Memoir of Right Honourable Dr Saulos Chilima, Vice President of the Republic of Malawi, the issue comes out clear: Capacity is the missing link.
‘Connectivity is limited by high costs for devices and data, putting access out of reach for many of the continent’s poor. Low computer literacy, inadequate infrastructure, and weak ICT institutional capacity also pose challenges to taking advantage of the potential for growth and development. This digital divide between Africa and the increasingly connected internet world must be a focus for both governments and the private sector as Africa strives to support growth and reduce poverty.’ Says Dr Chilima.
In this Development Memoir which is the 9th in a series produced both in English and French by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), has Right Honourable Dr Chilima sharing his memoirs, insights, and experience on ‘The role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa’s sustainable and inclusive development: Understanding the capacity challenges.’
Under the Development Memoir series, successful development practitioners (serving, retired, on sabbatical, or on leave of absence) who have made significant contributions to the development process in Africa or other developing regions and are willing to document and share their memoirs are targeted for extracting tacit knowledge for the benefit of future efforts toward African development. The program specifically targets very senior policymakers and development managers, including visiting academics and eminent guests. Previous leaders that have provided their tacit knowledge under the series include former president of Nigeria, HE Olusegun Obasanjo; former managing director of the World Bank, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela; Ms. Eveline Herfkens, the Founder of the UN Millennium Campaign and a former Minister of Development Cooperation in Netherlands.
Honourable Chilima, who at 43 is the youngest achiever to be featured in the series, hold a PhD in Knowledge Management from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom. Before being Malawi’s Vice President, he held key leadership positions in various multinational companies including Unilever, Coca Cola, and Airtel. At Airtel, he rose to become the first Malawian to head Airtel Malawi as chief executive officer. Airtel is one of the leading mobile telecommunications companies in Africa.
The African Capacity Building Foundation is Africa’s premier institution in capacity building. Established in February 1991, ACBF is the outcome of collaboration between African governments and the international donor community. Since 1991, ACBF has supported and invested in efforts to build human and institutional capacity across Africa to meet development needs at the country, regional, and continental levels and has emerged as one of the leading capacity development organizations in Africa. To date the Foundation, whose Board of Governors comprise ministers of finance and economic planning, has empowered governments, parliaments, civic society, the private sector, and higher education institutions in more than 45 countries and six regional economic communities. It has invested in more than 321 capacity development projects, and has committed more than USD700 million to capacity development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For full text of Right Honourable Dr Chilima’s Development Memoir, click here
