Experts commend Rwanda as a model in using ICT and e-Governance for sustainable development
Policy makers and experts in ICT gathered in Kigali for the Commonwealth e-Governance Forum Africa from 24-25 March 2015 have commended Rwanda as a model in using ICT and e-Governance for sustainable development. Participants at the Forum explored the different opportunities availed by information technology towards enhancing governments’ effectiveness in service delivery.
Speaking at the Forum, the Secretary General of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Professor Tim Unwin lauded Rwanda’s efforts in harness ICTs potentials to increase accountability and transparency.
“I congratulate the Rwandan people and the government for all achievements in the use of ICTs for sustainable development and for wide contributions. The progress of about 28 per cent internet penetration, more than 70 per cent mobile phone penetration and the recently adopted cyber security policy are some of the indicators of the government’s efforts toward achieving the benefits of e-Governance systems.”
Professor Tim Unwin further cited initiatives like the broadband strategy and Rwandapedia which were launched in 2013, as well as the Rwanda Online Platform which is slated to be operational by the end of this year.
The Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana stated that Rwanda is currently working to leverage latest ICT capabilities such as analytics, social media and mobility to deliver citizen centric and accountable governance.
“We must make governance work for the next generation. However much one might have accomplished in driving e-Governance, the road ahead is still too long. Issues like child online protection emerged as an important element from our discussion in this Forum. I commit that, in partnership with our stakeholders, we shall another discussion in June 2015 to discuss child online protection in collaboration with its early champions like Facebook.”
Themed “Smart Governance through a Networked Government”, the Commonwealth e-Governance Forum Africa explored topics geared towards promoting ICT as a tool for effective service delivery.
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international body based in London engaged in multilateral collaboration of ICTs and uses its experience and expertise to support its members in integrating ICTs to deliver interventions that enrich people within the Commonwealth and beyond.