ICT for Development

UNECA's activities in ICT for development are geared towards supporting African countries to participate fully in the rapidly evolving people-centred, inclusive, development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, utilize and share information and knowledge and empowered to achieve their full potential in order to gain improved quality of life, and where communities are enabled to attain sustainable development.

It is widely recognized that without embracing information and communications technologies (ICT), the development gap between Africa and the rest of the world will continue to expand. Information and knowledge have increasingly become essential resources and raw materials in the global networked economy. Africa can exploit these technologies to become fully integrated into the global economy and accelerate socio-economic development.

UNECA is primarily responsible for implementing the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) and develops practical strategies and programs that will help lead Africa towards the realization of digital inclusion.

The ICT work programme at the UNECA falls under the framework of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI), which remains the key framework for the development and implementation of national e-strategies of National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) plans.

With UNECA's assistance, approximately 32 African countries have already developed such strategies and in the coming years, efforts will be geared towards financing the NICI process, building the implementation capacity of relevant institutions and stakeholders and harmonizing regulatory and legal frameworks.