ICT Policy in Developing Countries: Understanding the Bottlenecks

摘要

An ICT policy framework is recognized as a necessarily step in order to create anrnenabling environment for the deployment of ICTs and their uses to catalyse economicrndevelopment and better social outcomes. The absence of an ICT policy framework hasrnbeen attributed as a key factor behind the poor infrastructure and use of ICTs in manyrndeveloping countries in Africa. While many developing countries in Africa have movedrnahead and developed an ICT policy, very little progress has been made in policyrnimplementation.rnThis paper discusses factors that influence ICT policy formulation and how these factorsrnimpact on its implementation. The paper suggests that most developing countries arernfaced by two main competing interests when it comes to policy formulation and itsrnimplementation. On one hand policy makers seek to formulate policies that aim at thernuse of ICTs as tools to achieve wider social-economic development objectives such asrnpoverty reduction, health and education. On the other hand policy makers seek tornformulate policies to create an enabling environment for the growth of the ICT sector.rnCaught between various constituencies, overseas aid donors, private business interestsrnand their own citizens, this paper discusses key issues faced by policy makers as theyrnseek to resolve contrasting, and sometimes irreconcilable goals.rnThe paper concludes that ICT policy in developing countries is in transition, from an erarnwhere policy focused on a few narrow sectoral issues (driven by private business,rninternational donors and state interests) to an era where policy needs not onlyrnaddresses sector issues, but also has to address the wider development aspectsrn(driven my citizens interests).