Guiding Principles/Objectives

Programmes

The German Government recognises ICT as much as tools for reducing poverty as the creation of physical infrastructure. At the beginning of 2000, ICT was designated as one of the priority areas of Germany's Africa policy. The BMZ is currently developing an appropriate strategy for promoting ICT in developing countries. For this purpose, it has set up a task force composed of officers from KfW, GTZ and other official development organisations as well as representatives of development research institutes.

Within the framework of the DOT Force process, the BMZ commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Development Co-operation) to conduct an in-depth study on ICT for Development in Peru, Laos, Vietnam, Tanzania and Uganda. The results of the study will guide the decision-making process to support ICT related project proposals with particular regard to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Furthermore, preliminary steps are undertaken to establish a virtual Center of Excellence for ICT and Development in the Bonn region of Germany, linking important research institutions, NGOs, the private sector and government agencies involved in ICT for Development work.

The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) as a public bank owned by the central and federal Government on behalf of the German Government provides promotional loans or grants in the framework of Financial Co-operation between Germany and developing countries. KfW’s involvement in promoting ICT for development already started in 1961 when it supported Pakistan’s telecommunications system. Since then KfW has been responsible for a number of ICT projects focussing on the provision of infrastructure and the use of modern ICT systems and applications. Up to now KfW has financed more than 150 projects worth almost two billion Euros in the area of telecommunication and radio communication mainly in Africa, Asia and Central America. Examples include public broadcasting (Mali, Rwanda, Niger, Indonesia, Burkina Faso), provision of public switching and transmission networks as basic ICT infrastructure (Egypt, Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Lesotho, El Salvador, Nicaragua) and rural telephony (Lao, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia).

Additionally, KfW has been increasingly involved in using and promoting ICT in sectors such as the promotion of private business, health, education, water, and the protection of natural resources. Examples include information systems for the management of patents (China), water management systems (Jordan), hospital information systems (Indonesia), cadastral registration (Georgia), satellite- based vessel monitoring systems for fishery (Mauritania), payment transaction systems (Uganda) geo-information systems for environment protection (Brasilia, Malawi) and logistical systems for the distribution and monitoring of pharmaceuticals (Vietnam, Cambodia). These examples demonstrate the ever-increasing importance of ICT as a cross-cutting technology also in developing countries.  While GTZ’s involvement in ICT focuses on technical assistance, KfW’s main focus lies in projects where investment is needed for the promotion of ICT (financial co-operation). Often, GTZ’s technical and KfW’s financial assistance go hand in hand.

Commissioned by the BMZ, the GTZ supports the NGO “Kabissa – Space for Change in Africa” in the development of a manual for assisting African NGOs in the application of ICT to increase their reach and effectiveness.

Another activity is the establishment of a network of African Universities in the field of crises prevention and conflict resolution, which is coordinated by the University of Bochum. Recently, the GTZ has started a co-operation with the United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica in order to support the implementation of Master Degrees study programmes in the field of international peace education, which will be offered world wide through the Internet.

Furthermore, the GTZ has been commissioned to support the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in strengthening its efforts to assist member countries in the application of ICT and the integration of ICT in the development process.

The GTZ is also engaged in a number of small-scale pilot projects to test and to evaluate the integration of ICT in rural development, small and medium enterprises, telecenters, health and education. Particular attention is being paid to the development of public private partnerships.

The Centrum für internationale Migration und Entwicklung (CIM) arranges the working of German experts for private companies and public institutions in developing countries. In the last years an increasing number of German ICT- experts has been supplied. At the moment 27 German ICT-experts are working in developing countries.

 Participation in Multi-donor Programmes:

► Development Gateway Foundation
► infoDev

Africa, Asia

Approx. US$1 billion since 1961. As from now, approx. US$15 million per annum have been made available

Mr. Michael Rügner, Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation Development, ruegner@bmz.bund.de