USING BROADBAND TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD NEED FOR JOINT EFFORTS ITU FORUM KIGALI, 9-11 May 2012 & Dr. Speranza Ndege Director, Open, Distance & e-Learning, Kenyatta University Commissioner, Broadband Commission for Digital Development

In year 2000, 189 countries came together to discuss global challenges facing us. They came up with 8 Millennium Development Goals Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Broadband Commission for Digital Development In May 2010, ITU and UNESCO, got concerned about the time lines of implementing MDGs. 5 years only to Will all the countries have delivered on their promises? This led to the formation of Broadband commission for Digital Development.

Sharing a Common Vision Commission for Digital Development wishes to share a VISION that it is convinced can give solutions to our challenges, namely: poverty poverty health, education health, education gender equality gender equality climate change and climate change and demographic shifts in youth and ageing populations. Etc. demographic shifts in youth and ageing populations. Etc.

How to speed MDG Realization Broadband is the answer! Embrace a common leadership vision that has profound implications for the accelerated achievement of the millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the internationally-agreed deadline of 2015 Embrace a common leadership vision that has profound implications for the accelerated achievement of the millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the internationally-agreed deadline of 2015 Broadband Inclusion for AllBroadband Inclusion for All New York, September 19, 2010

That: models of the mobile and internet revolutions can transform global development. models of the mobile and internet revolutions can transform global development. We need to forge a common vision and understanding of the needs and requirements of society. We need to forge a common vision and understanding of the needs and requirements of society. Commissions Conviction :

Commissions Conviction governments have the opportunity to unleash the creativity and inventiveness of their citizens governments have the opportunity to unleash the creativity and inventiveness of their citizens broadband is a means to an end, and not an end in itself broadband is a means to an end, and not an end in itself ICTs and broadband can help generate jobs ICTs and broadband can help generate jobs that collaborations and forging strong partnerships can bring about growth, productivity and, ultimately, long-term economic competitiveness that collaborations and forging strong partnerships can bring about growth, productivity and, ultimately, long-term economic competitiveness

That broadband inclusion for all will That broadband inclusion for all will represent a momentous economic and social change commensurate with the very problems that the MDGs aim to solve. We need to use Broadband to address the rising healthcare costs, delivering digital education for all (in Kenya we have what we call digital villages) We need to use Broadband to address the rising healthcare costs, delivering digital education for all (in Kenya we have what we call digital villages) Commissions Conviction

That getting the broadband policy and investment mix right requires coherent and concerted: That getting the broadband policy and investment mix right requires coherent and concerted: Political will Political will Leadership from the top Leadership from the top Grassroots support Grassroots support Commissions Conviction

What Broadband can do allows flow of information allows flow of information provides the ability to communicate provides the ability to communicate provides a platform for access and exchange of online information and knowledge in real-time. provides a platform for access and exchange of online information and knowledge in real-time.

it has the potential to address many sustainability challenges hence - Broadband is unique it has the potential to address many sustainability challenges hence - Broadband is unique increasing socio-economic development and quality of life increasing socio-economic development and quality of life facilitates transformative change (transportation, education, agriculture, health etc) facilitates transformative change (transportation, education, agriculture, health etc) What Broadband can do

YES WE CAN With the good will and support of world leaders, policy-makers, industry leaders, participants and citizens we can: With the good will and support of world leaders, policy-makers, industry leaders, participants and citizens we can: expanding access to broadband infrastructure expanding access to broadband infrastructure build broadband-enabled applications and services to all build broadband-enabled applications and services to all - must be a top policy priority for all countries.

Invest sufficiently in broadband so that developing countries are not excluded from economic and social growth Invest sufficiently in broadband so that developing countries are not excluded from economic and social growth empower people to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face empower people to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face create forums that will educate people so that they are able to make informed choices and decisions create forums that will educate people so that they are able to make informed choices and decisions YES WE CAN

create an interacting society, exposing them to great opportunities eg. better farming methods create an interacting society, exposing them to great opportunities eg. better farming methods connect people enabling them to form social networks connect people enabling them to form social networks YES WE CAN

Broadband Challenge We called on global leaders to: make broadband policy universal make broadband policy universal develop policies to expand access to health and education through broadband develop policies to expand access to health and education through broadband ensure that at least half the developing worlds population and 40% of households in developing countries are using broadband Internet by ensure that at least half the developing worlds population and 40% of households in developing countries are using broadband Internet by 2015.

Private sector challenged to contribute to this goal by developing innovative business models to realize this vision. Private sector challenged to contribute to this goal by developing innovative business models to realize this vision. Broadband Challenge

Call for Action Commission urging the global community to: acknowledge the potential of broadband for progress and sustainable development acknowledge the potential of broadband for progress and sustainable development consider broadband inclusion for all in the formulation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) consider broadband inclusion for all in the formulation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) work together to eradicate poverty and move the sustainable development agenda work together to eradicate poverty and move the sustainable development agenda acknowledge the media for using broadband to keep the public informed on sustainable developments acknowledge the media for using broadband to keep the public informed on sustainable developments

1.No or poor ICT infrastructure 2.Internet bandwidth is still expensive 3.Fiber optic cable not yet in the rural areas - ISPs 4.No rural electrification 5.We cant afford Broadband - expensive 6.Lack of capacity building to develop local content 7.Rampant illiteracy in working with computers and other technologies 8.Smart phones too expensive 9.Copyright issues – e-content Lets Support the Commissions Vision. Dont get discouraged by what Africa cant do or cant afford: Conclusion

THANK YOU.