Vision or hallucination? Briefing papers towards the World Summit on the Information Society

Actions decided in the WSIS context will take time to be implemented. The financial discrepancy to develop the “information society” in the North and the South is glaring and the extent to which the agreed policies and activities will cover the digital gap between them is questionable. Still, the Arab countries and the South, in general, are cautioned not to be overwhelmed by the challenges and economic inequities. In the interim, in order not to lose critical time, there should be an assessment of what is feasible with the existing human, in-kind and financial resources in the South and, more particularly to this document, the Arab region. This paper focuses on potential supplementary resources available in the Arab region as a starting point for serious local actions of ICTs for development.

Fostering Local Resources and Technologies in the South: Perspectives for the Arab World

For the whole book see Choike.org: a portal on Southern civil societies

FOSS in Upper Egypt: virgin territory

To spread free software and open source to the disadvantaged south of Egypt, ArabDev is working with two middle schools in the Al Menia governorate and also with the Faculty of Computer Engineering at Menia University.

Children hungry for computer training held back by lack of PCs in Upper Egypt

“Learning and working on the computer makes me feel that I am no less than anyone else in the world.” “Everyone should learn how to use a computer, especially the poor.” “The computer is my friend, it teaches (educates) me, it entertains me and it is full of dreams and aspirations.” This is how the children of 4th grade elementary in Abou Korkas, Menia governorate feel about their computer classes.

No computers means no alternatives for victims of domestic violence in Egypt

“ArabDev, has been working with Assiut Childhood and Development Association (ACDA) to counteract unemployment with IT skills training for the local job market.

Egypt ICT Country Report

With more than 14,000 official civil society organizations (CSOs) working in diverse aspects of social life1, Egypt’s CSO sector is active and far reaching. Despite this proliferation of CSOs Egypt does not have an active grass roots presence in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) field. The absence of a strong CSO presence in ICT is mainly due to the early availability of Internet connection through Egyptian academia, semi-governmental bodies, the private sector and the government with little or no involvement of CSO. Furthermore, the Egyptian government has made big strides in the last decade towards establishing the country as a potential ICT hub in the region. Major infrastructure developments have updated the ICT capacities in Egypt. In addition to laying a modern communication infrastructure, the government is promoting the use of computers and the Internet for economic growth – the goal is to become another India or Ireland. With the increase in the number of users issues like regulation and policy formulation of the Internet are becoming an issue, though they are still the arena of a tiny minority of activists. In the coming years it will become evident how Egypt will juggle the liberties that the computer, and especially the Internet, offer to individuals and the security needs posed by the state. The recent lobbying done by a civil society organization regarding the newest communication bill is an encouraging sign that representatives of the society are demanding a stake in the ICT policy formulation process. At the same time Egypt’s National ICT Strategy does not address CSOs as a partner for the spread of ICT in the country. The fact is that notwithstanding the heavy investments and relatively easy availability of the Internet, it is not yet an established communication channel in Egypt. ICT is until now used by the few and privileged, though its user base is increasing at a daily rate. Yet it is still to be seen how the change in user demographics will affect the utilization of this communication tool in the near future.

Part of Africa ICT Policy Monitor