[AfrICANN-discuss] Re: AfrICANN Digest, Vol 75, Issue 62
Remmy Nweke
remmyn at gmail.com
Thu May 30 16:59:26 SAST 2013
Good idea, lets keep the push.
On Thu, May 30, 2013 at 9:54 AM, <africann-request at afrinic.net> wrote:
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>
> 1. Re: [africs-ig] [AfrICANN-discuss] Africa report
> (Dr Yassin Mshana)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 08:53:33 +0000
> From: Dr Yassin Mshana <ymshana2003 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [africs-ig] [AfrICANN-discuss] Africa report
> To: AfrICANN list <africann at afrinic.net>
> Cc: Judy Okite <judyokite at gmail.com>, seun.ojedeji at fossfa.net,
> AfriCS-IG <africs-ig at lists.apc.org>
> Message-ID:
> <CAM2OVBrXK4gfVPgtH+qB5Ee4rKAZo==
> wYAtCOB4h21fZLxxAMA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Hi
> I totally agree on that. Good progress!
> Then some of us will volunteer our talents and time to analyse the
> information and come up with a Report.
> Kind regards
> Yassin
>
> On 30 May 2013 08:47, Poncelet Ileleji <pileleji at ymca.gm> wrote:
>
> > Hello Nnenna,
> >
> > Morning I totally concur with your suggestions, the wiki set up, is a
> > start and I personally think we should add "Stakeholders Institutions
> /
> > Organisations" to the list you recommended for the wiki.
> >
> > Thank you
> >
> > Poncelet
> >
> >
> > On 30 May 2013 07:55, Nnenna Nwakanma <nnenna75 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi people:
> >>
> >> Here is my thinking:
> >>
> >>
> >> 1. Set up the wiki - I have copied Seun and Judy from FOSSFA end
> >> (AfrICANN can also do this)
> >> 2. On the wiki, have the following pages:
> >>
> >>
> >> - Resources - documents, links to documents
> >> - Key initiatives - what has happened, what is happening, what is
> >> upcoming
> >> - Issues
> >> - Action points
> >> - People?
> >>
> >> Just initial thought
> >>
> >>
> >> All for now
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, May 29, 2013 at 10:43 PM, Mawaki Chango <kichango at gmail.com
> >wrote:
> >>
> >>> This is getting more and more interesting! I'm available to participate
> >>> in the design team, and inviting other people to join in. I propose
> anybody
> >>> who volunteers to join a team should make the effort to formulate (for
> >>> themselves) a clear idea about how they can contribute. This is not the
> >>> place for endless debates and blah blah blah; must be focused and
> result
> >>> oriented. As a consequence, our notion of the output at every level
> must be
> >>> clear. Please, everybody, share any information and materials that
> might
> >>> help us formulate or break down the design process and result. Anyone
> with
> >>> handy experience who would like to guide us is much welcome!
> >>>
> >>> mc
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, May 29, 2013 at 9:22 PM, Ken Lohento <lohento at oridev.org>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hi all
> >>>>
> >>>> I hope something concrete will come out of this. That would be great.
> >>>> As far as I'm concerned, I'm ready to devote some time, from time to
> time,
> >>>> to contribute to the design and implementation of the the sort of
> >>>> crowdsourced space on ICT policy issues.
> >>>>
> >>>> Ken Lohento
> >>>>
> >>>> Le 29/05/2013 22:44, Adiel Akplogan a écrit :
> >>>>
> >>>> You are funny Ben! over to us :)? Well in term of research, data
> >>>>> analysis and linking research to grassroots projects, AFRINIC is
> trying
> >>>>> through its FIRE program (http://www.fireafrica.org). I believe that
> >>>>> an initiative that can effectively help in telling success stories
> will
> >>>>> qualify for funding under such Fund. But definitely we need to start
> >>>>> telling our own success stories. It is about mindset and education
> ...
> >>>>> positioning ourselves as players and not beggers.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Now leaving the path of big data research and coming back to one of
> >>>>> the simple suggestion of have a repository to collect information
> about the
> >>>>> community participation and contribution to various ICT Public Policy
> >>>>> debate:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> ---
> >>>>>> 1. Which African countries contribted content to a giving meeting
> >>>>>> 2. In which areas/domains were African countries working/interested
> in
> >>>>>> 3. Which Countries had delegations and from which sector
> >>>>>> 4. What commissions/committees of the policy rounds did they
> >>>>>> chair/work on
> >>>>>> 5. What Ministers were present? What panels did they feature on?
> What
> >>>>>> content did they contribute?
> >>>>>> 6. What engagements, what plans, what future..
> >>>>>> All of that in the framework of global Internet/ICT Policy
> >>>>>> ----
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Certainly this may be refined to few keys and pertinent data but
> >>>>> talking for AFRNIC I can for sure commit part (or all) the
> infrastructure
> >>>>> needed to host such a simple repository. Someone (or a group of
> people)
> >>>>> need to design the framework, and someone else (or a group)
> implement it.
> >>>>> If the task is properly distributed and everyone commit to
> contribute in a
> >>>>> systematic way to the content we can do it. This will be a kind of
> ICT
> >>>>> policy trend crowd sourcing platform for the region (or an
> Internet/ICT
> >>>>> Policy observatory (the EU has just decided to launch one few weeks
> ago).
> >>>>> Well I don't know I'm just trowing ideas and it is late here … I
> need some
> >>>>> sleep.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> - a.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On 2013-05-29, at 22:36 PM, Ben Akoh <me at benakoh.com> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Healthy dialogue Mawaki,
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Perhaps Adiele and others can chime in with the necessary support.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Over to them...
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Ben
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On 5/29/13 11:56 AM, Mawaki Chango wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hi Ben,
> >>>>>>> Thanks for such a thoughtful response! In the light of your vibrant
> >>>>>>> case
> >>>>>>> for such, I hope I didn't convey the impression that I was
> dismissing
> >>>>>>> donor-funded and commissioned research/studies/reports as part of
> >>>>>>> their
> >>>>>>> programs. They are of course useful since they are supposed to
> reach
> >>>>>>> specific objectives and programmatic goals, which generally consist
> >>>>>>> in
> >>>>>>> helping bring about improvements on some issues or in some areas.
> >>>>>>> My main point for making the distinction between both research
> >>>>>>> avenues
> >>>>>>> was to say we (both public and policy-makers, at least) cannot
> >>>>>>> fundamentally change our rapport to research in the sense you are
> >>>>>>> advocating for if we do not commit to research. And the indicator
> >>>>>>> showing that we are seriously committed to research is not to be
> >>>>>>> found in the number of studies or reports that may be commissioned
> by
> >>>>>>> foreign/international donors (the recommendations of which, as you
> >>>>>>> deplore, are rarely translated into actions by policy-makers), but
> in
> >>>>>>> the ways we support our local/national/regional research
> institutions
> >>>>>>> and tap into them for, and associate them as much as possible with,
> >>>>>>> our
> >>>>>>> various activities for social, economical and political change
> which
> >>>>>>> may
> >>>>>>> gain from research. And the day such level of sustainable support
> >>>>>>> will
> >>>>>>> manifest, you'll see that (well, that's my speculation but I think
> >>>>>>> it's
> >>>>>>> a sound one ;)) even recommendations from donor-sponsored studies
> >>>>>>> will
> >>>>>>> also be given more attention and they will be more readiness to
> >>>>>>> translate them into actions. Because, as I think we agree, it is a
> >>>>>>> cultural thing in addition to being a resource challenge.
> >>>>>>> I might add some of the donors actually commissioned their studies
> >>>>>>> through local/national academic institutions keeping institutional
> >>>>>>> capacity-building as one of their objectives (I'm very much aware
> of
> >>>>>>> this since that was what I did with the project 'Scan-ICT' at
> IDRC.)
> >>>>>>> On
> >>>>>>> the other hand you and I know very well that development projects
> are
> >>>>>>> not always followed with a robust evaluation and they chronically
> >>>>>>> suffer
> >>>>>>> from lack of sustainability. I believe healthier academic research
> >>>>>>> institutions will help foster the spirit of taking into account any
> >>>>>>> research outcomes, and consequently, increase the potential impact
> of
> >>>>>>> the research-based work done by development actors. So while I put
> my
> >>>>>>> emphasis on research institutions, particularly academic research,
> I
> >>>>>>> did
> >>>>>>> not mean to be exclusive but cumulative in order to power the
> change
> >>>>>>> we're all seeking.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I would add finally, that African based institutions with
> funding
> >>>>>>> should step up to the plate and provide the necessary supports
> >>>>>>> that
> >>>>>>> creates a space for African research on internet and digital
> >>>>>>> futures.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> With the clarification I've provided above, I think it's safe to
> say
> >>>>>>> we're in violent agreement not only on the point above but all the
> >>>>>>> preceding ones you made.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Apart from Research ICT in Africa, and other open access
> >>>>>>> journals,
> >>>>>>> few or none else provides any support for the telling of
> success
> >>>>>>> stories of African ICT grassroots initiatives. Perhaps you can
> >>>>>>> initiate an African Journal for this sort of research, Mawaki,
> my
> >>>>>>> friend. I, and I am sure, a few others would gladly provide
> >>>>>>> articles.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I'm just getting back in the blocks, my dear... I mean the starting
> >>>>>>> blocks, scrutinizing the horizon and gauging the challenge ahead ;)
> >>>>>>> Well, let me just say for now, we will all need each other to make
> >>>>>>> change happen in these matters of concern to us all.
> >>>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>>> Mawaki
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Wed, May 29, 2013 at 3:26 PM, Ben Akoh <me at benakoh.com
> >>>>>>> <mailto:me at benakoh.com>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hi Mawaki,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On 5/28/13 3:33 PM, Mawaki Chango wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Ben, and all:
> >>>>>>> Could you please provide a link to the web page of the
> >>>>>>> organization
> >>>>>>> you're referring to? There are many pages that respond to
> >>>>>>> the name
> >>>>>>> "Research in Africa" a link would help disambiguate the
> >>>>>>> search
> >>>>>>> results.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Research ICT in Africa does not only provide primary data, but
> >>>>>>> analysis of primary data. See
> >>>>>>> http://www.researchictafrica._**_net/data.php
> >>>>>>> <http://www.researchictafrica.**net/data.php<
> http://www.researchictafrica.net/data.php>>.
> >>>>>>> Data is also available
> >>>>>>> at the world bank and ITU data sites. Few Project based and
> >>>>>>> Program
> >>>>>>> funded research exists on the sites of the institution you work
> >>>>>>> for
> >>>>>>> - APC, and as are the regional policy institutes such as CIPACO
> >>>>>>> and
> >>>>>>> CIPESA. As it concerns internet governance, substantial amount
> of
> >>>>>>> research data exists on Afrinic sites. I have conducted a few
> >>>>>>> research available on www.iisd.org <http://www.iisd.org>. Ken
> >>>>>>> Lohento does substantial amount of work on ICTs and
> Agriculture.
> >>>>>>> And
> >>>>>>> there are numerous others sites to mention with research work
> of
> >>>>>>> may
> >>>>>>> Africans local and in the Diaspora (rigorous search would
> help).
> >>>>>>> Not
> >>>>>>> to mention reports that have been written for publications in
> >>>>>>> Academic journals, some of which you have written but may never
> >>>>>>> be
> >>>>>>> available to us in Africa. The kind of reports that Nnenna
> >>>>>>> mentions
> >>>>>>> may be possible if a blogger takes this as his/her task to
> >>>>>>> report on
> >>>>>>> such global international arrangements. But not all bloggers
> have
> >>>>>>> the luxury of physically attending these events. Perhaps those
> >>>>>>> that
> >>>>>>> do could capture the data and make them available to
> researchers
> >>>>>>> like you and I for "proper" presentation to a wider audience.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Clearly we agree on the root of the problem being in the
> >>>>>>> mindset
> >>>>>>> you're
> >>>>>>> describing rather than the simple lack of data (after all
> >>>>>>> that very
> >>>>>>> mindset might well be one of the causal factors why data
> may
> >>>>>>> be
> >>>>>>> lacking
> >>>>>>> on some issues.).
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Agreed. Still speculative though but generally a fair
> assumption
> >>>>>>> to
> >>>>>>> begin from.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Having said that, we need to go beyond publishing reports
> >>>>>>> commissioned
> >>>>>>> by international/external donors as part of their
> >>>>>>> programs/projects.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> There is nothing wrong with commissioning reports as a part of
> a
> >>>>>>> program/project or as I would put it, a strategic focus. It is
> >>>>>>> besides the point if a program's strategic focus, be it local
> or
> >>>>>>> international, is commissioned by a donor. What is most
> >>>>>>> important is
> >>>>>>> that it generates useful data and analysis of data, it is
> >>>>>>> conducted
> >>>>>>> in a rigorous, systematic and empirical manner, that bias and
> >>>>>>> other
> >>>>>>> factors are declared and stated, and that the report recognizes
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> nuances of the local context. You would agree that these are
> more
> >>>>>>> important than a mere brush stroke painting of internationally
> >>>>>>> funded programs or project.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> It
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> seems to me the intended or natural audience for those
> >>>>>>> reports are,
> >>>>>>> or in any case their audience is most of the time limited
> >>>>>>> to, policy-makers and other policy-driven actors.And
> >>>>>>> unfortunately,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> unless another round of activities is funded to package the
> >>>>>>> findings help launch advocacy or campaign efforts, etc.
> they
> >>>>>>> are
> >>>>>>> likely
> >>>>>>> to die on the shelves or worse in the office drawers.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> In most cases (anecdotally) yes, but there remain very good
> >>>>>>> projects
> >>>>>>> that have taken research outcomes to the grassroots in the form
> >>>>>>> of,
> >>>>>>> for instance, role plays and theaters, that change belief
> systems
> >>>>>>> and attitudes about for instance, climate change and
> adaptation,
> >>>>>>> finance, reproductive health, and rights. I have researched
> some
> >>>>>>> of
> >>>>>>> these in the past 3 to four years and have funded those sorts
> of
> >>>>>>> projects in West Africa for about six years. Certainly,
> >>>>>>> successful
> >>>>>>> grassroots initiatives like Mpesa did not hit the ground
> without
> >>>>>>> some research. The point is, policy makers are a part of a
> >>>>>>> research
> >>>>>>> audience, but the mechanisms are required by which such
> >>>>>>> reports/researches can reach a wider audience base. The point
> >>>>>>> about
> >>>>>>> my earlier email is that there is first, a fundamental
> >>>>>>> difference;
> >>>>>>> and second, a gulf between the commissioning/dissemination of
> >>>>>>> reports and the implementation of report recommendations.
> >>>>>>> Linking
> >>>>>>> those two is the "will" (or if you like, mechanism) that must
> be
> >>>>>>> developed to transition from the one to the other. That is what
> >>>>>>> we
> >>>>>>> are missing. That gap needs to be bridged.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> While we should keep making those efforts and pushing
> >>>>>>> policy-makers to
> >>>>>>> embrace evidence-based policy making aided by those
> reports,
> >>>>>>> it
> >>>>>>> is in my
> >>>>>>> view crucial to invest also in academic research on those
> >>>>>>> issues
> >>>>>>> --not
> >>>>>>> just studies and reports, but sheer scholarly research.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Agreed.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Because there is
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> a wider array of questions that academics are prepared to
> >>>>>>> tackle and
> >>>>>>> demonstrate the relevance thereof (as opposed to studies
> >>>>>>> that are
> >>>>>>> designed as part of, say, a charity or development
> >>>>>>> organization-funded
> >>>>>>> program).
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I wouldnt disregard these ll together (although some needs to
> be
> >>>>>>> questioned). They provide useful sources of data from which
> >>>>>>> academic
> >>>>>>> research papers can be written. Not all researchers are
> >>>>>>> ethnographic
> >>>>>>> or willing to situate themselves in their research context for
> a
> >>>>>>> long period of time. However, these reports seen through the
> >>>>>>> eyes of
> >>>>>>> the research participants help academics to provide research
> >>>>>>> useful
> >>>>>>> for academic debate and knowledge.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> There are two points here, that I would like to conclude with:
> >>>>>>> 1. Producing critical, empirical, rigorous, systematic research
> >>>>>>> useful for contributing to knowledge and for academic debate.
> >>>>>>> Research of this form have a place in our African societies and
> >>>>>>> context. The capacities for these need to be created. These
> >>>>>>> include:
> >>>>>>> developing the human research capacity; creating the necessary
> >>>>>>> research departments and faculties in academic institutions;
> >>>>>>> commissioning and providing the necessary funding for such
> >>>>>>> research
> >>>>>>> by African governments, private sectors, economic commissions,
> >>>>>>> and
> >>>>>>> institution communities (i.e. Afrinic); and creating a space
> for
> >>>>>>> wider policy debate of research in our countries and regions.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> 2. Linking research to grassroots development. I mentioned in
> my
> >>>>>>> previous email that research should not just be for the sake of
> >>>>>>> it,
> >>>>>>> but that it should make meaning in the lives of people. We
> >>>>>>> should be
> >>>>>>> able to say that, "this policy or government program was
> >>>>>>> influenced
> >>>>>>> by this or that research". I can however, not substantially
> >>>>>>> assert
> >>>>>>> that policy makers and governments can say so. These
> mechanisms
> >>>>>>> need to be developed and systematized within the African
> >>>>>>> governance
> >>>>>>> structures.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I would add finally, that African based institutions with
> funding
> >>>>>>> should step up to the plate and provide the necessary supports
> >>>>>>> that
> >>>>>>> creates a space for African research on internet and digital
> >>>>>>> futures. Apart from Research ICT in Africa, and other open
> access
> >>>>>>> journals, few or none else provides any support for the telling
> >>>>>>> of
> >>>>>>> success stories of African ICT grassroots initiatives. Perhaps
> >>>>>>> you
> >>>>>>> can initiate an African Journal for this sort of research,
> >>>>>>> Mawaki,
> >>>>>>> my friend. I, and I am sure, a few others would gladly provide
> >>>>>>> articles.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>>> Ben
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Because research leads to an orderly accumulation of
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> knowledge, and research generates more research. Students
> and
> >>>>>>> peers read
> >>>>>>> the outcomes and seek to critique it and to add their
> >>>>>>> contribution (and
> >>>>>>> this ripple effect doesn't require that much additional
> >>>>>>> funding.) And
> >>>>>>> because once research findings are recognized as valid by
> the
> >>>>>>> community
> >>>>>>> of peers, it is more likely that they will raise questions
> >>>>>>> wherever they
> >>>>>>> apply, eg, to policy-makers, and sparkle debates, which can
> >>>>>>> in turn
> >>>>>>> drive the public attention, etc.
> >>>>>>> So this is my impassioned call ;) for all practitioners and
> >>>>>>> all
> >>>>>>> those
> >>>>>>> already in this field to make particular efforts to
> associate
> >>>>>>> researchers, particularly social science researchers (and
> >>>>>>> further
> >>>>>>> particularly the younger ones who might be interested in
> new
> >>>>>>> areas to
> >>>>>>> specialize in), to your relevant activities and
> proceedings.
> >>>>>>> We
> >>>>>>> could
> >>>>>>> wait for them to come to us but we are the ones closer to
> the
> >>>>>>> field, so
> >>>>>>> we can afford to be more proactive and reach out to them
> >>>>>>> knowing
> >>>>>>> that to
> >>>>>>> date there's no subject area labeled internet governance in
> >>>>>>> university
> >>>>>>> curricula.
> >>>>>>> Mawaki
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 12:28 PM, Ben Akoh <me at benakoh.com
> >>>>>>> <mailto:me at benakoh.com>
> >>>>>>> <mailto:me at benakoh.com <mailto:me at benakoh.com>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Some organizations, eg Research in Africa are
> producing
> >>>>>>> reports from
> >>>>>>> primary data (because of the challenges of accessing
> >>>>>>> both
> >>>>>>> primary
> >>>>>>> and secondary data) such as mawaki describes. A
> >>>>>>> substantial
> >>>>>>> amount
> >>>>>>> of data and analysis of data already exists, although
> >>>>>>> more
> >>>>>>> needs to
> >>>>>>> be done. However, the fundamental question pertains
> to a
> >>>>>>> mindset
> >>>>>>> that fails to read these reports or to associate
> >>>>>>> research
> >>>>>>> findings
> >>>>>>> with policy action. It shouldn't be a report just for
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> sake of it!
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On 2013-05-28, at 6:27 AM, Dandjinou Pierre
> >>>>>>> <pdandjinou at gmail.com <mailto:pdandjinou at gmail.com>
> >>>>>>> <mailto:pdandjinou at gmail.com
> >>>>>>> <mailto:pdandjinou at gmail.com>>**> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Mawaki,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> You said it all ! collecting the information and
> >>>>>>> documenting those
> >>>>>>> relevant events as the ones Nnenna alludes to
> >>>>>>> should be
> >>>>>>> the focus.
> >>>>>>> But this calls for resources (human and financial
> >>>>>>> resources). The
> >>>>>>> way some parts of the world do this is through
> >>>>>>> regional
> >>>>>>> organizations such as the European commission who
> >>>>>>> commissioned
> >>>>>>> (!!) appropriate studies and white papers.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Our challenge here is how to get the Africa Union
> >>>>>>> commission and
> >>>>>>> other RECs interested.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Pierre
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 12:42 PM, Mawaki Chango
> >>>>>>> <kichango at gmail.com <mailto:kichango at gmail.com>
> >>>>>>> <mailto:kichango at gmail.com <mailto:kichango at gmail.com
> >>>
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> All,
> >>>>>>> There is a lot to be done in Africa. So one
> >>>>>>> might
> >>>>>>> think it
> >>>>>>> is even more crucial here to bring in all
> >>>>>>> segments of
> >>>>>>> the society which can help improve our
> >>>>>>> understanding and
> >>>>>>> practice. I totally agree that academia should
> >>>>>>> be
> >>>>>>> invited in
> >>>>>>> what we do at all levels. It doesn't matter
> how
> >>>>>>> much you slice
> >>>>>>> this, you can't avoid education, training,
> >>>>>>> research
> >>>>>>> without a
> >>>>>>> serious loss. As recently as last year I was
> >>>>>>> doing
> >>>>>>> a survey in
> >>>>>>> an African country and one of my respondents
> >>>>>>> working in a
> >>>>>>> public research agency told me once she asked
> to
> >>>>>>> consult a
> >>>>>>> document (which was not a government
> classified
> >>>>>>> document but
> >>>>>>> has to do with some development issues in one
> >>>>>>> sector of
> >>>>>>> activity) at another government agency, then
> >>>>>>> after
> >>>>>>> asking what
> >>>>>>> exactly she was looking for her colleague
> >>>>>>> opened the
> >>>>>>> corresponding pages for her to make note of,
> >>>>>>> while
> >>>>>>> concealing
> >>>>>>> the non-related contents. That's the mindset
> >>>>>>> we're up
> >>>>>>> against. In many places, it is the very notion
> >>>>>>> of
> >>>>>>> collecting
> >>>>>>> information and making it easy to retrieve
> >>>>>>> later on
> >>>>>>> which is
> >>>>>>> lacking. Believe it or not, in some countries
> >>>>>>> ICT-related
> >>>>>>> policy documents are said to exist but cannot
> be
> >>>>>>> easily found
> >>>>>>> by the public. For the medium and long-term
> >>>>>>> there
> >>>>>>> is a need to
> >>>>>>> educate and train information specialists,
> >>>>>>> librarians, people
> >>>>>>> who are prepared to identify relevant data
> >>>>>>> gathering
> >>>>>>> opportunities and sources and people who are
> >>>>>>> prepared to
> >>>>>>> systematically gather and curate information,
> >>>>>>> index
> >>>>>>> it and
> >>>>>>> make it easy to find and retrieve at any point
> >>>>>>> in
> >>>>>>> the future.
> >>>>>>> This can only help all researchers, academic
> or
> >>>>>>> practitioners,
> >>>>>>> to do their job better as well as
> >>>>>>> decision-makers,
> >>>>>>> for that
> >>>>>>> matter.
> >>>>>>> In any case, and particularly for the short
> >>>>>>> term,
> >>>>>>> the best we
> >>>>>>> can do is to gather raw data whenever
> possible,
> >>>>>>> I
> >>>>>>> agree with
> >>>>>>> Nnenna on that (Reports are just a means to
> >>>>>>> build
> >>>>>>> reference
> >>>>>>> repositories for such data and there may be
> >>>>>>> other
> >>>>>>> ways). The
> >>>>>>> most important (and urgent) is to make sure
> the
> >>>>>>> data (as per
> >>>>>>> the data points she just indicated) is
> available
> >>>>>>> somewhere for
> >>>>>>> the public to access. Otherwise, how is one to
> >>>>>>> debate cogently
> >>>>>>> about the geopolitics of the Internet in
> Africa
> >>>>>>> without
> >>>>>>> knowing which African countries were there
> >>>>>>> during
> >>>>>>> relevant
> >>>>>>> proceedings, which ones contributed language,
> >>>>>>> what
> >>>>>>> their
> >>>>>>> rationale was, what the different positions
> >>>>>>> among
> >>>>>>> African
> >>>>>>> countries are and which ones took which
> >>>>>>> positions
> >>>>>>> and why,
> >>>>>>> etc. A handful of people may be able to find
> >>>>>>> out with a
> >>>>>>> reasonable time investment but most people,
> who
> >>>>>>> might use that
> >>>>>>> information for useful things that we cannot
> >>>>>>> even
> >>>>>>> predict, won't be able to find it. Not to
> >>>>>>> mention
> >>>>>>> that the
> >>>>>>> more aware the public, the greater the
> benefits
> >>>>>>> of
> >>>>>>> the debate.
> >>>>>>> So yes, we need to demonstrate more awareness
> >>>>>>> for the
> >>>>>>> necessity to collect information and
> >>>>>>> systematically
> >>>>>>> document
> >>>>>>> what we do and relevant events, to associate
> >>>>>>> academia and
> >>>>>>> other researchers and work with them in order
> to
> >>>>>>> facilitate
> >>>>>>> data collection and information retrieval for
> >>>>>>> research and
> >>>>>>> policy analysis as well as for
> decision-making,
> >>>>>>> policy-making
> >>>>>>> and public information.
> >>>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>>> Mawaki
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 9:40 AM, Nnenna
> Nwakanma
> >>>>>>> <nnenna75 at gmail.com <mailto:
> nnenna75 at gmail.com>
> >>>>>>> <mailto:nnenna75 at gmail.com <mailto:nnenna75 at gmail.com
> >>>
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> SM, all
> >>>>>>> I am talking about an Africa report
> >>>>>>> directly
> >>>>>>> in relation
> >>>>>>> to the:
> >>>>>>> WCIT - World Conference on Information
> >>>>>>> Technology
> >>>>>>> WTPF - World Telecommunications and ICT
> >>>>>>> Policy
> >>>>>>> Forum
> >>>>>>> WSIS+10 - World Summit of Information
> >>>>>>> SOciety +
> >>>>>>> 10 meetings
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> It is not about "what worked in a country"
> >>>>>>> but
> >>>>>>> rather the
> >>>>>>> sum total of:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> 1. Which African countries contribted
> >>>>>>> content
> >>>>>>> 2. In which areas/domains were African
> >>>>>>> countries
> >>>>>>> working/interested in
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> 3. Which Countries had delegations
> >>>>>>> 4. What commissions/committees of the
> >>>>>>> policy
> >>>>>>> rounds did
> >>>>>>> they chair/work on
> >>>>>>> 5. What Ministers were present? What
> panels
> >>>>>>> did they
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> feature on? What content did they
> >>>>>>> contribute?
> >>>>>>> 6. What engagements, what plans, what
> >>>>>>> future..
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> All of that in the framework of global
> >>>>>>> Internet/ICT Policy
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Best
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Nnenna
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 8:28 AM, SM
> >>>>>>> <sm at resistor.net <mailto:sm at resistor.net>
> >>>>>>> <mailto:sm at resistor.net
> >>>>>>> <mailto:sm at resistor.net>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hi Nnenna,
> >>>>>>> At 00:04 28-05-2013, Nnenna Nwakanma
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I honestly do believe that if we
> >>>>>>> have
> >>>>>>> an "Africa
> >>>>>>> report" after each of these
> >>>>>>> meetings,
> >>>>>>> such will
> >>>>>>> come in handy when we are planning
> >>>>>>> for
> >>>>>>> the future.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Replicating what worked in Country X
> >>>>>>> does
> >>>>>>> not work
> >>>>>>> well. The quality of reports are in
> my
> >>>>>>> opinion
> >>>>>>> relatively low. That might be due to
> >>>>>>> research
> >>>>>>> constraints. The reader would expect
> an
> >>>>>>> Africa report
> >>>>>>> to include as many countries as
> >>>>>>> possible.
> >>>>>>> Reports
> >>>>>>> generally cover a few countries as
> case
> >>>>>>> studies and
> >>>>>>> are extrapolated from there.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> There isn't a breath of expertise as
> >>>>>>> input;
> >>>>>>> either the
> >>>>>>> expertise is not there, or it is
> >>>>>>> untapped,
> >>>>>>> or there is
> >>>>>>> lack of interest.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Regards,
> >>>>>>> -sm
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> ______________________________**_____________________
> >>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>> <mailto:africs-ig-unsubscribe@**lists.apc.org<
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> >>>>>>> >>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> --
> >>>>>>> Pierre Dandjinou
> >>>>>>> Cotonou - 229 90 087784 / 66566610
> >>>>>>> Dakar 221 77 639 30 41
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> >>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>>
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> >
> >
> > --
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> End of AfrICANN Digest, Vol 75, Issue 62
> ****************************************
>
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