Putting the government online

Putting the Government on line: challenges and opportunities: 

Putting the Government on line: challenges and opportunities prepared by: GASAMAGERA Wellars Senator MPA/PM (Qc) Huye, October 30th, 2007

The message: 

The message Introduction Scanning the environment: Govt achievements, Parliament achievements Legal implications for public on-line applications. Aligning laws to the cyber space: legal and regulatory framework. The way forward... Conclusion

Introduction: 

Introduction Information and Communication Technologies: central to Rwanda’s growth strategy, Key tools in shifting from predominantly agricultural economy into a knowledge-based and service-oriented one. Use ICT for poverty reduction through its leveraging effect on improving access to basic services. NICI II – 2010 eight strategic areas - HRD, infrastructure, e-government, community access, e-education, defense and security, regulatory and legal issues, and private sector facilitation.

Scanning the environment...: 

Scanning the environment... The Government Education: TT, National SchoolNet Project, HRD: Training staff on ICDL, HIDA/RITA public sector training,... The Parliament: ICT Steering Committee in place HRD: All senators and majority of deputies trained on ICDL

Scanning the environment: 

Scanning the environment Infrastructures: Kalisimbi project on Air Traffic Management EASSy; eRwanda project to strengthen government network infrastructure. Legal and regulatory framework: Comprehensive ICT Legal framework under course eGovernment standards and guidelines developed Infrastructures: All MPs have laptops Parliament premises equipped with WiFi LAN Supporting staff have laptops and all offices equiped with desktops (around 150 units). Videoconference pilot unit Electronic system in plenary halls; Optic fibre between both chambers, separate intranet systems Legal and regulatory framework: Parliament recommended rapid development of legal framework for ICT processes Existing ICT strategic plan

Scanning the environment...: 

Scanning the environment... E-government: Government network, central and local levels Integrated payroll project under course National ID project Integrated Tax management system Private sector: Electronic payment Mobile telecommunication Rural community access: Telecenters in 12 districts Telemedecine project E-Parliament: Aquarius integrated Information management system available at LH, Community accessibility: Website dynamization for real time public interactions (e-democracy) Major projects in sight: Passing the ICT Bill soonest. Renovating and updating network after rehabilitation of the Parliament Building Challenge: Keep championing and pioneering ICT in public institutions

Legal implications for public online operations: 

Legal implications for public online operations Modern laws are based on central control by governments over their territory. Internet is boundaryless, therefore not easily controllable personal vs virtual, physical vs electronic dimensions, sources and ownership not easily traceable. No question of modifying existing laws to suit the new situation; new concepts are needed that define value, injury, obligations and responsibilities.

Rules and regulations: 

Rules and regulations Parliament is instrumental in rules and regulations setting, crucial in Rwanda ICT usage today. Parliament is undertaking to play effectively its role in shaping information society using ICT as a tool to provide vision and leadership. Priorities: (1)legislate laws and policies; (2)monitor their implementation; (3)represent interests of citizens in development; (4)work to minimise gaps in society/digital unite and (5)use ICT for development and act as a leader in this field.

Challenges: 

Challenges In all sectors for the eight pillars / NICI II Plan, there are general challenges linked with: HR capacity, institutional capacity Material and infrastructure: low connectivity, bandwidth,... Paradigm shift,... Information overload Offer driven vs demand driven initiatives Particular challenges will pertain to: e-Democracy e-Parliament

e-Democracy: 

e-Democracy Managing information: citizen’s need to be informed. Quantity, quality and cost effectiveness of information for sound decisions, coherence. Full participative democratic processes. Public space creation and debate. Power shift – co-production and feedback. Decentralization, rapidity of interaction, scalability (from individual to communities) Low barriers to entry, no gatekeepers!

e-Parliament: 

e-Parliament Parliamentarians: representatives (moral authority to act on behalf of their constituency); or delegates (mouthpieces)? Representatives more empowered to make decisions thru ICT for increased knowledge of government activities: how far? Risk of information overload, and lack of appropriate capacity to handle/use it! Embryonic legal framework sustaining mutual reinforcement between economic and political activities (ownership & accountability).

Aligning laws to the cyber space: 

Aligning laws to the cyber space Legal framework tackled unconventionally: regulatory frame before bill draft Comprehensive ICT legal framework planned for NICI II program. Necessity to enact cyber laws to support e-Commerce and other internet – related activities: prevention of computer crimes, security related laws, digital signatures, cryptography, copyright and intellectual property, e-government legislation, privacy protection laws,...

Opportunities: 

Opportunities Openness: operate with transparency, facilitate participation of citizens in decision-making processes (including budgetary undertakings and organizational measures) Leadership role: existence of strong political will not only by champion, but shared thru strategic teams; Large scale projects: increased capacity for leapfrogging (Kalisimbi project, EASsy network, e-Rwanda project,...) Proactivity: custom made mechanisms, original, complete information. Multi-channel: combination of possibilities offered by internet with those made possible by other media e.g. telephone, radio,... (Public/Private Partnership). Civic values: public institutions easying public exchanges by simplifying languages, procedures and giving maximum visibility of results: one stop centers, ten days NPP obtention,...

The way forward...: 

The way forward... Prioritizing ICT legal framework: all institutions, mostly parliament. Computer litteracy: broad base of citizens knowledgeable in ICT; reinforced investment in ICT professionals. Reducing the gap between technological islets within institutions and the common citizen (social inclusion) Resource mobilization for continued dynamic training and hard/software updating Increasing reachability (large number of users reached thru facilitation of processes) Integration (institutional) and alignment with NICI plans and synergy with all national ICT initiatives

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Government online is basing on NICI II Plan 2010. Major hindrance: inexistent legal framework; no matter of modifying existing laws to suit the new situation Priority: the ICT Bill.Appropriate ICT and internet-related legislation. Actors: Government, Parliament, Agencies, Private sector,... Keep integrating/aligning with NICI II Plan.

Slide16: 

“Knowledge bureaucrat ... ”