UNESCO Chair in Emerging Practice in Technologies and Communications for Development from’University of Bordeaux Montaigne In France and with the support of the Ministry of Digital Economy, Communications and Innovation of Côte d’Ivoire, a study on “Internet universality” is being conducted in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim of this study is to make the Internet accessible to all segments of the population.
“The Universality of the Internet in Côte d’Ivoire”, is the subject of the study to be conducted by the UNESCO Chair at Bordeaux Montaigne University, with the support of the Ivorian government. The survey aims to understand and evaluate the complexity of the emergence of the Internet and its impact on the development of the country. It should also make it possible to make recommendations to the state in order to implement the Internet accessible to all. This study was launched on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Postel 2001 in Le Plateau, the headquarters of the Ministry. This was followed on Tuesday 8 March 2022 by the first meeting of the Study Advisory Committee.
[Faire de la Côte d’Ivoire un hub du digital en Afrique]
The Minister of Digital Economy, Communications and Innovation, Roger Adom, welcomed the selection of Côte d’Ivoire to conduct this study. He reassured the government’s readiness to support UNESCO teams in implementing the study.
“The choice of Côte d’Ivoire to host the first study of its kind, both in Africa and in the world, and to make it an international model, reflects the desire of the UNESCO Chair to contribute to making our country a digital hub.”Minister Roger Adom declared to whom this study is ” It will make it possible to make a good diagnosis of the state of communication in our country, to propose appropriate solutions to solve the digital and regional divide, thus contributing to the “Internet for all” “.
Roger Adom also revealed the measures the government has taken to make the internet in Ivory Coast safer: “Furthermore, recognizing the new challenges and risks posed by the implementation of the Internet, the Ivorian government has carried out its responsibilities by creating an appropriate framework for digital trust by adopting the National Cybersecurity Strategy in 2021, and strengthening existing laws on the management and protection of personal data, individual freedoms and privacy. ”
[ 124 questions pour appréhender l’environnement de l’Internet ]
For Professor Alain Aquindou, UNESCO Chair in Emerging Practices in Technologies and Communications for Development at Bordeaux Montaigne University, and Head of the study project, having a dynamic digital ecosystem in Côte d’Ivoire is a key asset for the realization of this project. “lamUNESCO has developed global Internet indicators. These indicators should make it possible to assess the Internet environment, to bridge the digital divides and improve the Internet. These indicators are divided into 5 categories, 25 topics, a total of 124 questions that we will have to answer., is specified.
However, according to Alan Aquindo, the questions of the study relate to the law and the legal framework; Standards, data and the open market; accessibility, in particular the issue of cost; Stakeholder participation and cross-cutting issues. Therefore, the study should enable the following:
- Provide a clear and concrete understanding of the national Internet environment and policies;
- Assess this environment and these policies by measuring UNESCO’s 109 core indicators;
- Analyzing the gaps and achievements in light of measuring the contextual indicators in the country;
- Develop policy recommendations and practical initiatives based on empirical measurements of indicators, which will allow the country to achieve its goals and align with the principles of dynamic records management with the development of the Internet;
- Promote the dissemination of the report through as many channels as possible.
[ Les technologies changent énormément, mettre à jour les indicateurs ]
Anne Lemester, Head of UNESCO’s Office in Côte d’Ivoire, welcomed the cooperation that exists between her organization and Côte d’Ivoire, particularly in the area of the right to access information. She indicated that the study will be carried out with financial assistance from UNESCO.
The recommendations of this investigation will serve as tools for the government Reduce the digital and regional divide, as well as to make fixed and mobile high-speed broadband more accessible across the country. At a cost of $22,000, an advisory panel of about thirty people will oversee the survey, the results of which are expected to come out by the end of June 2022. These results will be presented at the Global Internet Governance Forum in December 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Yaya K