Information and communication technology saves the world

Information and communication technology ICT covers broad part of telecommunication, mobile technologies, ICT industry, services and usage. I could have never thought that we could talk about this subject along with developing countries. I was somehow always relating ICT as a subject of developed countries, something that is right now the hot topic. However ICT is an important issue also in developing countries where it can be used to improve life. Those people living in developing countries may not need only decent drinking water, food and a shelter, they need also ICT.

ICT acts as a subsystem impacting industry and society. ICT is itself a business area and it is used to improve health care, education, communication and transportation etc. Africa is continent who missed industrial revolution but they definitely don’t want to miss the information revolution. In Uganda almost 80 years old woman is going from village to village with her computer teaching women living in rural areas, how to use computer and generate income. Rwanda’s government has set the vision 2020 to enhance different sectors including good governance, human resource development, private sector, infrastructure, regional integration and productive agriculture. These goals are achieved with ICT. For example Chinese mobile phone company is making business in Rwanda. They import components from China and the products are assembled in Rwanda. That proves Rwanda and Africa to be interesting investment target but also a big market area in a near future.

ICT is helping to reach the millennium development goals in areas like health, education, government and business. Much has been done already and for example primary education has been improved a lot. Tertiary education is still lacking behind and the demand of the new experts is increasing. Some countries have improved more than the others. In 2009 the mobile phone penetration in Gambia showed that over 80 people out of 100 had a mobile phone while the same number in Eritrea was fewer than 5. The problems vary greatly but some of them are common. Some of them are governments, which are controlling economies, poverty (most people get their income by farming) and the poor infrastructure. Africa is developing slowly and ICT is an important tool to supporting these economies to rise from poverty.