Africa is in the throws of a revolution, with Asia ahead, though not the one foreseen by idealists of yesteryear. If treated gingerly, the electronic media revolution will unfold untold benefits to the masses, concludes Gamal Nkrumah at the Smart Village "Towards an Afro-Asian Knowledge-based Society" Initiative There is nothing quite like public petulance by the pundits and the intellectuals to prompt governments into action. However, the critical question at this historical juncture as far as policymakers in the developing countries of Africa and Asia are concerned is pondering the relevance of the knowledge for development (K4D) strategy. Can the love triangle affair between nongovernmental organisations, the private sector and the state continue unabated in spite of the global financial crisis? Information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a vital instrument of development in African and Asian countries. It is most certainly a necessary precondition for sustainable development. The level of development of ICT in developing countries acts as a barometer of the health of the economy and by the same token ICT underdevelopment underscores the likelihood of inflicting severe long-term damage to the economies of developing countries. India is a prime example where a relatively advanced ICT sector contributed to the unprecedented high economic growth rates achieved in the past decade. The sophistication of Indian ICT is inextricably intertwined with the Indian economic miracle. Other Asian and African countries could learn from the Indian experience. However, could any African or Asian country emulate the Indian model? In other words, is there a universal application of ICT? These were some of the pertinent questions that were raised at a conference entitled Towards an Afro-Asian Knowledge-based Society Initiative (11-12 January) designed to infuse new blood into the old Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) notion of Afro-Asian solidarity. "The objective of the conference is to confirm the right of the peoples of Africa and Asia to benefit from the ICT revolution," the closing statement of the conference stated, "with emphasis on the crises suffered by some countries of the two continents, in one way or another, including all risks that further add to the determination to establish this right. The peoples of the two continents must be a substantial element in the global knowledge society and its developments. The conference further aims at building an Afro- Asian network to achieve the knowledge economy and another network to exchange information and accommodate the latest developments in the knowledge globe." A wide range of participants attended the conference -- professionals in the ICT field from Africa and Asia, as well as academics, diplomats and policymakers. Some sessions were devoted almost entirely to creating a business environment conducive to encouraging open competitiveness and raising the levels of computer literacy. Other sessions were focussed on increasing access to the Internet and telecommunications by devising means of developing the local Internet content in poor countries. Reducing the cost of Internet access was also a hot topic of discussion at the conference. Indeed, the final communiqué reflected the general consensus of participants that the development of ICT is an enabler as far as the impoverished masses in underdeveloped countries are concerned and a vital tool of improving the living standards in developing countries. Bridging the digital divide between rich and poor is prerequisite for speedy development. The African participants let out a cheer. They leaped to their feet to applaud. Africa epitomises the digital divide between rich and poor nations. The continent of Africa, in particular, suffers from a lack of access to the Internet specifically and poor telecommunications in general. The participants at the conference regarded affordable, high quality access to the Internet and ICT products and services as a blueprint for survival in the contemporary world. "In conclusion, the participants confirm that the peoples of Africa and Asia are standing today in front of a new civilisation challenge," the statement read. "And [they] confirm the confidence in their ability to succeed by working with determination and dedication as required, because development, progress and building, as apparent ahead of us today, will be monopolised by the makers of knowledge." A number of germane issues were raised in this connection such as the protection of intellectual property rights for inventions, trademarks and copyrights, and other components of knowledge. And, the most widely trumped call at the conference? Without question it was the repeated demand for the establishment of an Afro-Asian Business Council. So what lies ahead? Panic creates fatalistic trends that tend to be self-fulfilling. In spite of the impressive scores in rapid economic growth in key African and Asian countries in the past two decades, the numbers of the poor and hungry continue to increase uncontrollably. Underdevelopment is not a phenomenon confined to the past. Recent academic input has cast doubt on the capacity of several developing countries to achieve sustainable development. Even in Asian countries where sustained growth rates have achieved impressive results such as India, the sheer numbers of destitute people confound our sensibilities. Third World governments must now act swiftly to keep one step ahead of the global financial crisis. Manner and tone count in these matters. All of which is fine. However, in the final analysis, foreign policy is about interests and not about diplomatic niceties. Certain participants advocated enhancing the business environment by encouraging more open competition. This particular suggestion had a neocon ring to it, which would really just benefit the huge ICT corporations which already have oligopoly status and would be manipulating the "markets" behind the scenes to their advantage. Why not place responsibility for ensuring socially just development of these key sector where it ultimately resides in such countries -- with their governments? It is in this context that the developing countries of Africa and Asia are being encouraged to promulgate the necessary legislation to facilitate the transfer of technology through licensing agreements and franchising as a transition phase necessary for the development of advanced IT. The good news is that even if this process is painful, it will be familiar from past cycles. India is a case in point. The country is regarded as an ICT pioneer and a trendsetter. Yet, India is also a country where Internet access lags behind Internet use, which translates as: "There are many dozens of users for each computer." A hopeful sign in the short-term is the changing attitude of entrepreneurs in many developing countries. Businessmen such as Talal Abu Ghazaleh, who was instrumental in making a success of the conference, have equity stakes in ICT businesses and can vouch that such businesses are extremely profitable. Promoting science and ensuring that the population at large, especially the neediest and most vulnerable individuals, have access to ICT goes without saying these days. The consensus at the conference was that no matter how self-interested businessmen may be, we in the developing world cannot do without them to make sure that ICT spreads quickly throughout the society. Even after acknowledging that, however, governments may need to do yet more. The state or public sector is just as vital in developing and enhancing ICT as the private sector. The conference was convened at the Smart Village Conference Centre, Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort, Cairo. This is the most IT-oriented corner of the country, and therefore, a most appropriate venue. The concept of the conference was inspired from the African Union summit that took place in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh last June under the chairmanship of President Hosni Mubarak. The main goal was to found an African-Asian Network that would include governments, nongovernmental organisations and the private sector. It also aimed at galvanising policymakers into instituting ICT policy issues. Yet another objective was the creation of an enabling environment and innovative business models for investment and growth. The legal repercussions of the spread of ICT were also analysed. The conference was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, who did not attend in person but whose speech was delivered on his behalf by Minister of Information and Communication Technology Tarek Kamel. The first session, entitled A Changing World Order: The Need for the Creation of an Afro-Asian Network, was chaired by Ahmed Obeidat, former prime minister of Jordan. Speakers included Mohamed Fayek, special emissary of the late president Gamal Abdel-Nasser to Africa and former minister of information; Boutros Boutros-Ghali, President of the National Council for Human Rights and former secretary general of the United Nations; El-Sayed Yassin, advisor to Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies and professor of political sociology at the National Centre for Social and Criminological Research; as well as Chairman and CEO of the Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organisation (TAG-Org) Talal Abu Ghazaleh. Abu Ghazaleh is the self-effacing man behind this particular venture. He delivered a poignant keynote address. While others clapped, he buttoned his suit jacket, ready to inspire his audience and to do anything he could to ensure the conference's success. The participants rose to applaud. Gradually he lumbered to his feet, profusely expressing his gratitude to the participants. The conference was organised by the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation and its head Ahmed Hamroush delivered an opening statement that was reminiscent of the NAM gatherings of yesteryear advocating Afro-Asian solidarity in this new post-Cold War era. Just how much good the conference did is hard to tell. Such conferences are generally thought of as junkets with little to ensure that there is any concrete follow-up. Hopefully the call for setting up an Afro-Asian Business Council will be heeded. In this age of the Internet, networking among participants will be a valuable result, if nothing else comes of the meeting. Marshall McLuhan's prophetic words about the global village have come to fruition in the age of the Internet and advanced telecommunications heralding a sort of permanent revolution which Africa and Asia are determined not to miss out on, as witnessed by the enthusiasm of conference participants. "Describe the scratch and not the itch," the words of McLuhan referring to the for-the-most-part shallow focus of the mass media, are as pertinent as ever. This is the dilemma that Africa and Asia confront as they enter the Internet era -- not to fall into the trap of becoming obsessed with the superficial aspects of the current media revolution such as Facebook and flippant media coverage.
