Regional-National ICT Strategies

2010 ◽  
pp. 63-87
Author(s):  
Melih Kirlidog ◽  
Stephen E. Little
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Economic Progress ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
National Information

An overwhelming majority of developing and industrialized countries have developed national Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strategies. Developing countries hope to leapfrog towards social and economic progress, modernization, and wealth, and industrialized countries do not want to be left behind in the race for ICT capabilities. While industrialized countries have distinct advantages in formulating and realizing these strategies, some developing countries’ objectives are too ambitious, seeking to achieve an information society by these strategies alone. An important reflection of today’s globalization on this issue is the cross-country aspect of “national” ICT strategies. Japan’s ICT strategy is increasingly outward oriented, sub-Saharan African countries are developing their strategies with the support of international agencies and non-government organizations, and Caribbean countries have established a common regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector. The aim of all these efforts is to develop a regional synergy for fostering ICT. This chapter is an exploratory analysis of the internationalization of national ICT strategies.

ICT Challenges and Opportunities for Institutionalizing Democracy in Ghana

2009 ◽  
pp. 115-133
Author(s):  
Joseph Ofori-Dankwa ◽  
Connie Ofori-Dankwa
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Free Market ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Market System ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Potential Problems ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Ict Revolution

Several African countries have begun to introduce and implement Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policies. In the context of such developing countries, it is important to assess the nature of research focus on the ongoing ICT revolution and its potential to stimulate institutionalization of democracy in Africa. This chapter reviews and integrates literature by scholars focusing on ICT in Africa in general and more specifically on Ghana. The authors incorporate several key points in their discussion. First, they provide a summary of ICT trends and policies in Ghana and their emphasis on helping to institutionalize democracy and its related free market system. Next, they provide a description of some of the major challenges to institutionalizing democracy that scholars writing about ICT in Ghana have identified. In addition, the authors discuss several opportunities for enhancing democracy that scholars writing about ICT in Ghana have highlighted. Finally, they make a few general recommendations for mitigating the potential problems and enhancing the opportunities of the ICT revolution for Ghana as well as the entire African continent.

scholarly journals Impacts of Climate Change on Outdoor Workers and their Safety: Some Research Priorities

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moda ◽  
Filho ◽  
Minhas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Outdoor Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The literature on the potential impacts of climate change on the health of outdoor workers has received limited attention as a whole, and in sub-Saharan African countries in particular. Yet, substantial numbers of workers are experiencing the health effects of elevated temperature, in combination with changes in precipitation patterns, climate extremes and the effects of air pollution, which have a potential impact on their safety and wellbeing. With increased temperatures within urban settlements and frequent heats waves, there has been a sudden rise in the occurrence of heat-related illness leading to higher levels of mortality, as well as other adverse health impacts. This paper discusses the impacts of extreme heat exposure and health concerns among outdoor workers, and the resultant impacts on their productivity and occupational safety in tropical developing countries with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a dearth of such studies. Aside from the direct effects caused by extreme heat exposure, other indirect health hazards associated with increasing heat among this group includes exposures to hazardous chemicals and other vector-borne diseases. In addition, reduced work capacity in heat-exposed jobs will continue to rise and hinder economic and social development in such countries. There is an urgent need for further studies around the health and economic impacts of climate change in the workplace, especially in tropical developing countries, which may guide the implementation of the measures needed to address the problem.

The pattern of pesticide regulation in Western Europe

1973 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Wright
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Pesticide Regulation ◽  
Pesticide Usage ◽  
Pesticide Registration

The increasing scope and complexity of pesticide registration procedures impose strains on the resources of governments and industry. International uniformity would bring benefit to both sides but is harder to achieve in industrialized countries which have to modify long-established laws than in developing countries which can model new schemes on experience elsewhere or take advice from international agencies such as FAO. Active cooperation by industry at both national and international levels is advocated in framing realistic, scientifically-based regulations and in concentrating on those aspects of pesticide usage which pose real, not hypothetical hazards.

Effect of foreign aid on corruption: evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Rashid Mohamed ◽  
Shivee Ranjanee Kaliappan ◽  
Normaz Wana Ismail ◽  
W.N.W Azman-Saini
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Foreign Aid ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternative Measure ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ssa Countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of foreign aid on corruption in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Foreign aid is aimed to promote economic growth by complementing the recipient country’s shortfall of financial resource. However, if the recipient country’s quality of governance and institutions is poor, the process of growth will be undermined. Since foreign aid to SSA countries has been increasing substantially in recent years, it is imperative to explore its impact on the level of corruption in the SSA countries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted to use a Quantile regression (QR) approach to examine the impact of foreign aid on corruption. The data cover from the year 2000 to 2010 for 42 Sub-Saharan countries. QR is appropriate to achieve the stated objective because the method enables to examine the effect of aid on at different level of corruption. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights on the impact of foreign aid on corruption level in SSA countries. The finding indicates that foreign aid has reduction effect on the corruption level of SSA countries. The effect is likely to be greater in nations that experience a higher level of corruption. The findings further reveal that aid from different bilateral sources has different effect on corruption. As a whole, the findings are statistically significant and robust to alternative measure of corruption. Research limitations/implications – Since the study just focus on Sub-Saharan African countries, the research findings may lack generalization to the entire African countries or poor developing countries that are receiving substantial amount of foreign aid. Therefore, future research should incorporate all the African countries or all poor developing countries. Practical implications – Since the empirical findings reveals that aid reduces the corruption level and aid from different bilateral source have different effect on corruption, it is important to establish more cooperation between donor countries in allocating aid. The conditions attached to aid should be, among other things, be related with improvement of governance and institutional environment. Allocation of aid should be selective such that countries in institutional quality should be among the important criteria for a country to qualify for aid. Originality/value – This paper fulfills the need to study the relationship between foreign aid and corruption in the case of SSA countries. The aid-corruption nexus is relatively under explored issue especially in the case African countries.

On African Responsibility for Economic Problems

1997 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-53
Author(s):  
Richard E. Mshomba
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Economic Problems ◽  
High Infant Mortality ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Poor Infrastructure

African countries, like many other developing countries, suffer the problems associated with poverty—malnutrition, poor health services, high infant mortality rates, low life expectancy, high illiteracy rates, poor infrastructure, and inadequate technology. These problems are especially severe in Sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Digital oases and digital deserts in Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Wentrup ◽  
Patrik Ström ◽  
H. Richard Nakamura
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Online Service ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Service Usage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internet Firms ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate whether Sub-Saharan African countries are catching up with the rest of the world in terms of online usage. Online service usage is an important component of the discourse of the “digital divide”, an emblematic term for the inequality of information and communication technology access. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a quantitative analysis of internet and Facebook penetration coupled with economic strength (GDP/capita), literacy and degree of rural population. Findings – The findings reveal a heterogeneous pattern with a few African countries being digital oases and close to European levels, whereas the majority of the countries are still digital deserts. A strong correlation is found between economic strength and internet penetration. A generalist picture that Sub-Saharan is on the trajectory of closing the digital divide is an imprecise reflection of the reality. Research limitations/implications – It is argued that instead of measuring supply-side data, which has been the trend till now, the use of demand-side elements such as online service usage tells more about digital inequalities between countries. Practical implications – The research encourages internet firms to open up their eyes for Sub-Saharan Africa as an investment opportunity with an untapped gap of online usage. Social implications – The three-billion internet users on the planet are unevenly spread and under-represented in Africa. By drawing a heterogeneous online usage landscape, digital policy can be accurately steered toward countries with the largest needs. Originality/value – There is a paucity of research going into the depth of online usage in Africa. The paper is a contribution to fill that gap.

scholarly journals The Association between Maternal Mortality and Non-Medical factors in African Countries

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 351-362
Author(s):  
P. Lalthapersad-Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
National Income ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Maternal Deaths ◽  
Medical Factors ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Sub Saharan

The medical expertise to treat to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth has not spared girls and women in developing countries from dying of such conditions. Developing countries account for the bulk of the global share of maternal deaths with complications of pregnancy and childbirth being the leading cause of death in young women aged between 15 and 49. Sub-Saharan Africa is responsible for nearly three-fifths of all global maternal deaths which have saddled it with notoriously high levels of maternal mortality ratios, a concern that has been red-flagged internationally and regionally. Most studies on maternal mortality in Africa have been confined to an examination of factors impinging on maternal mortality from both medical and socioeconomic standpoints for individual country’s based on survey data. Our study differs from others as it employs logistic regression to look at the association between non-medical factors and maternal mortality nationally for all African countries. Whilst the results from the logistic regression suggests that there is no statistically significant relationship between any of the variables and maternal mortality, the odds ratio for Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income per capita (GNI) imply that African countries with low HDI are about three time more likely to have high maternal mortality compared to high HDI countries. Similarly, African countries with low GNI are about five times more likely to have high maternal mortality compared to high GNI countries.

scholarly journals Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Far from Achievement for Sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
HADSON SITEMBO
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a global agenda consisting of 17 goals which are to be achieved in 2030 by all member states. SDGs are more holistic goals i.e. these goals are closely interrelated and they affect the progress of one another. Sub-Saharan Africa countries are, once more lagging behind in the implementations of SDGs despite the efforts by governments, non-government organisations and international agencies. Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia where the three Sub-Saharan Africa countries on which the study focused. The three countries in this study were chosen on the basis that they cater to the general overview of African countries performance on SDGs. To conduct this study, a desk research method was adopted and secondary data was utilised. An in-depth analysis was done on the on three subs Saharan African countries i.e. Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia. Those goals where serious attention is needed are goals 1-9, 16 and 17. Most Sub-Saharan African countries performed better on goals 11, 12 and 15. It was concluded that the achievement of Sustainable development goals remains a mere dream for Sub Saharan Africa unless serious interventions are made.

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