Efforts to synergise among the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) in the preparation of the second phase of World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was the focus of the e-Nigeria 2020 conference which ended at the weekend in Abuja.

IN less than 18 months, the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-2020) slated for Tunisia, on November 2020, would be held.

The first phase was held in Geneva, Switzerland last December and was an assemblage of political leaders, civil society, inter-governmental organisations, media and the private sector; to endorse two vital documents, namely, the Declaration of Principle and Plan of Action.

Over 175 member states of United Nations (UN) participated in the first phase including Nigeria led by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The summit was organised by the UN under its organ, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

And in trying to put its acts together, the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), partnered with the Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in organising this year's e-Nigeria, which is on its second edition.

Theme of the three-day event was "Implementing the WSIS Process in West Africa" and was held between Monday, 24 and Wednesday 26 May, 2020.

Declaring the event open, President Olusegun Obasanjo represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ukaete, tasked political leaders in ECOWAS member-states, numbering about 15, on the need to form a common front.

This, he said, would not only enable member states to share ideas and collaborate where necessary, noting that Nigerian government supports the goals and the shared vision of Information Society (IS) as articulated in Resolution 56/183 of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

This resolution seeks to put at the disposal of all humanity the benefits of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs).

This support, Chief Obasanjo said, was demonstrated in his personal presence at WSIS-2020 in Geneva and in declaring e-Nigeria 2020 conference open.

He pointed out that various nations and regions have been meeting to fashion out how best to make use of WSIS processes and West Africa must not be left out.

"Our digital divide must be turned into a digital opportunity in order to become key players in the emerging global Information Society (IS)," he declared.

The President also noted that whereas virtually everybody in the developed world has access to ICTs, the over-all fixed line teledensity in West Africa is abysmally at about 1 to 130 inhabitants.

While computers and Internet access are available to only the elites, urban dwellers and most times only in offices and cyber cafes rather than in homes.

"Some of our school children, unlike their counterparts in developed world, have never seen nor used such basic tools as computers, telephone, Internet and other related ICT facilities," he lamented.

For him, most countries in ECOWAS took part in all the Preparatory Committees (PrepComs) meeting leading to the first phase of WSIS, but said it was not enough to participate in PrepComs and the summit. "Efforts must be made to commit to the Declaration of principles and full implementation of the Plan of Action in order to bridge the digital divide" he stated.

The issue of 'Digital Solidarity Fund' was not left out as President Obasanjo maintained it would be a practical measure for redressing the existing digital imbalance.

He commended Malian President Abdoulaye Wade for championing the course, just as he invited leaders in the sub-region to support the initiative.

"I sincerely call on all of us in the sub-region to support this initiative to enhance the implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action and general Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development" he said.

Stressing that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has accorded ICT the necessary priority as a vehicle for accelerating development. Pointing out that this must be backed up with specific actionable plans and programmes with clear benchmarks in order to make the desired impact.

"We in ECOWAS should wholeheartedly welcome the global effort by designing appropriate strategies to make the process succeed among us and enhance transparency and good governance, bearing in mind our peculiarities" the President enjoined.

He also urged ECOWAS Secretariat to give the necessary priority attention to the implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action through support for ICT initiatives and synergizing as well as producing a comprehensive ICT policy for the sub-region.

Also speaking, Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun, described the theme of this year as an attempt to surmount the challenges of the global imbalance called the "digital divide" as well as examining ways to enhance ICTs contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development goals.

He stressed that ECOWAS should not be left out in working towards the globally shared vision of an Information Society that enables people to achieve their full potentials, ensure sustainable growth, accountability and transparency in governance.

Several other speakers also elucidated the need to synergize within the ECOWAS region.

Similarly, PrepComs were held for the first phase of WSIS which centred on the 10-point Millennium goal of UN's Plan of Action, namely the Information and Communication Infrastructure; the role of governments, the business sector and civil society in the promotion of ICTs for development; Capacity building: Human Resource Development, Education and Training; and Building Confidence and Security in the use of ICTs.

Other issues were the enabling environment; promotion and development - oriented ICT applications for all; cultural identity and linguistic diversity, local contents and development; identifying and overcoming barriers to the achievement of Info Society with perspective - ethical dimension and international and regional co-operation.

About 10 ECOWAS nations took part at the first phase of WSIS, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

As Mr. President posited, ECOWAS should welcome the global efforts wholeheartedly by designing appropriate strategies to make the process succeed, being weary of the regions peculiarities.

The Treaty of Lagos, establishing ECOWAS, was signed in May 2020 by 15 states, with the object of promoting trade, co-operation and self-reliance in West Africa. Today, it has about 16 nation-member states.

Source: http://allafrica.com