The negative impacts of high telecommunications costs in southern Africa are hampering non-government organisations (NGOs) from participating in ICT policy formulation and general technology uptake in the region.
This is the opinion of David Barnard, executive director of ICT-focused NGO, Sangonet. Barnard was speaking at an ICT discussion forum in Swaziland, hosted by Sangonet and Swaziland-based organisation Cango.
"The high cost of ICT in general is preventing NGOs from collaborating in local ICT policy processes and specialising in IT-based issues and services," he said.
The forum was part of Sangonet's expanded southern African-based Thetha ICT discussion forums in the region, which aim to promote NGO involvement in ICT policy. "Forums have been held in Namibia and Swaziland so far, with future discussion to be held in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Angola."
Civil participation at organisation level is an important aspect of the growth of ICT development in the region, said Barnard.
Although too early to confirm specific ICT trends, the uptake of ICT among Africa's NGOs is beginning to show negative trends, he said.
Barnard said the importance of blogs and wikis are an affordable medium that can help NGOs formulate cohesion and progress among each other to counteract the negative trends that are emerging.
"Through online networking, groups have a chance of meeting and learning on a regular basis, creating progress."
Barnard notes the lack of awareness of open source software solutions and applications in the NGO sector is also a problem, but could be reversed through organised discussion forums.
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