Bridging the Digital Divides: The Rwandan Digital Journey

1.     Overview

Rwanda has emerged as an interesting test case on how a digital divide is actually being bridged in a methodical, well-thought-out, step-by-step manner. In fact, due to its ambitious undertakings in this regard, Rwanda has been named East Africa’s number one ICT nation by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). To achieve this digital inclusion progress, the East African nation embarked on a number of initiatives which are also set out in WSIS Action Lines 2 and 3.

These initiatives include: laying 3000 km of fiber optic network covering over 90% of the country, 4G LTE internet connectivity that has transformed businesses, education, health, governance, etc ., the ‘One Laptop per Child’ project in which over 204,000 laptops have been distributed to 407 schools countrywide, establishing state-of-the-art tele-centers in all 30 districts of the country and attracting world renown tech-universities to open campuses in Rwanda.

While these initiatives have generated tremendous economic and social benefit, there is still potential to further deepen digital inclusion and actually prevent these advances from increasing inequalities within and across countries. While addressing the 3rd edition of Transform Africa Summit in Kigali, President Paul Kagame said “If technology is entrenching divides, rather than equalizing opportunity, then we are not harnessing it well.” In this session, we shall share the story of Rwanda in its quest to cross the digital divide. Panelists will represent the public sector, private sector and ITU.

2.     Aims

In this session, we aim at examining how policies and actions to bridge the digital divide can be enhanced to achieve greater connectivity but also deeper inclusion. This will enlighten attendees on how to push for more and more digital inclusion. It will also examine how policies and flagship initiatives to bridge the digital divides can accelerate the delivery of the goals in WSIS Action Line 2 and 3.

3.     Issues

We would appreciate your perspectives on the following issues regarding digital inclusion:

• How does policy framework provide an enabling environment?
• What initiatives have your country/organization/institution/company taken towards digital inclusion?
• What have been the social-economic benefits derived?
• What have been the challenges met?
• What elements of WSIS Action lines 2 and 3 are relevant to strategy for further digital inclusion?

4.     Program

• Streamlining citizen economic empowerment with digital content
• Policy interventions to narrow digital divides
• National experiences of narrowing the digital divide – benefits & challenges
• Importance of new technologies to bridge the digital divides
• Paradigm shift in curbing digital divide and its requirements