Current ICT Initiatives and projects - Republic of Senegal
ICT Initiatives are currently ongoing at national level in the areas of eGovernment (eSenegal, Universal Service Fund, Social Impact of ICT in Senegal), Digital Divide (Multimedia Community Centres Programme, Senegal Observatory on Information Systems, Networks and Info highways) Research (Centre de Recherche et d'Essai Programme, Scan ICT project), eInfrastructures (Grid Computing project, Brain Gain Initiative, Education and Research Network, Migration from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting project), Entrepreneurship (CTIC Dakar ICT Incubator) and eEducation (Virtual University of Senegal).
Legal and Institutional Framework
After strengthening the infrastructure, the Senegal authorities prepared the legislative and regulatory component of new technologies to create a legal environment favourable to their development. The first step was the establishment by law No. 2001-15 of December 27, 2001, as amended, of the Code of Telecommunications and the Regulatory Agency for Telecommunications and Posts (ARTP) responsible for providing the telecommunications sector with an effective and transparent regulatory framework, promoting fair competition to the benefit of users of telecommunications networks and services.
Another key step in the mentoring process of ICT development in Senegal was the creation of the State Information Technology Agency (ADIE). Decree N° 2004-1038 of 23 July 2004 mandates ADIE to stimulate public action in the treatment and dissemination of information in accordance with international legal and technical standards for quality, availability, safety and performance. For this purpose, ADIE launched a process that led to the adoption of appropriate laws and regulations in 2005.
Several laws were adopted and promulgated.
- Law No. 2008-10 of January 25, 2008 on orientation law on information society
- Law No. 2008-08 of January 25, 2008 on electronic transactions
- Law No. 2008-11 of January 25, 2008 on Cybercrime
- Law No. 2008-12 of January 25, 2008 on the protection of personal data
- Law No. 2008-49 of September 23, 2008 establishing a voluntary contribution of one percent (1%) on public procurement of goods and digital services
- Law No. 2008-46 of September 3, 2008 establishing a royalty on access or use of public telecommunications network (RUTEL)
- Law No. 2008-41 of August 20, 2008 on cryptology.
The Privacy Protection Commission (CDP) is an Independent Administrative Authority (IAA) established under Law No. 2008-12 of 25 January 2008 on the protection of personal data.
2011 marked the adoption of a telecommunication code implementing most of the directives adopted by the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA) and additional acts that the Treaty of the Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS) to create a legal environment conducive to the emergence of a regional market.
A National Commission of Cryptology, attached to the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, and whose permanent secretariat is provided by the Central Technical Services of Numbers and Security of Information Systems (STCC) was established.
E-Senegal: E-government from Senegal and ICTs at the service of citizens
E-Vision Senegal aims to put the citizen and business concerns within the government, to allow all citizens to access information, to meet the performance needs of the State and actionable information officers.
The following priorities are addressed:
- the development of communications infrastructure linking all government departments
- setting up a government information system integrating the various information sources of the administration
- definition of organizational entities responsible for managing the IT policy
Results include:
- Interconnect by WIMAX 665 administrative building located in 35 departments
- Local Network (LAN) in all 665 buildings using WiFi or Ethernet.
- Videoconference platform between 11 regions
- Interconnection of universities and research centres
- Data centre building
Funding: Senegal, China (intranet), Korea (wimax), France (demarches administratives)
Geographic coverage: National
Universal Service Fund: Consider Internet and telephony as integral part of a universal service
The major objectives of the Universal Service Fund are to:
- bridge the access gap in networks and telecommunications services (telephone and Internet) throughout the national territory by 2012;
- promote the economic and social development of rural populations and those in disadvantaged areas through the provision of appropriate ICT applications;
- expand access to the Internet via broadband infrastructure to shared resources in social projects and Community as the interconnection of academic, health institutions and schools, facilities, etc.
- promote the creation of knowledge communities in the territory, relying in particular on the government infrastructure and public or private initiatives.
The new fund for the development of universal telecommunications service (FDSUT) was initiated with ICTC (ICT growth Accompanist) as a competition to awaken the creative genius of young Senegalese entrepreneurs who are active in ICT.
Funding: Telecommunications operators
Geographic coverage: National
Multimedia Community Centres (MCC) Programme
Thirty Multimedia community centres were established between 2011 and 2013 to facilitate access to ICT by communities.
Implemented by the ICT Ministry with the cooperation of UNESCO
Geographic coverage: National
Centre de Recherche et d'Essai (CRE) Programme
CRE are units of development of research based on the promotion and the provision of means of applications of scientific and technological innovations for well-being. They provide an interface between citizens and the R&D sector and use ICT as a main activity. Seventeen research centres are already installed by October 2014 with a further ten planned for 2015.
Implemented by the Ministry in charge of Scientific Research & Higher Education
Funding source: Government of Senegal
Geographic coverage: National
Education and Research Network (SnRER) Initiative
The main goal of SnRER is to build a national and regional academic infrastructure to:
- Support research and science collaboration;
- Build a common information system and data center for higher education in the country;
- Share resources and applications: grid-computing, e-learning, VoIP, videoconference, digital library, e-health, etc.
- Connect to other regional or international academic network (WACREN, GEANT, INTERNET2, etc.)
SnRER has made a lot of progress since its establishment by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and its mandate to host the regional NOC by WACREN in March 2011. In April 2011 training and capacity building was undertaken in collaboration with NSRC and the University of Oregon. During April - July 2011, the campus network for 5 public universities was designed. During 2015 all five public universities were interconnected via optical fibre.
All Public University Campuses are connected by free Wifi Internet access. Pedagogical campus will soon have a bandwidth of 2 x 150MB.
Geographic coverage and time frame : National/regional, ongoing project
Senegal Observatory on Information Systems, Networks and Info highways (OSIRIS)
Established in March 1998 by a group of people working in the private sector, higher education, administration and associations, the Observatory on Information Systems, Networks and Info highways Senegal (OSIRIS) is a non-profit association.
OSIRIS raises awareness, informs and provides analysis on all matters relating to the use and appropriation of Information Communication Technology and more generally on the development of Information Society in Senegal and Africa.
OSIRIS has the following objectives:
- Contribute to the development of the Information Society based in particular on the recommendations of the Initiative African Society in the Age of Information adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa;
- Promote the use and ownership of information technology and communication;
- Identify all initiatives in information technology and communication and to encourage synergies;
- Inform policy makers of different sectors such as private citizens on the opportunities and issues related to information technology and communication;
- Promote international cooperation in general and sub-regional in particular in the field of information technology and communications.
CTIC Dakar : An ICT Incubator
CTIC Dakar was opened in March 2011 to assist ICT companies, Information Technology and Communication, as well as project leaders, in their stages of creation, development and growth. It offers businesses and to project the ICT infrastructure and services necessary to ensure sustained growth and sustainable. CTIC Dakar is an example of Public Private Partnership led by the ICT Incubators Foundation of Senegal (FICTIS). Partners and sponsors include both public and private international organizations.
E-ICT project: projects related to agriculture and livestock in the Sahel region
The E-ICT project is a multi-stakeholder initiative coordinated by the ICVolunteers organization. The project is being implemented in Senegal and Mali (Sahel region), with support from Francophone Information Highway Fund and a range of other partners.
Objectives:
- Develop training in ICT for better farm business management;
- Raise awareness about a better management of pastoralism and health issues;
- Promote the adoption of practices focused on the sustainable development farming through a better accountability of breeders including an awareness of environmentally friendly agriculture and biodiversity;
- Promote the use and marketing of products and by-products of farming;
- An inventory and the establishment of a monitoring system of animals and pasture, interface "Green Network";
- Enhance food security
Social Impact of Information Technology Communication in Senegal
This project is focused on development of mobile payments, Internet use in the campaign and Interconnection of all government infrastructures (fixed telephone, mobile, Internet). The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is an autonomous research institute within the UN system that undertakes multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary development issues. ADIE aimed to reduce the phone bill of the state in half during 2014, from 22 to 11 billion CFA francs
Implementing department : UNRISD
Geographic scope and time frame : National; ongoing.
Scan ICT Project (IDRC)
Scan-ICT is an activity carried out by the Research Centre for International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). This is an ambitious proposal with long-term aims to mobilise the support needed to create a phased comprehensive African capability to collect and manage key information needed to support investment increasingly important technologies information and communication technologies (ICT) to help African countries become an Information Societies.
Implementing department : IDRC, UNECA
Geographic scope and time frame : National; ongoing.
Senegal Virtual University
The Ministry of Higher Education and Research established the Senegal Virtual University to facilitate efficient and accessible Higher Education through a digital open space in each Department in the country. Teaching commenced in February 2014 with over 2,000 students enrolled for the first academic year,
Geographic scope and time frame : National; ongoing.