Overview:
New business opportunities for communications equipment manufacturers, service providers and consulting companies have been created by the billions of dollars in grants and loans to developing countries to invest in improving ICT, telecom infrastructure and to expand e-Government capabilities. This report provides the keys to directly contact donors and recipients of major funding programs.
National governments and international organizations are donating billions of dollars in financial assistance to developing countries to improve ICT, telecom infrastructure and expand e-Government capabilities. This support is spread across countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and has expanded year on year. This report identifies market opportunities for communications equipment, service providers and consultants that are created as a result of new and expanded financial assistance programs. Details are presented describing the grants, loans and technical assistance programs to advance ICT and e-Government development by 60 donor countries and international organizations.
This 250-page report has been prepared directly from the official information provided in official websites of national governments, and international organizations in late 2010. Websites for all donors are identified for additional details and making contacts. The priorities for assistance are specified, such as development of infrastructure, establishing national ICT strategies and embarking on major development programs. The regions and countries of the intended recipients, governmental bodies at national and regional levels as well as private sector donor corporations, are described.
Websites for each donor organization provide contact details including direct telephone and fax numbers that will facilitate direct inquiries on financial assistance programs, priority countries, etc. By identifying country recipients of assistance, this is a handy guide to particular countries or sub-regions will be highly practical for planning marketing initiatives. Many of the websites elaborate assistance programs in the priority countries identifying recipient agencies so close examinations of national programs are facilitated.
Details of donor programs are outlined including how vendors can prepare strategies for assisting recipient countries apply or design strategies for seeking financial support. The size of grants or loans, intended recipients, conditions for programs to be implemented are presented by each donor government and organization. The donors are organized into four sections: National Government Donors, International Governmental Organizations, Global and Regional Donor Organizations, and Private Foundations and Corporate Donors.
Some examples are the Canadian Fund for Africa e-Policy Resource Center programs; Korea’s development assistance that provides integrated aid programs involving IT and public administration; the World Bank funding for ICT Development specifically to facilitate access to ICT and communications capabilities, and the UN Development Program provides funding for ICT expansion and improvement projects in Africa and Asia.
Indeed, this is a roadmap providing clear routes for companies and consultants to exploit to take advantage of financial assistance to developing countries for ICT, telecom and e-Government development programs.
Projects Receiving Donor Support in 2009-2010
This is an indicative list of programs being financed by one or more donor organizations.
- The Canada Fund for Africa e-Policy Resource Center provides development assistance to improve e-Government policies
- The African Development Bank provides loans and technical assistance to members to promote public sector governance programs
- The UN Development Program thematic trust funds provides Access to Information and e-Governance to e-Administration, e-Service Delivery.
- The East African Development Bank provides financial support for projects involving telecom infrastructure to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania.
- The International Institute for Communications and Development (IICD) assists local partners in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia to develop ICT sector policy plans and projects covering 5-7 years.
- The World Bank’s Global Information and Communications Technologies Department (GICT) provides governments, private companies and civil society organizations with expertise and capital needed to develop and apply ICTs to reduce poverty and foster development.
- Italy’s e-Government for Development Initiative supports projects on e-Payments, e-Procurement, e-Taxation, and Government Network Development in the Caribbean, Tunisia, Mozambique, Nigeria. Lebanon, Bolivia and Macedonia.
- Korea’s official development assistance provides integrated aid programs involving IT, public administration and other fields.
- The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) provides equity capital and loans to Muslim communities with emphasis on infrastructure development.
- The Gates Foundation grants support for free access to computers and the Internet as well as transforming libraries into community centers.
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