Ugandan Parliamentary ICT Committee - Study visit to Sweden
At the end of August, during meetings with the Ministry of ICT and the Swedish Embassy in Kampala, Uganda, it was agreed that SPIDER would host a delegation from the Ugandan Parliament and Ministry of ICT to visit Sweden. The purpose would be to study the potential of a well-developed eSociety, such as Sweden, where the country virtually stops if the internet were to go down. Not only does the Swedish government and parliament use ICT as a tool to increase transparency, communicate with the citizens and provide access to online services, but the average citizens of Sweden also pays the bills online, declares taxes via e-mail or SMS, refers to online services such as http://www.eniro.se/ for finding a telephone number, accessing maps for a certain area or to get the information on best route by public transport or by own car from one address to another.
The visit aimed at raising the visions of the potential of the new infrastructure that is currently underway in East Africa, through both the construction of national backbone networks and planned international connectivity through the submarine EASSy cable as well as transferring knowledge of how for example security issues should be dealt with. Afzal Sher and Karoline Beronius from SPIDER, met with MP representatives of the Parliamentary ICT Committee, including the Hon. Edward Baliddawa Kafufu -Chairperson for the ICT Committee, during the visit to Uganda, and set the priorities for the study visit to Sweden. The top priorities turned out to be eGovernance, eHealth, eEducation, Land management and postal code systems as well as Internet Security.
The delegation of twelve, representing the ICT Committee and the Ministry of ICT in Uganda, visited Sweden at the end of September, and in response to their topics of interest a program was put together to cover all topics. At the Swedish parliament, we listened to presentations on the use of ICT for communication with the Swedish public, e.g. how MPs use their own website to communicate their message and respond to public opinion, how the parliament makes all information such as parliamentary speeches, bills and laws available online. During visits to the Swedish Tax Agency, Land Survey Sweden and the industry regulator Post and Telecom Agency, presentations were given on the Swedish unique identity number that plays a central role in most transactions in society, land registration and postal code system, as well as demonstration of on online tax declaration and searching for public information.
The extent to which the Swedish Right to Access Principle allows any citizens to access most information surprised many: the principle makes most information available to the public except for such information that for example poses a direct threat to national security etc. This also allows for collaboration and interoperability between government agencies. During a visit to Ericsson AB, we listened to presentations about the aim to provide access to communication for all people through wireless technologies, and saw the future of applications and communications in the Ericsson Experience center. Finally, the delegation also met with experts within the area of eHealth and eEducation. A hectic week was rounded up at the SPIDER secretariat and we hope that the week inspired the delegation as it did us
During August talks with the Ministry of ICT in Uganda, discussions were held on how SPIDER can support the development of eHealth as well as a training program for the development of high level practical ICT skills. The aim is to give engineers a broad knowhow to solve complex ICT problems and ensure Internet Security to assist in preparing for the management of the new infrastructure and new opportunities.
