Africa's ICT Wave reaches San Francisco Bay

About three weeks ago, I sat in a conference hall in San Francisco and listened as President Paul Kagame of Rwanda addressed a group of African and US Government officials. Nothing particularly remarkable in that. Its part of the role of head of state, after all.

However, the location was more than symbolic. The event was at the Hilton, in the Financial District, in tech-rich northern California. And the audience was chock full of luminaries of the IT world, from Cisco, Oracle, Motorola, Microsoft and others. What is even more remarkable is that nearly everyone in the audience agreed.

They agreed on the power of IT to transform the continent, and on its ability to help countries “skip steps in development” by adding more dynamism to local business. Kagame himself referred cell phones as the “lifeline of microentrepreneurs”.

They agreed on the importance of increased investment in IT as a way of improving government. New technology, said Kagame, was no luxury, but a central focus of the country’s programs in delivering remote education, providing disease surveillance and avoiding drug shortages.

They agreed on the incredible demand for IT on the continent. An expert from Uganda’s Makerere University described how Uganda’s cell phone penetration had gone from 5,000 units 9 years ago to more than 2.6 million today. In fact, a cell provider that didn’t exist in Uganda a decade ago was the nation’s #1 taxpayer in 2006.

But unlike so many meetings, this private sector-government pow-wow went much further, and the implications are important for companies that want to do business on the continent and for Governments that wish to attract them.

• In San Francisco we heard a lot about cell phones, but more than ever before about data. The future, said Greg Wyler the founder of Terracom is in data. From new undersea cable systems, to cell towers placed up where the mountain gorillas live, there were examples everywhere of how Africa is expanding data. Throw out half of what you think about the African market. Get ready for an avalanche of demand for data. (Oh, and Africans are doing a good bit of the build-out).

• There was a wide acknowledgement that prices are coming down, and quickly. Handsets are being produced cheaply on the continent. Mobile data in Rwanda will soon be made available for the same price as in the US, with the ability to purchase service by the day, the week or even the month.

• A number of speakers talked about how it may not be so bad after all for African nations to be new kids on the IT block. With fewer legacy systems in place, African IT managers aren’t as burdened by commitment to last year’s technologies. They can take advantage of the most advanced (and often cheapest) systems now available, and these systems can be set up in many cases very quickly.

• Finally – and perhaps most importantly – everybody seemed to agree on the way forward. Nearly everyone in San Francisco, from ICT Ministers to the private sector to NGOs, stressed the need for African Governments to create a first-world regulatory environment, which creates the conditions to attract – and keep – investment. Government representatives spoke openly about their struggle to create the kinds of conditions to attract and keep investors, about the need to facilitate investment, provide strong IP protection, building linkages between Government, universities and the private sector. Private sector attendees reinforced how important is was to take customer service seriously, to put people on the ground, to treat Africa’s IT markets as the good long- (and short-) term bets that they have become.

In the end, as many at the conference noted, success will be no mystery. There’s no magic in setting up the infrastructure, there are plenty programs like the Nepad e-schools initiative that can help expand training. Both Government and the private sector know what they need to do. If even half of the promise of San Francisco becomes a reality, Africa’s IT future looks bright indeed. And the companies from Silicon Valley will be a part of it.

Guest Columnist: Can A Ball Change the world? Yes... it can

By: Jeremy M. Goldberg

Sports today are nearly everyone’s global obsession, but did you also know that they are also a new trend in international development? Donor agencies from Sweden and Norway along with the United Nations and sports outfitting companies like Nike and Adidas, have all joined the “Sports for Social Change” movement. Sadly, most donors – like most sports fans around the world – haven’t taken advantage of the excitement this new phenomenon is generating. However, this game is just beginning…

In addition to the millions of dollars we spend on bags of rice and cooking oil to throw at the world’s poorest communities, why not throw them millions in soccer balls and sports programs as well? In the service of economic development, why don’t we make a serious effort to harness the power of sports?

To make this point, allow me to introduce Jeremy’s Top 6 Reasons why donor agencies – and sporting types everywhere – should add “Sports for Social Change” to their development (and charitable) playbooks:

1. Sports are empowering: Most sports begin with chasing a ball “Sports for Social Change” projects encourage youth to also chase their dreams and PLAY, like in Rules of the Red Rubber Ball. Sports enable youth to think positively about their futures, and encourage teamwork as a way to accomplish big things. Whether as an individual and as a team member, sports are empowering.

2. Sports programs are pro-health: In addition to obvious fitness benefits, sports also increase psychological health. Research has shown that impoverished youth who play soccer feel they have an opportunity to rise above crime and delinquent behavior. Don’t just take my word for it – check out an increasing array of scientific evidence from groups like the International Platform for Sport and Development. Sports are good for body and spirit.

3. Sports programs are intuitive and fun: Young people around the world may not be able to discuss the intricacies of development economics, but give them a soccer ball and they know what to do. People can relate to sports, and through the platform of sports, they can be exposed easily, naturally to important messages that can make their lives better. After all, would most kids go voluntarily to a lecture on nutrition? Of course not. But if they got nutrition information was part of their team training and if messages were repeated during league games, well…

4. Sports make sense to funders: Many development schemes seem unusually complicated. Terms like “sustainable development” just don’t resonate with people outside the development biz. However, nearly everyone PARTICIPATES in sports. That makes it easy to understand how young girls in Africa are learning about HIV/AIDS prevention on the soccer pitch.

5. There are sports funders out there: From the Mia Hamm Foundation to the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program, sports come with the star-power and the financial resources that can take an initially small project to large scale. In fact, nearly every big-name sports star in the US or Europe has some sort of charitable presence these days. Moreover, there are big-name, big earning sports stars from the developing world who can – and are – willing to put in some of their money. For a sports star, what could be more natural?

6. Sports are unifying: Long term development depends on working together. Especially in the many communities rebounding from conflict, sports – limited, rule-based, for-the-fun-of-it competition – provides a new, positive alternative model to conflict and violence. Sports can bring old enemies together. Successful basketball programs for youth in South Africa and sports teams comprised of Palestinians and Israelis show that the language of sports is universal. As they say, there’s no I in team… and as it turns out, no I in development either.

So by now I am sure you are convinced. But if there are such clear benefits to Sports for Social Change, why have donor agencies been so slow to encourage and fund these programs?

Probably the most commonly expressed concern is how to effectively monitor and measure the impacts of these programs. Donors want to know “How does a community playing soccer stack up against a group that doesn’t?” Fortunately, there are new advances in programming that are addressing just these issues.

Last month in Nairobi, Care USA and Nike launched a public-private sports for development partnership, establishing a network for East African sport organizations to share and document the best practices of Sports for Social Change. The partnership will collect data to show in specific terms how and where sports help further the cause of development. As part of the plan, the partnership is using the proliferation of new media, the Internet marketplace and ePhilanthropy to support its work and share results.

And, at the grassroots level, monitoring and evaluation is, if anything, easier. Going to the field and talking with young people and communities about their sport experiences provides a wealth of information. As the Global Youth Partnership for Africa (GYPA) has seen in Uganda, youth will tell you that they are more likely to attend programs because sports are now a part of the curriculum. Improved attendance rates directly indicate a measure of success. Groups like GYPA, Grassroots Soccer and Playing for Peace are working together to add real-life stories to the broader data picture.

So there you have it. The game is on. Are you ready to get on the team?

Well, if you’re wondering where to start, the Internet is a good first stop. Check out the Homeless World Cup (HWC), which this year celebrates its 5^th anniversary of bringing together the world’s homeless for a week of soccer for social change. Look at the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange, which uses soccer as the vehicle for education and leadership development for young Afghani girls and women. The program received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at ESPN’s 2006 ESPY Awards. But, it doesn’t end there…

Thanks to new media tools like blogs and YouTube, sports for social change have gone beyond the old organization-to-organization setup, and can now be a real person-to-person experience. I can tell you firsthand that blogs helped us bring a team of young Ugandan men and women to the Homeless World Cup. In the six months leading up to the HWC, the Ugandan players and coaches posted diaries and streaming video on the Katalyst Consultancy blog, building a network of supporters that played (and continues to play) a significant role in the success of the Uganda program.

Sports work. And through today’s new technology every fan can get involved. The time has come to recognize Sports for Social Change as a legitimate development tool, and provide the funding to take this to scale. Starting with the donor community and reaching down to every one of us that laces up a pair of sneakers or picks up a bat or racket.

All it takes is a little funding and we will see. It’s time for all of us to get in the game. A ball can change the world…

On Africa's IT compass, all arrows point to Rwanda

By Jeremy M. Goldberg and Andrew Mack

Rwanda?!

There it was again, the same puzzled look – a combination of concern and disbelief –when I told a colleague that I’d been working in Rwanda. After all, what do we in the outside world know about Rwanda? A small country with a history of unspeakable violence, but a place of opportunity? A leader of Africa’s march into the 21^st century? Well my friends, its time to think again. For all its challenges, Rwanda is by nearly all accounts making tremendous strides, working to re-build into a modern, knowledge-based economy. In fact, a number of Rwanda-watchers these days, see the country on track to be the “Silicon Valley of the East-Central Africa.” But it certainly did not have to be this way. In a region where so much has gone wrong, what went right in Rwanda?

Everything started with people, and the Government’s decision to invest in people – especially techies. After the genocide in 1994, Rwanda needed to rebuild the country’s tech infrastructure, but had a shortage of trained local people to get the job done. To address the issue, in 1997 the Government opened the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). Since then KIST has graduated thousands of Rwandan tech experts and is now recognized as a leader in the development of biogas technology and renewable energy.

Investments in the nation’s technical expertise was only one part of a larger blueprint that was to become the country’s game plan for development, Vision 2020. President Kagame was eager to move his country from an agricultural based economy to a creative and competitive economy. But he knew that for this to happen he’d need international investors. With a new openness to investment and a series of reforms to create a business-friendly climate found in few African nations – Rwanda was described as a top regional reformer in the recent World Bank “Doing Business” survey – it didn’t take long to attract telecommunications and software companies. Terracom brought wireless broadband internet to Kigali; Microsoft is bringing e-learning classrooms, and just this month, a partnership was announced with the One Laptop per Child program (the $100 laptop scheme).

In fact, Rwanda is saying the proof is in the fiber.

Fiber?! Yes, fiber. Rwanda has become one of the most wired countries in the region, and others are taking notice… As a testament to this expertise, last year African countries unanimously voted Rwanda the headquarters of the East Africa Submarine Cable Project (EASSy). This $280 million dollar project will serve Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Lesotho. A Rwandan will serve as the Chair of its Working Committee. In fact, if East Africa were an IT village, Rwanda might now be seen as one of the village elders.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about this entire story is that the reasons for Rwanda’s success are no mystery. Rwanda’s IT-focused approaches work and can work elsewhere. If you don’t yet believe me, believe the Economist – they recently reported that Rwanda is well on its way to achieving several of the Millennium Development Goals. And, Rwanda is not the only example of IT turning around an emerging market country. I could easily wave the Mauritian flag. Mauritius, a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, is now an IT powerhouse attracting growing numbers of foreign investors. Would you believe its GDP in 2005 was over $6 billion? It’s true.

Why shouldn’t these new technologies be used to help modernize the government and infrastructure in Sierra Leone? Freetown is already looking to Rwanda as an example of the possibilities, with IT as one of the central objectives in their own “Vision 2025”. Could IT help trade for land-locked countries like Burundi and Uganda as they work to enhance exports through Tanzania and Kenya? The answer is of course yes. IT could help improve supply chain management, expedite port clearance delays, and increase the reliability of customs operations… All things that experts touched on at a recent World Bank mGovernment seminar.

In a region of where so much has gone wrong, Rwanda is an example of how much can go right! Investment in people, clarity of vision and a focus on technology have given the country new, entrepreneurial options for the future. Especially given the challenges of its past, we should recognize a country so focused on its potential, one that is looking over the horizon, beyond simple rebuilding. So, three cheers for Rwanda, the “Singapore of Central Africa” – a model for post-conflict nations on the continent and beyond.

Wimax – and the Path to Peace – in Uganda

Not long ago a friend of mine was sitting in an internet café in Gulu, Northern Uganda, busily typing away… and suddenly in mid-email, the server went down – the 3rd time in 2 weeks. And, while technology challenges are nothing new for those of us that work or live in places like Northern Uganda, it made me think about the future of Gulu and the region. Uganda is clearly at a crossroads. The costs of a return to war in the North are too high, and the opportunities – both human and commercial – are too great for rebuilding to fail. But can the North’s economy recover in time to avoid a return to conflict? If Government, donors and the private sector work together, I believe that the answer is a resounding YES – and that the use of new technology must be a key component of the recovery.

Today Northern Uganda is emerging from more than 20 years of conflict, battered, isolated and scarred. The war with the Lord’s Resistance Army left over 1 million men, women and children displaced, and tens of thousands dead. Healing will take time, as communities are rebuilt and trust re-established. Roads and other kinds of physical infrastructure will also take years to be rehabilitated, even with strong commitment from Government. But Uganda needs action now…

Happily, more and more each day it seems that technology is available to help previously left behind regions get on the grid quickly – new products and services that can be deployed in a fraction of the time it would take to rebuild traditional infrastructure. In recent years a whole host of technologies have been developed that could help war-recovering Africa “skip steps” in re-development, in much the same way that the cellphone revolution has brought personal communications to Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and yes, southern Uganda.

Consider technologies like Wimax, an easy to deploy broadband wireless technology, that can cover large geographical areas – up to 50km – at fast speeds, up to 72mps. Wimax is perfect for peri-urban and more rural areas. It could help Government bring new services to the recovering North and facilitate trade. In June 2006, the roll-out of Uganda’s Wimax network began. Can Government, the donors and the private sector help finish the job and make a wired Northern Uganda a reality?

Think about new low-cost solutions like Motorola’s Motofone, a no frills cellphone designed just for the rural market. The unit is dust-proof, uses voice prompts to local languages, has extended battery life, and is affordable. Especially given the difficulty of travel and land-line communication, opening up a strong cell market in places like Northern Uganda would seem to make sense, lowering the costs of doing business, and helping provide security and reliability to potential investors. Can Uganda jump start this market?

Or, how about the highly anticipated $100 laptop that is already proposed for Emerging Markets like Brazil, Nigeria and Rwanda? Current plans call for the distribution up to 15 million of the devices in 2007, which feature full-color, a 500MHz processor, and wireless broadband capabilities. Will Government and the aid agencies help bring the tools of the wired world to Gulu?

Now, I know what you may be thinking. Technology is not the answer to all questions. Cellphones, and internet and email can’t guarantee that products get to market through rutted roads, and they can’t guarantee the peace. Still, it’s time to think outside of the box when looking at post-conflict reconstruction. Concerted, cooperative efforts in Northern Uganda – creatively using new technologies and approaches – can provide a model for peaceful re-development in parts of Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and DR Congo that all face similar problems.

Uganda has a Government that has shown real leadership and won wide international praise in combating HIV/AIDS, and in economic reform. So, when rebuilding Northern Uganda, why not show similar leadership and farsightedness, focusing on giving Northern Uganda the modern tools that are used so well every day around Kampala to build business?

Three years from now (or even less) I could be in a transformed Gulu, where international and local investors work together seamlessly to get work done. I could be managing my investment from a distance, speaking with my staff from a Skype phone, or perhaps working with a young entrepreneur who learned how to surf the Internet on a $100 laptop.

In a race against time, technology is crucial. Wimax? Why not?

-- Written with Jeremy M. Goldberg

Consider the Caipirinha -- Brazil, IT, and the Danger of Over-regulation

Consider the caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil.

A simple mixture of lime, sugar and cachaça (a local sugar cane-based aguardiente), the caipirinha is a delight. Separately the pieces are too sweet, too bitter, or too sour to appeal. And yet together, when crushed up just right in a low ball glass and served over ice with the soft sway of bossa nova in the background, these three come together in a potent and highly pleasant mixture that can cure whatever ails you. Ah the caipirinha.

Now consider regulation of the Internet. Yes, regulation.

Fast becoming Brazil’s third favorite sport (hint: soccer is in the top 2), Brazil has in recent months become a leading voice calling for the implementation of the WSIS principles that have been developed to guide the future of the Internet. In theory these principles are designed to help bring more access to more people around the world, to create openness and diversity on the web. Laudable goals. However, in practice the WSIS process contains a kind of soup-to-nuts wish list representing the hopes and dreams of dozens of interest groups – many of whom can’t really be pursued at the same time.

Recently, as an example, following the WSIS principle of openness, the Brazilian Government has proposed a bill that would mandate the purchase of open source software for the entire Brazilian government, based on the idea that the Government needs access to a program’s source code. In a short period this law would serve to make it illegal for government agencies to buy Oracle, or Microsoft or any one of the most common products you might find in any typical Government office. Regardless of quality or cost. Only open source.

Ignoring the question of whether or not the Government would ever use the source code (history shows they are unlikely to) or whether they could get access to the code if they asked for it (in most cases, they likely could), the legislation could cause a whole host of other problems. Who would service these bold new products, no one has determined. How long it might take for the already busy Brazilian government sector to adapt and train for changes, niguem sabe. Who would finance the changeover or additional maintenance costs is unclear. But that, of course, is not the point. A good idea – openness – has seemingly been lost in a sea of rigid rules.

At the same time, based on another of the WSIS principles – security – the Brazilian Government has recently been considering a draft law that would make it a crime to send e-mail, post on a blog or join a chat room or download content anonymously. In theory designed to slow the spread of viruses and Trojans, the legislation is written so broadly from my reading that the kind of things we do every day – choose whether or not to show our names when communicating with the public – could be punishable by stiff fines and years of jail time. Does this make sense? Of course not. Don’t these actions appear to fly in the face of the rights to privacy contained in another one of the WSIS principles? Of course they do. Imagine if this were made a standard around the world, where the ability to comment anonymously could be a matter of life or death.

So in the end, Internet regulation in Brazil may indeed be a lot like drinking caipirinhas. Making the drink is simple enough. The first little bit always tastes sweet. Still, because they are so easy to make and so sweet on the tongue, nobody has just one. And herein lies the rub. Aspirin, water and rest can treat even the worst caipirinha hangovers. But the confusion caused by the current attempt to implement the WSIS principles through regulation could do much more long term damage to Brazil’s civil liberties and economic growth.

Brazil is an exciting, dynamic economy that is moving faster and faster to take a leading place on the web. It would be a shame to see over-reaching lawmakers leave the land of the caipirinha with a long term regulation hangover.

Do Emerging Markets really want Rescue by ITU?

I was in the big plenary room in Athens yesterday when the ITU’s Yoshio Utsumi made his big claim of the day. According to Declan McCullagh of ZDNet who paraphrased Utsumi, the ITU chief “criticized the current rules for overseeing domain names and Internet addresses, stressing that poorer nations are dissatisfied and are hoping that this week's meeting will erode U.S. influence.” If you read between the lines it’s like the old line from the movie Network – they’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore.

Well the truth is out. I sat through a grueling, numbing 8 hours of sessions today with “them”, listening to representatives of various countries from Africa to Latin America to the South Pacific talk all about the different challenges they face on access, openness and the like. And Utsumi has it right. They are mad as hell. But from what I heard their problems don’t stem from any excess of US influence and they’re certainly not looking to the ITU for solutions.

From my seat in the various committee rooms I heard that Emerging Markets delegates are dissatisfied. They are dissatisfied with their own governments who are not doing enough to create operating environments that promote IT investment. They are disappointed by the cozy relationships between legacy telcos and regulators, a situation that stifles competition from new ISPs. They are underwhelmed by the lack of locally-relevant web content, which is key to driving public demand and investor interest. And they are truly frustrated by the slow pace of progress on IDNs, especially in Arabic-speaking countries.

However, I also heard a clear voice of independence. In four different presentations in four different voices I heard speakers say in essence: “its local demand and local pressure, NOT some magic bullet from the donor community, that is likely to fix what ails us and get us to the next level of Internet availability.” What I heard was not the voice of aggrieved outsiders, but rather a matter-of-fact, non-political call from creative, ambitious people tired of waiting for some trickle down of technology and understandably suspicious of the idea that we in the OECD will some day come bearing gifts. Fair enough.

As any reader will know, I am certainly no fan of ICANN or the ICANN process. I think they’re dragging on IDNs and lagging on reforming ICANN processes. Still, the idea that somehow a move to greater control of the Internet by an even more politicized ITU will help the developing world meet its needs seems ridiculous to me.

More than the bureaucrats realize – whether they sit in Washington or Geneva – I think Emerging Markets increasingly do “get it”. We can help, but they know its time for them to push to address the local issues they face. No one who’s sat through the plenary here should have any illusion that some increased UN role will quickly improve the real facts on the ground, in country, where it matters.

In the end, is there a role for the UN? I’m honestly not sure. Perhaps a little lecture to the diplomats at headquarters – something before they return home about supporting the legitimate digital aspirations of their own people – would be time well spent.

However, I certainly didn’t hear anybody calling for rescue by Geneva today. Sorry Mr. U.

Why I care -- and why you should care -- about IDNs

Later this month many of the movers and shakers in the Internet world will be in Athens for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The event – part techie convention, part lobbying jamboree – promises to cover topics from a to z, with a strong focus on issues of policy, security and especially, access.

Interestingly there are now four separate IGF sessions that will discuss issues of language on the Internet. Inevitably, these discussions will look to ICANN to implement Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). And since this issue is increasingly taking center stage (it comes up constantly at ICANN meetings too), I thought it might be worthwhile to once and for all to explain why I think the issue is so important as we move toward a more international (and less English-dominated) future.

Especially if you live in the US or Europe, you might reasonably ask yourself, “I mean really, what’s the fuss about IDNs?” After all, users can already type the name of the website they seek in the browser window using Arabic or Chinese characters (assuming they have the keyboard configuration they need). The only parts that need to be in Latin characters are the parts after the dot. The .com, .org., .co.za. In the end, does it matter?

The answer is absolutely yes, especially if you believe (as I do) that south-south web trade is a big part of the future of the ‘net and a potential boost to broader economic growth and development. To explain…

First, there is the question of efficiency or user-friendliness. Consider the person working in Amharic or Arabic or Chinese who wants to do e-commerce. Sometimes there is a link, but how do you find out about sites you want to visit? In the last month I’ve read articles, seen and heard sites mentioned on radio or TV, and by far most importantly, been directed to sites by word of mouth – the most important and most reliable form of advertising in most parts of the world.

Now imagine the process. You hear of a site but then you need to change the keyboard to access the Latin character set to get to .net or .biz. I can barely figure out how to use a French keyboard (and I speak French), so I can only imagine moving from Chinese to Latin characters. Add to this the further disadvantages faced by ccTLDs and firms that wish to use them, as the more letters I need to know (and the more uncommon they are -- co.ke versus .com), the less likely I am to go there. Clearly not moving on IDNs hurts trade, and especially for Emerging Markets.

Next, look at the question of equity. I work in an office which has a number of native Japanese speakers. They complain about having to change back and forth into English (!) to go into and out of Japanese language sites, and I can't say I blame them. I know if the shoe were on the other foot – and I needed to put the suffix into Amharic or Sanskrit – I would be at a loss. Now extend this to an average person, or one with a less-than-classical education, or one from an Emerging Market economy with a much-less-than-Japanese educational system and you can see how the lack of IDNs could be an almost insurmountable barrier to participation.

Finally, there is the issue of the integrity of the Internet. We all benefit from the fact that, to a meaningful extent, there is one ‘net which we all can use. I can get info, but assuming the same connection speed, so can my sister in Boston or my friends in Geneva or Jakarta. However, the lack of action on IDNs – mostly through slow action by ICANN – has led some nations, most notably China, to consider going their own ways, essentially “forking” the Internet. We all benefit from having one system, with straightforward protocols for access. Simply put, forking would be bad. However, it is all but inevitable if ICANN does not get moving.

So, as people from around the world arrive in Athens to look at the big Internet issues of the day, let’s not forget to focus on some of the small things that really do matter. Grand discussions of access and equity are essential, but we shouldn't miss out on the chance to take a meaningful little step forward toward access to all. Access that could come with the creation of a few keystrokes.

Its time to make IDNs a reality and bring everyone to the table.

Cybersquatting, Emerging Markets and the future of the 'Net

The other day I was on the phone with a friend who does international business based in Europe. He was telling me about the recent .eu debacle – how basically before it was even launched the .eu top level domain had been corrupted (his words) by squatters who had taken over all kinds of names. Names you or I might know. Other companies’ names.

Now that’s Europe, but I work with Emerging Markets, especially Africa and Latin America. So I had to ask myself… is this something that really matters in the countries and markets that I care about most? Are domain name “land grabs” really something that Zambia should care about? And could this actually happen in Kenya, or Colombia, or Bangladesh?

The answer to both questions is yes. This kind of thing can – and will likely – occur some day soon in Emerging Markets. And what’s more, I believe it could have a really negative affect on the potential for the growth of the Internet (and Internet business) in places like Kenya where the ‘net is growing fastest.

I start with the assumption that Internet real estate abuse is a problem anywhere. Squatters don’t exactly contribute much to what we all think of as the real function of the ‘net – getting people connected with information. Customers get confused. Reputations can be put at risk. Most importantly, all kinds of companies could be forced to spend all kinds of money and time to defend their own names. So far as I can see it, squatting is generally a bad thing for everyone but the squatter.

Now take this situation and expand it ten times. Imagine customer confusion in a market where access is more limited, where connection times are slower, and penetration of e-commerce is weaker... Imagine needing – as a growing regional company with lots of international competition – to defend yourself against squatters simultaneously in 10 different regional markets, through 10 different legal systems, where squatters have the ability to harm your brand or spread mis-information about your project… Imagine seeing the value of your ccTLD like .ke or the new .africa that has been discussed suddenly evaporate, as people come to the conclusion that it will be just too big a hassle to protect yourcompany.ke … Imagine how this might affect the development of IDNs …

The Internet stands ready to explode into Emerging Markets, providing real opportunities for business and development around the world. The system for allocating new TLDs should make this easier, not harder. As the recent .eu situation shows, the system for allocating names is broken. Everyone interested in the ‘net’s expansion as an engine of growth and development – government, business, users and techies – need to stand up and push to get it fixed.

Europe may have the resources to deal with .eu, but why should the rest of the world pay for this kind of nonsense?

Should we cut ICANN loose? Not now...

There’s a lot of talk these days about ICANN’s future and specifically whether the organization should go out on its own later this year. While everyone seems to agree that ICANN must end up as an independent entity, I for one just don’t see how it is ready at this point. And, by prematurely pushing the organization out of the nest, I think we risk making a real mess that no one will be well placed to clean up.

ICANN simply isn’t ready because it doesn’t yet have the pieces in place. It takes too long to make decisions – though its making big efforts to improve processes. It has just started some programs, like outreach to Emerging Markets and more and better work with governments – but these need time to bear fruit. It also needs to formalize many of the core operating arrangements (e.g. on root server operation, on contract renewal or non-renewal, with the regionals) that it will be essential if it is to continue to provide service to a growing, worldwide and increasingly challenging Internet community.

One thing is pretty certain in my way of thinking. If as a result of political pressure the Department of Commerce cuts the cord too soon, there will be an effort to push today’s ICANN aside and replace it with some sort of UN organization. This in my mind would be a disaster.

Change for its own sake is hardly a benefit from the user perspective. Having worked with the UN system over the course of years, I hardly think they could do a more efficient job than ICANN – even without the proposed ICANN improvements. (Politics aside I wonder whether they could actually do the job at all, outside of the realm of endless debate, where they could match ICANN word-for-word). Seriously, though, as a user, I want REAL independence, not polemics. If our goal is to keep ICANN as apolitical and as functional as possible, well, the UN wouldn’t be the first place I’d recommend.

So what to do? Let’s set a timetable. Let’s really push to make the organization more open and more accountable to the “rest of the world” where tomorrow’s new users will come from. Let’s make sure they ICANN does the things they promise in their action plan. Let’s finish the job of making ICANN ready for prime time – with the stamina and resources to get the job done.
Regardless of what you think of the current relationship with the Department of Commerce, that just makes sense.

Making Morocco's ICT Future a Reality

Last week at the ICANN meetings in Marrakech, Moroccan Prime Minister Jettou addressed the crowd about the important role the Internet plays in helping to advance the social, economic and educational agenda of Morocco. In his remarks, the Prime Minister said “as we all know, the Internet today is an essential tool for the competitiveness of private and public enterprises, an effective lever of transformation and modernization for the central and territorial administration and an important tool for the creation of jobs.”

Of course, he is right. From just my quick trip to Marrakech I could see just how important Internet and e-commerce can (and should) be for Morocco's economic future – from big business to the herbalist I met in the central market, who proudly recommended I contact him by email if I wanted to buy more of his products from America.

Prime Minister Jettou’s remarks are an important realization on behalf of the government and the PM should be complimented for his foresight. However, this is hardly the first time we have heard a similar speech extolling the virtues of the Internet from an Emerging Markets leader, and real progress will take more than discussion of potential.

Morocco has unique opportunities and advantages, including its strong educational infrastructure and proximity to technologically savvy markets in Europe. Especially given the country's challenges – from immigration and employment to the need for economic diversification – a focus on investment in information technology and training seems a very wise bet indeed for building Morocco’s economic future.

On the heels of the ICANN conference, we encourage the government of Morocco to do more than just talk about the virtues of the Internet. Make the promise of the Prime Minister’s speech -- and Morocco's ICT future -- a reality.

Some lessons for ICANN from the World’s Greatest Sporting Event

Some lessons for ICANN from the World’s Greatest Sporting Event

June 27, Marakech. Over the last week or so I have heard commentaries from sources from the International Herald Tribune to the baggage handler at Air Maroc, explaining what exactly has happened so far in the World Cup, and more importantly what it all means for you, me, soccer and the rest of humanity.

And despite having spent almost 10 days in Germany during the Cup’s first round, I will not claim to understand the larger meaning of it all. However, sitting here in the conference hall at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meetings in Marrakech I came to thinking -- since football/soccer and the Internet may be two of the two most international institutions on earth, I asked myself: What can and should ICANN learn from the World Cup so far? Let me offer some observations…

1. Good teams play fast

Two days ago I saw the second round match between Mexico and Argentina. It was a fast-paced, creative game played from end to end. Each team needed to adapt frequently and quickly to new tactics and players. Compare this to the plodding US approach in its first game against the Czech Republic. The US tried not to lose and failed miserably. The Mexico/Argentina was an infinitely more interesting game.

I believe there are lessons for ICANN here. The international Internet game is changing fast. At each ICANN meeting there is increased pressure for action on issues from IDNs, to streamlining the process for the introduction of new TLDs and other issues. Nearly everyone agrees that ICANN needs to find a way to pick up the pace. Still, debate (which can be good) labors on (which is almost always bad). Hence Lesson #1 from the Cup: if ICANN wants to remain World Class and relevant, it needs to develop the capacity to play faster.


2. Too much referee ruins the game

One of the biggest stories of the Cup thus far has been the number of games that were literally taken out of the hands of the players by overactive referees. No one doubts the importance of having a good ref in a successful match. Still, anyone who saw the last two US games or the Italy/Australia match knows just how much an overactive referee can ruin a game. A sketchy second yellow card in the US game against Italy and a mysterious penalty in the game against Ghana, and our team goes home. I’m hardly unbiased, but nobody comes to a game – or to the ‘net – because of the ref.

Again, there are important lessons for ICANN. Governance is indeed a necessity, but it is the light hand that keeps the game intact and flowing. FIFA’s attempt to “crack down” on rough play appears to have failed miserably, and ICANN will be well served to learn the lesson. An approach which permits creativity and competition – not heavy regulation or attempts to engineer outcomes – is the best way forward. “Let ‘em play”.


3. Good teams play together and have clear roles

After Sunday’s game between Holland and Portugal I was struck by just how important it is to have clear roles for everyone on the field. Though both teams contained players from elite teams in elite leagues across Europe, the Dutch team was bigger and stronger and favored to win. However, despite their individual brilliance, from the outset I sensed the Dutch team wouldn’t get the job done. Their runs weren’t coordinated. Their positioning was unclear. They simply couldn’t work together, and in the end, Portugal advanced.

Here I think there are actually two lessons for ICANN. First, and perhaps foremost, while the ICANN structure’s focus on consultation is laudable, I am now attending my 3rd ICANN meeting and am struck by what seem to be overlapping constituency mandates and advisory groups galore – and confusion even among those most a part of the process. This leads inevitably to the second issue, which is conflict. By the end of the Holland/Portugal game you could see the frustration between the Dutch players, even though the score was still very close. So too with ICANN I think. I am often struck by the way in which registrars, registries, and other parts of the business community spend time carping at each other (ostensibly to advance their own agendas), taking their eye off the common goal of making a better, stronger Internet with more user access. By clarifying roles of each member of the team and by getting each player focused on their role it seems obvious that we could lower the volume, permitting better outcomes for everyone. Good teams get and stay on the same page.


4. Pay attention to Africa

Finally, I want to draw your attention to the teams from Africa, especially the Black Stars from Ghana. While I am disappointed that the US didn’t make the second round, I must say I am very impressed by the Ghanaians. They play a strong, creative game. They beat two good teams in the first round and played beautifully against Brazil, much better than the score would suggest. They may lack budget and experience, but the Ghanaians and other Africans are teams to watch – dynamic, entrepreneurial teams.

As in football, so as in life. From my chair here in Marrakech we can see that Africa as a region is set for significant growth on the net, and that the net can bring great commercial, developmental and educational benefits to the continent. Moreover, it is important that the world and ICANN see that this is not a question of some great, indefinite future, of “some day”. Everywhere I go in Marrakech I see progress – construction cranes building a modern city, ATMs and wireless access… Africa is on the move now, today, right in front of our eyes. Unfortunately, though we are here in Africa, and though many of us pushed for a special session on African issues in Marrakech, Africa is largely off the agenda. However, if there is one region that can demonstrate ICANN’s importance to the world community, where issues of security and IDNs and capacity building are vital, one would have to think Africa would be the place. African markets are moving, and ICANN’s work should reflect this.


So here’s to hoping ICANN can learn the lessons of the World Cup, to make itself better and to better serve the world Internet community – working faster and in a more coordinated fashion, creating a governance environment on the net that will “let ‘em play”, and doing more and better work with Africa.

ICANN’s next meeting is in Brazil. It seems wholly appropriate that now, as a community, we learn the lessons of the “Beautiful Game”.

Welcome to Andy's Global View.

My blog is dedicated to exploring issues of technology and development, looking at ways that business, government and people around the world can come together to solve problems.

Work takes me all over -- from New Zealand, to Nigeria, to Guatemala and Morocco so I thought I would start with a few observations, things I am seeing around the world. Three to begin with:

1) There are big opportunities around the world, right now, bringing technology to people in emerging markets. The pace of change is dizzying, the number of places that are "off the map" is shrinking fast. Everyone thinks about India and China, but consumer demand in places we rarely think of as prime markets (like West Africa) is in some ways even more impressive. And, though there are still many problems with connectivity, I believe that the Internet can help consumers and businesses in these markets "skip steps" in development, using the decentralized cellphone model. More on this another time.

2) I also believe that there is stength in numbers, and partnerships are key. Governments, private sector companies, international orgs and just groups of people when they come together can have a real impact on solving big problems. The key, from what I've seen is that each of them must stay "in character" -- staying with their expertise and mission, being true to their interests. Clarity about your goals makes you a better partner anyway.

3) Finally, just so you don't think I'm all seriousness, my third random observation is that the people who choose the films for international air travel must never actually go to films when they are not in the air. Otherwise they would never show Cheaper by the Dozen 2 on a flight. Shudder.

Anyway, off for a week to the World Cup and then on to the ICANN meetings in Marakech where I hope we will talk more about Emerging Markets and the Internet, specifically Africa.