The scope for information and communication technologies (ICTs) to further good governance goals is increasingly recognised. Why has there been only fitful progress towards realising this potential? How should developing countries learn from mistakes and grasp the opportunities provided by new connectivity?

A study from the University of Manchester’s Institute for Development Policy and Management outlines a vision of what a National e-Governance Initiative (NeGI) should look like. e-Governance is the use of ICTs to support good governance and embraces:

• e-Administration: better government processes through cost cutting, managing performance and making strategic connections within government.
• e-Citizens and e-Services: connecting citizens to government by talking and listening to people and supporting and improving accountability, democracy and public services.
• e-Society: building links beyond government - with business, communities, and civil society.

There have already been many e-governance successes in the South. Equally, the largest e-governance failures have been in the North. However, more time, commitment and funding needs to be devoted to strengthening 'e-Readiness for e-Governance' in the South. Northern off-the-shelf packages cannot be foisted onto developing states. Local stakeholders need to be consulted and projects should build carefully and sustainably on the existing ICT usage base. For example, projects that propose cyberballots via WAP phones should go to the bottom of the in-tray. Those delivering government information to NGOs via email should go to the top.

The study urges donors and governments to commit funds for described courses of action:

• A national e-governance summit of all interested parties.
• ICT training, awareness raising and confidence-building for senior politicians, civil servants, donor and development agency staff.
• Establishment of a single institutional focal point for e-governance coordination and a separate national training institution.
• Development of national e-governance strategies.

Local policymakers are urged to build an e-governance-enabling institutional, legislative, human, technological and data infrastructure. This must involve:

• Freedom of information, data protection, computer crime and intellectual property rights legislation.
• Training for second-tier civil servants and civil society leaders (including trade unionists whose support is crucial to public acceptance of e-government plans).
• Investment, partnership and policy reform to strengthen national ICT infrastructure.
• Integrated initiatives to develop more robust, higher-quality data systems.
• A set of functioning e-governance pilot projects.

Source(s):
‘Building e-Governance for development: a framework for national and donor action’, iGovernment Working Paper #12, Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester by Richard Heeks 2001 Full document.

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 10 September 2001

Further Information:
Institute for Development Policy and Management
University of Manchester
Crawford House
Precinct Centre
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9GH
UK

Tel: +44 (0)161 275 2800
Fax: +44 (0)161 273 8829
Contact the contributor: richard.heeks@man.ac.uk

IDPM, University of Manchester, UK

Other related links:
'e-Governance: can it lead to better government?'

'Silicon idols: Problems of harnessing IT in government'

'The right tools for the job? Policymakers get to grips with new technology'

'Are ICTs the road to riches for the poor?'

Digital Governance builds and sustains accountable governance structures using ICTs

Papers from the Global Governance of Technology workshop

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