DFID, DGIS and IICD join forces to mobilise the power of ICTs for development

In a nutshell...

• The United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) signs three-year strategic enabling partnership with IICD (2001-2004).
• DFID co-finances activities already partly funded by the Netherlands Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS).
• Through a 'Building Digital Opportunities' Programme (BDO), IICD:
  - Manages a programme of demand-led pilot projects, implemented as part of an ongoing series of stakeholder ICT roundtable processes in selected developing countries;
  - Responds to specific requests for assistance, support or advice from DFID partners and ICTs for development practitioners in the South;
  - Responds to specific requests for assistance, support or advice from DFID advisers in the field on ICTs for development;
  - Carries out a range of activities to promote more effective and widespread understanding and awareness of poverty focused ICTs for development;
  - Assists in DFID's management of the BDO programme and the programme of knowledge and research projects.

"It is essential to promote ICTs in Africa to prevent further marginalisation of the continent" - Clare Short, UK Secretary of State for International Development

The partnership

In early 2000, when DFID was looking for expertise and partners for its evolving ICTs for development activities, discussions started with IICD. The aim of both parties was to agree to a joint programme of activities that would extend what IICD was already doing with Dutch core funding and, at the same time, to help DFID staff address the challenges associated with the digital revolution.

The primary partnership instrument is the 'Building Digital Opportunities' Programme (BDO). This is a package of cross-sectoral initiatives that address key barriers and opportunities for ICTs in achieving development targets. The aim is to support basic ICT infrastructure and delivery mechanisms that support the work of DFID. Specific objectives include strengthening local capacity to address policy and regulatory issues, supporting demand-led pilot projects, information inclusion with a focus on mixed media, capacity development, knowledge and research, and ICT resource networks.

The BDO programme is implemented through a series of enabling agreements and accountable grants between DFID and the following five organisations:

• International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD);
• Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO);
• Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC);
• OneWorld International, and;
• Panos Institute

IICD has three principle roles in the BDO programme. First, it is an ICT Resource Centre, responding to specific requests for assistance, support or advice from DFID partners in the South, geographical desks and advisers in the field of ICTs for development. A complementary function is to promote more effective and widespread understanding and awareness of the potential applications of poverty focused ICTs for development. Second, IICD manages a programme of demand-led pilot projects, implemented as part of an ongoing series of stakeholder ICT Roundtable Processes in selected developing countries. Third, IICD assists DFID with the programme's overall coordination and management.

A strategic alliance

A unique aspect of the partnership is that it represents a strategic alliance between the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation (DGIS) and DFID. At a time when European donor agencies strive for increased coordination, complementarity and coherence, the DFID-DGIS-IICD agreement shows how these may be achieved. In practice this means that the roundtable processes will continue to be financed using core resources from DGIS.

However, the concrete projects that emerge from the roundtables will be eligible for the DFID funds made available through IICD. Similarly, the infor-mation and advisory services that are currently provided to DGIS staff and partners will be extended to the DFID network. Such pooling of resources is a way that both agencies can achieve sufficient critical mass to make a difference, in terms of supporting sus-tainable local applications of ICTs in development.

More

If you have any questions on the DFID-DGIS-IICD partnership or if you are interested in more information on how to partner with IICD, please contact IICD's Partnerships Manager at partnering@iicd.org. Be sure to visit the websites of DFID (www.dfid.gov.uk), DGIS (www.minbuza.nl/english) and IICD (www.iicd.org). The activities of the BDO programme are reported on on via the iConnect website.