African telecom company supports ICT development projects in Africa

Entering into a partnership for development in some of the poorest countries in the world with a private African telecom company is not the only unusual part of this alliance. Manobi in itself is rather unique in the sense that it develops new and improved services for mobile phones, which even surpasses the work of some European companies.    

Manobi and IICD will initially develop joint activities on existing projects. During that period Manobi will offer support in many different ways. Firstly, by assisting IICD’s local project partners to use mobile phone technology to improve existing information services. Secondly, Manobi will advise local governments on the use of mobile phone technology to improve public information and to develop e-business. One benefit of this initiative will be that farmers will be able to access market price information via text messages, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or the mobile internet as well as by using the personal computer or personal digital assistant (PDA). This will result in farmers being able to negotiate better prices and subsequently to offer a supply according to what the market actually demands.

The partnership offers both parties several advantages. Manobi, a Senegalese telecom company has gained a lot of experience with the use of mobile phone services, like SMS and WAP, in several African countries in both the public and private sector. Many European companies have the technological knowledge on these kinds of services, but lack the knowledge and experience on African needs for information.

Daniel Annerose, Chief Executive Officer of Manobi, says “Our partnership with IICD constitutes an importance piece of our strategy to provide mobile phone based value-added services to efficiently address the local needs of the population as well as those of small to large businesses in developing countries. IICD’s experience in local development combined with Manobi’s expertise in the provision of localised mobile and Internet services in Africa will increase our respective capacity to contribute to the economic and social development through innovative uses of ICTs in these countries.”

IICD currently supports many independent non-profit organisations in many developing countries in Africa, Latin-America and the Caribbean who want to use ICTs to improve livelihoods, health, education, government and environment. Many of these projects encounter difficulties with connectivity. Alternatives like mobile phone technology can offer solutions to these kinds of problems.

“About 50% of our projects are set up in the least developed rural areas, especially in those isolated areas where they need help the most. Connectivity is a problem that needs to be solved for the projects that aim to address the development needs of the rural communities. Manobi is involved in African business, they are acutely aware of this problem and can help us with a solution like mobile telephone services,” explains Jac Stienen, Managing Director of IICD.

For more information on Manobi and IICD, see www.manobi.net and www.iicd.org.