IICD supported project: Support to ICT sector policy, strategy and implementation plan - Tourism, Trade and Industry

Countries: Uganda [UG]

Summary

This project will initiate the development of an ICT policy and an implementation strategy for the sectors Tourism, Trade and Industry in Uganda. The project seeks active participation of policy makers through awareness raising and capacity development of top-level policy makers in the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry (MTTI) and its affiliated organisations. In addition, other stakeholders in the government, NGOs, private sector and up-country organisations provide input through a series of workshops.

Update

Updated: 2006-08-01

<img src="http://www.iicd.org/images/Uganda/LaunchICTpolicyMTTI" height="180" align="right">Currently, the Ministry is in the phase of implementation of the first component, focusing on strengthening the internal ICT capacity of the affiliated organisations and the Ministry itself (capacity development, a central database) and on external information services (portal for the agriculture sector which has been launched).<br><br>
The second component of the project has also started and focuses on the development of the actual ICT policy for the sector. This will be finalized through a workshop in December 2005 which will result into the first draft of the ICT policy for the sector. <br><br>
The third component focusing on the development of the implementation strategy for the ICT policy will be implemented in 2006.

Objectives

The development objective of the ICT Policy activity is to facilitate rapid achievement of Government objectives through efficient use of information and communication facilities that run across the entire sector. The co-operation between the Ministry and IICD should generate a framework (process) to actualise the development of an ICT policy strategy and implementation plan for the sector Tourism, Trade and Industry. This should be reached through the following goals:

• To develop an ICT policy formulation and monitoring managerial activity within MTTI;
• To develop an ICT policy for the sector focussing on efficient co-operation of existing and future ICT initiatives within the sector. The policy will include soft standards for Hardware / Software, a set of fundamental ICT investment guidelines aimed at supporting the introduction, as well as expansion and development of ICT systems within the Ministry that are based on harmonised ICT platforms, thus avoiding sub-optimal investment in dissimilar systems;
• Capacity development within the sector;
• To monitor implementation of the ICT investment guidelines; and,
• To formulate and coordinate ICT4D projects and/or programmes identified by MTTI and affiliated organisations.

Planned outputs

• An ICT Advisory Committee for the sector;
• Establishment of ICT Policy as a management function within MTTI;
• Adoption of ICT investment guidelines by the sector;
• Monitoring of the implementation of ICT investment guidelines within MTTI;
• Number of ICT investment projects approved by MTTI in which reference is made to the ICT Policy;
• Establishment and acceptance of an ICT4D Policy for the sector;
• Frequent ICT Policy updates to be delivered by the project's implementation;
• Extension of applications software to all Departments and Affiliates;
• Training of all staff members in ICT applications; and,
• Coordination in ICT initiatives through the sector.

Management and organisation

The project is owned by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry and therefore the organisation of the project is embedded in the organisational structure of the Ministry. The ICT Advisory Committee (ICTAC) is ultimately responsible for the project, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary and will include the Project Manager as its Secretary. The committee will also include appropriate representation from all the ministry Departments and all affiliated organisations.

Project Owner : Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry in Uganda (MTTI)

Dr Sam G. Nahamya,
Permanent Secretary of Tourism, Trade and Industry
Farmers' House, Plot 6-8, Parliamentary Avenue,
P.O. Box 7103,
Kampala, Uganda

Project Contact : IICD