From 2016-2018, A4AI was involved in a technical assistance project in Liberia, leading to the development of their National ICT policy 2019-2024.
Background
The Ebola outbreak in Liberia highlighted the importance of strengthening the digital infrastructure to mitigate future outbreaks. This infrastructure, including broadband and mobile telecommunications, underpins critical functions of the response supporting command and control, case reporting and contact tracing, and population-level social mobilization.
In May 2015, A4AI participated and facilitated a roundtable in Monrovia, Liberia and pledged to meet demands for follow-on technical support and advice leading to the potential inclusion of Liberia as an A4AI country of engagement. Following consultations with A4AI during October-November 2015, Liberia’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MoPT) confirmed its willingness to work with an A4AI led team to refine an initial draft Liberia 2016-2021 ICT policy and signed an MOU with A4AI to express its commitment to the process.
The scope of work included refining the policy and ensuring it was a blueprint for Liberia to achieve the vision of government, which is to “make Liberia regionally competitive through building an inclusive information society that supports economic, social, political, cultural and environmental development”. This vision was to be anchored on building a resilient digital broadband infrastructure that supports expanded connectivity that attracts investment and promotes employment opportunities’. The period for the policy was gradually modified, with the final agreed duration as 2019-2024.
Resources:
– Final approved ICT policy 2019-2024
– First stakeholder consultation outcome of the Liberia ICT Policy
– Second public consultation presentation outline
– Global overview of trends towards access by Sonia Jorge (May 2015)
– Access to Broadband Connectivity in Liberia in the post-Ebola context by USAID (June 2015)
– A4AI report on Outcome of June 5, 2015 initial roundtable on Connectivity post-Ebola
– Liberia e-Government Strategy 2014-2018
– ICT Handbook, Government of the Republic of Liberia