Rwanda: Providing Universal Access to the Internet

Mrs. Jeanne d’Arc Byaje,

Deputy-Permanent Representative of Rwanda

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is crucially important for Rwanda and is enshrined in its Vision 2020 plan, adopted in 2000 in an effort to shift from an agricultural based economy to a knowledge based economy, with ICT at its core.

Rwanda is a landlocked state and thus does not have access to the sea nor as good a transport system as it might otherwise have. This lack of transportation infrastructure has made access to the Internet even more important for Rwanda. Business, government, banking are now conducted through the use of the Internet. Service delivery is a key priority in Rwanda as it does not have oil and other mineral resources on which to base its national economy. Thus, forty percent of the income in Rwanda comes from service delivery, making access to information provided through the Internet even more important.

Rwanda has broadcast fiber optics, but the investment in smart phones will probably still take a long time. Rwanda also already has universal health coverage - but it can be challenging to provide information and health services in some rural areas. However, now with mobile phones health workers can even reach people in such remote areas and the people can reach the health care workers.

In Rwanda access to Internet is as much a valued public service as is access to energy and water. Wifi services are provided free in public places and on public transportation. Some areas that Rwanda is focusing on in relationship to its access to the Internet and that can accelerate development are:

• Skills development
• Private sector development
• Community development
• Fiber security protection
• Funding for services

Internet.org, an initiative founded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, is also partnering with Rwanda on a pilot project called SocialEDU, which will provide students in Rwanda with free access to a collaborative online education experience. SocialEDU addresses five critical barriers to access by bringing together: Free Content, Free Data, Affordable Smartphones, Localized social educational experience, and a government that supports innovation.

The students will receive free access from some of the world's leading universities including Harvard, MIT, U.C. Berkeley, TU Delft, Australian National University and ETH Zurich; and the platform will enable students to ask questions, engage with other students, interact with teachers, and participate in group discussions. For more information about this innovative initiative see: http://internet.org/press/introducing-socialedu.