During the last quarter a number
of promotional activities have taken place in the Mediterranean
area. It is of particular interest to note the number of
conferences held in a number of countries (Lebanon, Tunisia,
Jordan, Turkey) which aimed to promote the Internet. Some
governments also launched national programs which aim to
modernise networks and promote Internet development in schools.
Examples of main events that
occurred during the last quarter are detailed below.
- Launch of governmental
programs and publications : in Malta, in
August 1999 the government launched the Central
Information Management Unit (CIMU) to prepare the
strategy for the use of IT in the Public Service. In Palestine
in late July, the first Internet Training Centre was
inaugurated in a refugee camp in Dreisheh near Bethlehem.
The project was initiated in January 1999 by the Birzeit
University Information Technology Unit. In Tunisia,
the ministry of Communications, Mr Ahmed Friaa launched
an important campaign promoting Internet use within
Tunisian companies. The campaign is to last during
September and October 1999. Always in Tunisia, it
is probable that the Superior Council of Communication
will create an Observatory dedicated to following-up and
promoting information and communication technologies. In Lebanon,
the Ministry of Economy and Industry indicated many
priorities, such as Information Society promotion,
e-commerce promotion …
- Private initiatives :
in Jordan, in late July, the Young Entrepreneurs
Association and the Internet Service Provider Nets
established an on-line forum enabling business people to
have an on-line debate with the government on economic
questions. The broadening of the dialogue is a fact as 11
ministries joined this initiative. In Lebanon, a
private company published ‘The Internet Directory of
Lebanon’.
- Seminars, conferences and
workshops: in Malta in August 1999, a
conference on Malta’s Y2K readiness took place.
Following this conference, ICT magazine PCWorld Malta
launched an on-line resource centre about Y2K. in Jordan,
in late September an IT workshop was organised in Amman
by the Jordan United States Business Partnership (JUSBP),
the Jordan Computer Society (JCS) and AMIR Project
(Access to Microfinance and Improved Implementation of
Policy Reform Program). Several conferences were
organised in Turkey during the last quarter. Of
particular interest were two conferences on Turkish
telecommunications organised by international conference
organisers, Euroforum and SMI (UK).
- New telecommunications
operators, in Palestine in June 1999, the
first mobile GSM Palestinian network was launched.
- E-commerce : in Tunisia
in July 1999, the national Administration School
organised a debate on electronic commerce. A forum on
electronic commerce took place in Beirut on September
1999. It outlined the need for the unification of the
legal framework with international countries and the
necessity of enhancing the quality of the
telecommunications networks.
- Numerous actions dedicated
to Education, In Tunisia, in mid-September,
the Minister of Education Mr. Abderrahim Zouari announced
that all the country’s secondary schools have been
connected to Internet. According to Mr Zouari, computer
courses will start in secondary schools by 2000/2001 for
all sections. The president of the Commission for
Education in the Lebanese parliament held talks
with representatives of the World Bank about the
financing of educational projects.
