1. ICT – A Powerful Tool for Development
• For over 30 years, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ) has been promoting Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) in its development agenda.
• With the rise and expansion of digital technologies, such as mobile phones and the
Internet, ICTs for development (ICT4D) have taken on a new role
• As an area where social and economic endeavours complement each other well to
produce significant leverage effects.
• However, ICTs not only constitute an objective in their own right but represent an
indispensable means in the creation of global partnerships for development,
stipulated as Goal 8 in the UN Millennium Development Goals.
• Here, public efforts and private endeavours combine to form a promising fusion of
productivity, partnership and progress.
From digital divide to digital opportunity
• This is why it is the Federal Governments believe that integration of ICTs into the
various areas of development cooperation and people's daily lives must be continued:
o to make our work more efficient and
o to advance poverty reduction through the delivery of basic social infrastructure
as well as through social and political empowerment.
• It is our aim to galvanize political will and action among public, private and civil
society stakeholders to move towards an inclusive yet diversified information society
while continuing to ensure the benefits of ICTs are used to the advantage of all.
Germany's ICT4D Strategy
Mainstreaming
• The German government is convinced ICTs are best employed as an enabler to
increase impact in different areas of development.
• Therefore, mainstreaming ICTs into development areas such as a central component
of our ICT4D strategy. Mainstreaming activities include:
o Conceptualizing ICT strategies to be included in national poverty reduction
and development strategies.

2. o Integrating ICT components in development activities to increase their
efficiency and effectiveness and promote the innovative use of ICTs for
development
o Monitoring and evaluation of activities to measure effects on poverty reduction
• Together with our partner countries we aim to overcome international and regional
"Digital Divides" by enriching our mainstreaming activities with capacity building
measures, the promotion of local content and ownership. We thereby increase impact
and enable people in developing countries, especially in rural areas, to participate in
the global information society.
Policy Development
o The development impact of ICTs can only be harnessed if activities are conducted
within an enabling policy environment.
o support governments in partner countries in the creation of an environment
favourable to the use of ICTs.
 regulatory issues,
 freedom of expression and the free flow of information but also
 investment in service development and
 local content.
o Furthermore, ICT strategies need to be streamlined into national poverty
reduction strategies, thereby connecting their deployment directly to the larger
development agenda.
Making ICTs Work for the Poor
ICT for Education
Whether used to convey IT skills, conduct teacher training or improve administration, ICTs
offer many possibilities to improve education systems in developing countries.
Education is a crucial development factor. It serves as a prerequisite to health, economic
prosperity and socio-political participation. ICTs facilitate cost-effective and geographically
expansive access to content and tools, furthering education, equality of opportunity and,
thereby, empowerment.
Global Trade Training – Portal of Learning
GTT is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the South African Government and a
leading German logistics company. Together they founded a trainee institute portal

3. (www.globaltradetraining.com) to meet the rising demand for skilled personnel in processing
international trade in South Africa and to facilitate "on the job training" in this field.
ICT for Health
The ability of ICTs to transmit medical information irrespective of distance and availability of
medical specialists is just one reason why it has become vital to health sector employees in
developing countries.
The right to life and health are inherent dignities of the human persona. ICTs enable
improved service delivery, personnel schooling and speedy information exchange between
various medical, governmental and administrative actors. They are therefore an
indispensable tool to reduce infant mortality and stop the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS.
ICTs in the Health Sector at District Level
The project is an integral part of the health sector reform programme Germany is supporting
in Tanzania. Access to relevant public health information for regional health structures has
been improved through the introduction of an ICT-based information exchange system,
including epidemiological and clinical data as well as specific case-related studies to assist
evidence-based decision-making. In addition, a user friendly portal has been developed to
inform the public about issues connected to reproductive health: www.chezasalama.com
ICT for Good Governance
Embedded in a reform-friendly environment and a wider policy framework, the use of ICT
within the public sector can help promote good governance.
ICTs in the public sector can not only increase the transparency and efficiency of
transactions between government bodies or government and businesses. ICTs can also
create new ways for governments to communicate with citizens – thereby increasing
participation and accountability.
Geo-database cadastre and land registry system
As part of the Georgian public sector reform programme, the project has produced a country-
wide, IT-based cadastre and land registry system and a ground atlas for the sustainable use
of small farm fields. As a result, a synchronized, transparent property market has been
created in Georgia, regulating land usage and making it more efficient. The government's
accountability towards land-owning or -purchasing citizens has been increased.
ICT for Private Sector Support

4. ICTs offer a number of possibilities for small and medium enterprises in developing
countries.
ICTs can help increase competitive capacity, raise the efficiency of business processes and
pave the way to new markets. However, with no support, SMEs in many partner countries
are left without access to these new technologies and are thus prone to the dangers of falling
further behind, widening the digital divide. German development cooperation is running a
number of programmes to enable SMEs, their service providers and associations to use ICTs
and to create ICT solutions that will meet local demands.
Information Technology for Cooperatives
Through capacity building activities, the project it@coops provides cooperatives in South
Asia with basic IT skills and stimulates better cooperation between these economic entities in
order to allow more professional and efficient use of skills. The exchange of information and
appearance as an association on the market strengthens the competitive position of the
cooperatives involved.
Engaging in Partnerships – Creating Synergies
To us, ICT4D is a joint venture – stakeholders from the public and private sectors, civil
society, research institutions and development agencies need to work together to implement
sustainable ICT solutions.
The BMZ is part of a ICT4D network including many different international and local
organisations such as
o infoDev
o PPIAF
o Development Gateway
o Schoolnet Africa,
o APC
To us, partnership means sharing responsibility as well as sharing the benefits, creating a
win-win situation for all stakeholders involved.
Cooperation with the Private Sector

5. This is especially true for cooperation with the private sector: investments in developing
countries are a chance for private companies to enter unsaturated markets, opening
opportunities for innovation, unleashing creative potential and new ideas.
In addition, investments are made in a risk-rewarding environment, where official
development assistance complements private-sector engagement to create substantial
leverage effects.
We are employing approved instruments to encourage financial cooperation in partnership
with the private sector, such as equity, debt and mezzanine funding. Furthermore, our PPP
programme supports innovative partnerships between the public and the private sector. The
involvement of the private sector is continually gaining importance within German
development cooperation, because it successfully combines long-term development
expertise and private entrepreneurship.