Leland Initiative

The Leland Initiative is a program funded by USAID to improve connectivity? on the country level in a number of African states.

Website: http://www.usaid.gov/leland/

The Leland Initiative was begun in 1995 as "a five-year $15 million US Government effort to extend full Internet connectivity to twenty or more African countries in order to promote sustainable development." It was set up with 3 objectives:

1. Create an Enabling Policy Environment: "The project will promote policy reform to reduce barriers to open connectivity."
2. Create a Sustainable Supply of Internet Services: "The project will identify appropriate hardware, assist with full Internet connectivity, and assist private sector ISPs to develop their industry."
3. Enhance Internet Use for Sustainable Development: "The project will increase the ability of African societies to use the communication and information tools of the Internet."

Countries

The Leland Initiative site lists the following countries as benefiting from its efforts:

1. Benin - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/benindex.htm
2. Botswana - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/botindex.htm
3. Côte d'Ivoire - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/cotindex.htm
4. Eritrea - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/eriindex.htm
5. Ethiopia - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/ethindex.htm
6. Ghana - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/ghaindex.htm
7. Guinea Bissau - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/gbiindex.htm
8. Guinea-Conakry http://www.usaid.gov/leland/guiindex.htm
9. Kenya - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/kenindex.htm
10. Madagascar - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/madindex.htm
11. Malawi - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/mlwindex.htm
12. Mali - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/malindex.htm
13. Mozambique - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/mozindex.htm
14. Namibia - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/namindex.htm
15. Rwanda - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/rwaindex.htm
16. Senegal - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/senindex.htm
17. South Africa - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/souindex.htm
18. Tanzania - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/tanindex.htm
19. Uganda - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/ugaindex.htm
20. Zambia - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/zamindex.htm
21. Zimbabwe - http://www.usaid.gov/leland/zimindex.htm

The Leland Initiative coordinated with UNDP's "Internet Initiative for Africa" to provide connectivity to as many countries as possible. (Okpaku 2003:289).

Links and references

Okpaku, Joseph O., Sr. (2003) "Towards a Road Map for ICT Development in Africa." In J.O. Okpaku (ed.)Information and Communications Technologies for African Development: An Assessment of Progress and the Challenges Ahead http://www.ict4development.org/resources/books/ICTAfricanDev.pdf

Wikipedia, "Leland Initiative," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Initiative