For those still willing to learn, some interesting events at the World Bank and you can participate via a webcast. Today they have a session on m-Money and the title is quite interesting - How to Assess m-Money Opportunities and Why you can't Replicate Kenya's MP. This will be at 12.30 Washington time. See the webcast links for the different events below.

Kindest Regards

Harry Hare

Director
African eDevelopment Resource Centre
PO Box 49475 00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel +254 20 4041646
Cel +254 725 650044


From: <edevelopment@worldbank.org>
Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:43:23 +0400
To: <edevelopment@worldbank.org>
Subject: A series of ICT learning events at World Bank on February 29 and March 1, 2012 - participation in Washington

We would like to emphasize that we very much welcome participation of World Bank staff and external audience in person in Washington D.C.

You can register for participation in Washington D.C. by sending an email to edevelopment@worldbank.org (please mention the session you would like to participate in). If you are World Bank staff, please register through LMS by clicking the link under the respective session at http://go.worldbank.org/G4NMZDO350.

* * *

ICT Learning Days will include a series of learning events focusing on different aspects of using ICT for development in various sectors and regions, including universal broadband service in rural Saudi Arabia; mobile applications for agricultural and rural development; mobile money; ICT procurement; transformational potential of ICT for opening development; and the role of eID within e-government strategies.

When: February 29 and March 1

Venue in Washington: World Bank J Building, Room J B1-080, 701 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006

Live webcast:

http://streaming7.worldbank.org/vvflash/extlive3  (Flash)
mms://wbmswebcast1.worldbank.org/external-3  (Windows Media - PC)
http://wbmswebcast5.worldbank.org:1935/live/myStream3/playlist.m3u8 (Apple - Mac)
rtsp://wbmswebcast5.worldbank.org:1935/live/myStream3 (Blackberry)

Submit your comments and questions via our Chat Room (via Adobe Connect) @ https://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/ict 

Social Media Hashtag: #OpenDTA

Web: http://go.worldbank.org/G4NMZDO350

You can register for participation in Washington D.C. by sending an email to edevelopment@worldbank.org (please mention the session you would like to participate in). If you are World Bank staff, please register through LMS by clicking the link under the respective session at http://go.worldbank.org/G4NMZDO350. No registration is needed to watch live webcast.


Detailed description:

February 29, 08:00 - 09:30 am Washington time
Universal Broadband Service in Rural Saudi Arabia: Innovations by USF & Operators Close the Access Gap

Saudi Arabia had the leading mobile and computer penetration in the Gulf region, while quality of service and Internet penetration were low. The focus of its universal service and access program was placed on improving service quality and providing universal broadband. With complementary regulatory measures, such as favourable frequencies, the program offers interesting lessons.  

Moderator:  Doyle Gallegos, Lead ICT Policy Specialist, World Bank
Speaker:  Andrew Dymond, Managing Director of Intelecon


February 29, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Washington time
Mobile Applications for Agricultural and Rural Development

Focus on a recent study which describes global research on mobile applications addressing rural development issues. 92 applications were categorized and analyzed and country case studies document leading applications in Kenya, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. The study describes various business models in the context of the mobile ecosystem in developing countries, and lessons are drawn for measures to support development of a viable mobile application ecosystem.

Moderator:  Tim Kelly, Sr. ICT Policy Specialist, World Bank
Speaker:  Steve Esselaar, Sr. Consultant,  Intelecon


February 29, 12:30 - 14:00 Washington time
Mobile Money: How to Assess m-Money Opportunities and Why you can't Replicate Kenya's MP

The Four Country Mobile Money Study was commissioned by the IFC and it was designed to increase the understanding of mobile money and to help address key issues such as scaling up and replicability. The study looks at the ecosystem requirements and the business models used by mobile network operators, banks, and others in four developing countries—Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It compares these countries with Kenya and Japan, which have successfully developed mobile money operations, and with the United States.

Speaker:  Sonja Oestmann, Universal Access, Policy and Broadband Specialist


February 29, 14:30 - 16:00 Washington time
A Pan-African Perspective Towards ICT Sustainability in Africa

Creating and supporting a Pan-African community of competent, internationally certified IT professionals focused on developing the IT tools for African Agriculture, Business, Education, Health Care, Government and general Social needs.

Session Lead: Samia Melhem, Sr. Operations Officer, ICT Sector Unit, World Bank
Speakers:  
Amadou Daffe, CEO, Coders4Africa
Kwame Andah, Director of Marketing Communication, Coders4Africa
Ibrahim Cisse, Director of Technology, Coders4Africa
Ellwood Kerkeslager, CEO Information Futures


March 1, 08:00 - 09:30am Washington time
How Could Computing and Low cost internet devices make global e-commerce viable for SMEs in developing countries Cloud Computing

Moderator:  Samia Melhem, Sr. Operations Officer, ICT Sector Unit, World Bank
Speaker:  Gurcharan Singh, Sr. Procurement Specialist, World Bank


March 1, 10:00 - 12:00
Open, smart and Inclusive Development: Can ICT Transform Development?

ICT is diffusing rapidly across the globe, yet its revolutionary potential for development is at a very early stage of realization. Hanna explores this potential in terms of advancing a vision of open, smart and inclusive development. He draws on the experience of some pioneering countries to illustrate their paths and practices and to draw lessons for our client countries.

Moderator:  Samia Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, ICT Sector Unit, World Bank
Speakers:  
Nagy Hanna,  Sr. Fellow, Centre for Policy on Emerging Technologies
Soren Gigler, Senior Governance Specialist, World Bank Institute


March 1, 12:30 - 14:00
Open Government: From Data to Information

How do Governments need to manage their information assets in an increasingly open world?
How can Governments, Citizens and International Organizations best use and re-use this information?
The BBL will encourage broad thinking on how the full spectrum of public information assets, from data and statistics to archives and records, can be associated and be made more useful for providing evidence, making decisions, and reporting results. The Session will include a demonstration of an innovative mock up which provides a mashup of the World Bank's Open Data, current project data and archival records in a contextual and meaningful way.

Moderator:  Arleen Cannata Seed, IMTLA
Speaker:  Tariq Khokhar of the World Bank Open Data Initiatve, Anne Thurston of the International Records Management Trust, and others (TBC)


March 1, 14:30 - 16:00
Role of eID within the eGovernment Strategy

Case will be set forth for how eID in Government, when it is well implemented, can result in greater efficiency, transparency and cost effectiveness.

Moderator:  Samia Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, World Bank
Speaker:  Frank Leyman, Belgian Rep. in eGovernment High Level Group of European Commission
Discussant:  Mariana Dahan, Consultant, ICT Policy Unit, World Bank