Global information and communication regimes and the information society in Africa. A critical analysis of the policy of the WTO the World Bank and the ITU.

The new information and communication technologies ICT's, originated in the convergence of telecom, informatics and audiovisual media, are considered to be the universal remedies against the underdevelopment of the South. This belief is shared by African countries which live in hope that the creation of the information society - by giving access to information and knowledge through ICT's - can offer a way out of the economic and social leeway. International organisations such as the WTO, World Bank and ITU increasingly determine the framework for the creation of this information society. the global information and communication regime created by these organisations overlooks the specific political, socio-economic and institutional problems of the African continent. the universal model promoted by these organisations argues in favour of the liberalisation of the information and communication market. this model does not guarantee the development of Africa. this research project wants to map the international information and communication regime and its impact on Africa, reveal the presuppositions of the different actors and propose alternative ways forward.