SDN Forum 2012: General Site (Feb 21 - Mar 01) 
Connected Event: ICT Sector Day (Feb 23, 2012)

• Universal Broadband Service in Rural Saudi Arabia: Innovations by USF & Operators Close
• Mobile Applications for Agricultural and Rural Development
• Mobile Money: How to Assess m-Money Opportunities and Why you can't Replicate Kenya's MP
• A Pan-African Perspective Towards ICT Sustainability in Africa
• ICT Procurement: Good Practices and Lessons Learned for Operations Staff
• Open, smart and Inclusive Development: Can ICT Transform Development?
• Role of eID within the eGovernment Strategy

 February 29, 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. (J B1-080)
Universal Broadband Service in Rural Saudi Arabia:
Innovations by USF & Operators Close

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
• Speaker:  Andrew Dymond, Managing Director of Intelecon 

 Register for Universal Broadband Services 

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
• Speaker:  Steve Esselaar, Sr. Consultant,  Intelecon

 Register for Mobile Applications  

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

 Register for Mobile Money 

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
• Speakers:  
  • Amadou Daffe, CEO, Coders4Africa
  • Kwame Andah, Director of Marketing Communication, Coders4Africa
  • Ibrahim Cisse, Director of Technology, Coders4Africa
  • Ellwood Kerkeslager, CEO Information Futures

 Register for A Pan-African Perspective  

Review of major implementation issues in ICT procurement and best practices on how to expedite the implementation.  Will also cover eGovernment procurement, benefits and challenges

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

 Register for ICT Procurement

 March 1, 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. (J B1-080)
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, WB
• Speakers:  
  • Nagy Hanna,  Sr. Fellow, Centre for Policy on Emerging Technologies
  • Soren Gigler, Senior Governance Specialist, WBI  

 Register for Inclusive Development 

 March 1, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. (J B1-080)
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
• Speaker:  Frank Leyman, Belgian Rep. in eGovernment High Level Group of European Commission
• Discussant:  Mariana Dahan, Consultant, ICT Policy Unit, WB

 Register for Role of eID