World Bank Report applauds Uganda

World Bank report has applauded Uganda for embracing new technologies in her development process. The report 'Global Economic Prospects 2008: Technology Diffusion in the Developing World' examines the state of technology in developing countries and the pace with which it has advanced since the early 1990s.
"The report reveals both encouraging and cautionary trends," the bank said in a statement issued recently.

On the one hand, the pace of technological progress in developing countries has been much faster than in high-income countries - reflecting increased exposure to foreign technology as a result of linkages with high-skilled diasporas and the opening of these countries to international trade and foreign direct investment.

On the other hand, the technology gap remains large, and the domestic factors that determine how quickly technologies spread within developing countries often stymie progress, especially among low-income countries.

The report gives an insight on how Uganda is using ICT4D to enhance sustainable development with some examples such as the country's ability to introduce a smart card that uses existing mobile phone technology to provide low-cost, electronic banking services that include savings and payments for low income customers by Remote Transaction Systems (RTS).

The Report also says that out of the surveyed including Uganda, between 7-47 percent of the unbanked population has access to mobile phones including shared access and this number is rising.

The report also demonstrates that low income and poor health deter skills development for technological progress even if more investment in new technologies are made. The report also applauds the country's success story of deploying ICTs in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

ENDS

By:David Muwanga - HANA Correspondent in Kampala - Uganda