About COMNET-IT

Promoting the Development of a Commonwealth Information Infrastucture

To further its mission COMNET-IT is engaged in a number of primary focus areas, which include:

• Institutional Networking, working with both NGOs and Government agencies for the development of electronic networking and internet-based facilities. The objective here is the transfer of knowledge in a variety of fields concerning socio-economic development activities include facilitating and broking the funding and execution of low-level infrastructure projects developing internet-based facilities such as Web-site creation and maintenance, mailing facilities and managed discussion fora training in the use and management of networks and the internet

• I.T. in the Public Service, working for the promotion of good practice in this vital area impacting the country's efficiency and decision-making quality. A number of services are under continuous development, such as policy workshops addressing national and public-service IT Strategies, a series of publications sustained by leading contributors, the compilation of Commonwealth databases for the registration and searching of skills and services and a Commonwealth Portfolio of Applications and Functionality features.

• National Informatics Policy Development, working with partners such as UNESCO, the Commonwealth Secretariat and regional organisations to promote the adoption of appropriate policies and infrastructures (regulatory , physical and information). In particular this initiative aims to leverage the development of Electronic Commerce.

• Working through Partnerships.   COMNET-IT recognises that information and communication technologies are powerful tools for the development of particular domains, such as Public-Administration, Education and Commerce. The development of these domains remains the concern of dedicated institutions with whom COMNET-IT is forging close relationships through joint development, education and training. COMNET-IT is also seeking to develop local representation through credible institutions at national or regional level. It is also fostering partnerships and affiliations with similar institutions concerned with the benefits of networking and I.T. application, such as the OECD, the Internation Council for IT in Administration (ICA), UNECA’s Information Society Initiative, UNESCO, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, and SADC's Centre of Specialisation in Public Administration and Management (CESPAM).