Digital Reach

[

] 168

ITHIN THE FRAMEWORK

of the process of building the

Algerian Information Society and of the recommenda-

tions of the e-Commission, chaired by the Chief of the

Government and installed in Apri1 2004, the Minister of Post

and Information and Communication Technologies announced

operation OUSRATIC in July 2005. OUSRATIC plays on the terms

‘ousra’, meaning ‘family’ and ‘TIC’, an acronym for information

and communication technologies (ICT). Together, they form the

word ‘ousratic’, which translates to ‘your family’. The stated aim

of operation OUSRATIC is ‘one PC per household’.

The e-Commission is mandated to draw up the report e-Algeria,

including a set of sectoral projects and guidelines for the cyber-

law framework. This operation is a response to the Declaration of

Principles and the Plan of Action adopted by the Geneva phase

of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

One PC per household

In addition to the actions carried out towards State institutions

and businesses, operation OUSRATIC will enable each family to

have access to the Internet and its knowledge sources. This

project will constitute the central component of the process of

building the Algerian Information Society, since it is a question

of providing each family with a micro-computer from the end of

the year 2005 until the year 2010.

This computer will make it possible to each family to reach the

Internet, the objective being to reach 40 per cent of Internet

connectivity and of 20 per cent of PC penetration by 2010.

The stakeholders and their roles

The public-private partnership (PPP) comprises many state-owned

bodies and private companies. These include:

• PC suppliers that assemble the PCs in Algeria – at least 30,000

PCs per year from each

• Internet service providers that provide broadband access to the

Internet

• Software publishing companies offering software licenses

• Manufacturers of processors

• Postal operators to transport and distribute flyers

• Banks, which grant loans without requiring initial cash contri-

butions

• Insurance companies, which cover the risks incurred by the

banks

• Communications companies, which ensure a widespread

broadcast of television and radio advertising spots.

Towards an Algerian Information Society:

operation OUSRATIC

Operation OUSRATIC: one PC per household

Poster of the official announcement for “OUSRATIC, one PC per household”

OUSRATIC, one PC per household, signing Ceremony, chaired by HE

Boudjema HAICHOUR, Minister of Post and ICTs, July 18, 2005