INICA

INICA Communication & Public Information Page 1 of 8 R. Toye 18 April 2004
INICA
Communication & Public Information
How I see the region
At the World Bank, the phrase was coined “Greater Great Lakes” to designate a wider
group of countries involved in conflict in the Great Lakes and DRC area. This area
included some 100 million people, immense human diversity, a large landmass – the
DRC alone equals the area of the whole of Western Europe -, important natural and
mineral resources - one of three remaining equatorial forests (with Amazon and S-E
Asia), 4 million people killed in genocide and conflict, dismal levels of human
development, security and material wealth, some “historical” figures (Lumumba,
Mobutu, Idi Amin, Bokassa, Nyerere, Kagame, Mugabe…). Such products as rubber,
ivory, diamonds, oil, timber, coltan, gold…what we use in our mobile phones, our
jewelry, our furniture, our cars…our national reserves.
An area the victim of imperialism (1850-1950), nationalism (1960-19?), the cold war
(1960-1990)…and the problems of today.
How I see INICA1
Covering a vast area, ambitious. An emphasis on mapping, graphical representation.
“Hubs” in East, South, West…with a great vacuum in the middle.
Flows – of people, ideas, goods, capital – a recurrent theme.
Networks. People, groups of : the same families, political groups (allegiance), traditional
leaders, countries, regions, religions, industry, crafts, trades. An attempt to build on the
movement of people, physical or virtual, relations between them, what are they, how do
they work?
Extremes : NGOs have long been and remain active despite the lawlessness and opacity,
(on the positive side); on the negative side, the movement of (military, bellicose,
criminal, illegal) people, goods, or money.
Emphasize the good versus the bad. The legitimate, peace-seeking versus the “lost”,
aimless, ill-intentioned. A craving to go “back to basics” – simplicity : live, give birth,
work (produce, create), learn, express, thrive and prosper. Some very basic common
denominators must be found.
Starting from scratch. This is your great asset. Make the most of it, fast.
There is renewed interest, the Americans are back in the area, the Belgians, Canadians, as
well as the “traditional” French, English. There are many disjointed initiatives that can be
connected, learnt from, built on (see Other Partnerships).
1
In French, there is a slight risk of the name recalling the word « inique » (unequal) – translated acronym
INIAC? Since you are at the start, give this good thought and resources, the name and concept are
important.

Media and communication
- the image in Europe and the US through the media and written word, of Central
Africa is distant, abysmal or fantasmagorical. Writers such as Konrad with Heart
of Darkness, recently King Leopold’s Ghost, the sagas of Livingstone and
Stanley; a mixture of extreme exotism, the media coverage of dictatorships, civil
wars, atrocities…Beautiful stories and pictures of gorillas, (Diane Fossey, Jane
Goodall) forest elephants (Nicolas Hulot on French TV) except where the two
come to meet – attack on group of naturalist tourists on the border between
Uganda, Rwanda and DRC…
A few other clichés : Zaïre, Centrafrique, Tintin, Kabila, Mobutu, Museveni,
Kagame, Mugabe, Patasse…The latest stories – commemoration of April 1994
genocide, the Monde/Bruguière report on plane attack; attempted coup in Kinshasa,
continued violence in the East and difficulties of the UN.
However, some of the “sub-regions” are quite different : relatively affluent,
sophisticated East, same for the South with powerful South Africa, turbulent
Zimbabwe (tourist potential and copperbelt potential and crisis); the West, with
France and the group of French-speaking nations, Nigeria’s influence starting further
up, the north – a zone of poverty, humility, yet Sahelian influence, the Chad
Cameroon pipeline experience, the Sudan evolving rapidly, focussing much attention.
- Local media. Terrible antecedent of Radio Mille Collines, explosion of Kinshasa
media (freedom, vast supply of journalistic material, few aggressive media
entrepreneurs, tradition of state-dominance), paucity of Kigali media
(authoritarian crisis regime).
- How important is media (printed press, radio, tv, internet) in spreading and
generation information, compared to church leaders, traditional leaders, traders,
civil servants/the administration? Who are the public/audiences : the diaspora
(elite/refugees); local elite; civil servants and executives; political and social
leaders?
- Foreign media present IRIN, Radio Okapi, BBC, RFI, Reuters, AFP, AP, Dutch,
Belgian, Swiss, Africa N°1
General
What not to do. Why did earlier regional and national structures fail?
What is lacking in “foreign” or “partnership” organizations and initiatives?
What to do. Build on a network of committed, competent, effective, well-meaning,
devoted people. Ownership. Who are these people and how are they cemented together?
What we have discussed I could do
- website : what information can be gathered, displayed, solicited, offered,
exchanged, sold. Can technology (a website) be helpful for this group?
- contacts database – who are : the members of the network, the actors, the
decision-makers, the contact-people? Can technology help bind these people
together? What I can do: describe media-type and “external relations”-type

databases, implement. Describe “people-soft”-type system (industry standards in
the field of human resources/personnel management). I have no direct experience
of this but happy to learn fast.
- Hubs – Nairobi, Yaounde, Lusaka…I have worked setting up a network of hubs
that support each other, gain trust and responsibility, initiative.
Website
- assess type of current information, availability, who needs what. Assess existing
systems (Microsoft pc systems – Outlook), OECD system, Bank/Lotus Notes
system, compatibility of : web page, downloads & other “self-serve” systems,
calendars & schedules of events, document and work sharing.
People software
- what can software do to help manage a team, a network, an organization, a group?
- Industry today has advanced far in the field of managing people, creating
networks and teams, enabling people to recognize, identify one another and work
together. Could this be adapted to leap-frog people trying to connect in vast
underserved spaces?
What else I can do
- media relations (contacts, monitoring opinion and media environments,
conversations, raising awareness, spreading news, organizing events, managing
crises)
- writing public documents (media, general, sectoral)
- strategy – producing, running a strategy which brings communication into
INICA’s decision-making, management circles.
- relations with partners (public, non-governmental, private) & development
communication (working with local communities, from top to bottom)
- Identify members for the network, or staff or consultants
Media relations
Follow up with Michel, media contacts I met in Kinshasa, Kigali, Dar, I have in Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Malawi, French-speaking countries.
Follow up with media contacts at government and with other organizations in these
countries.
Build up network of media contacts for INICA communication purposes.
Build a communications sector network as part of INICA operations, around the notion of
what information is generated in the region, brought in from outside, how it is carried,
translated…
Other - partnerships
- World Bank - contact ATIA African Trade Insurance Agency (phone, trip to
London, Washington) (Eastern Area)

- contact REIMP Regional Environmental Information Management Program,
Ecofac, other similar resource/environment programs covering region (phone, trip
to Libreville, Washington, Brussels) (Western Area + Great Lakes)
- contact MDRP – prepare DDR communication aspect (central area)
- Nile Basin – linked to issue of water resources, North West of area
- Zambia copperbelt work, environmental impact, cleanup
- Onchocerciasis – Bruce Benton’s successful west African program progressing
throughout a large tract of central Africa – a welcome health focus (whole area)
- French, British, Dutch, Belgians, Americans
- IMF, UN, (UNESCO – support for local media & expression, communication)
- The Arab influence – partners, traders, culture, Islam, see proposed report
- The Asian influence – south Asian workers, traders, entrepreneurs, export
markets (Japan, China, rest) and new industrial corporations (Malaysia, Thailand,
China)
- Private companies – major corporations here (W Europe, N America), Asia –
South & East – forms of partnerships, UN-type, NGO sponsorship/advocacy
/pressure type, business to business type…
What I need
See costs; contract/TOR
Budget – other consulting work, outsourcing, soft and hardware, travel (to and from
region, other major partner areas).
In-depth discussion with you, Cyril and Michel (+ the other person at La Muette?) and
any other staff. This is vital – agree on concepts, procedures, understandings, deadlines,
“bond” – the first network will be in our minds and bodies before it is on paper or other
media.
Participate in next meeting with stake/shareholders, major partners
Meet and bond with current members, ditto with new/future members, the network will
grow and change with its membership
Periodical checks, meetings on progress, designate contact/responsibilities
Other – suggested sectors
- energy – oil, water
- timber, wood
- other natural (fruit, veg, agriculture)
- mining
- industry (manufacturing, agro-food, textiles, )
- health – social
- education – social
- military, defense, security, law enforcement
- legal, judicial,
- transport (waterway – lakes & rivers, sea – ports, land rail, road, other, air)

- communications telephone, wireless, satellite, cable, mail, pigeon, traders/word of
mouth/carriers/hauliers, (see article in Le Phare FESTIAM Kitembo & Kamerhe
12 April)
Arab presence in Central Africa sub-project
I would like to propose a report which would form part of INICA’s assessment of the
region, and perhaps contribute to the network of people it will generate. It would concern
the Arab and Arabophone influence throughout central Africa, with a historical and
cultural perspective, an assessment of the situation today, and looking ahead, how to
build on this presence and the activity it generates. East Africa has been within the Indian
Ocean Arabic and Asian sphere of influence ever since traders navigated along its coast.
It penetrated Africa on behalf of the Arabo-persian and Asian civilizations it served. It is
present in many inhabitants of the region. Its flows still exist, be it flows of people, ideas,
money or goods. It needs studying, exploring, understanding.
I propose to launch this assessment in partnership with my associate Nicolas Aggiouri,
who has 30 years of experience of the Arab world and at least 16 of Africa (responsible
for the Horn of Africa and North Africa sections of Marchés Tropicaux). Nicolas, is of
Lebanese origin, has done consultancy work for the World Bank Institute, we are good
friends, he has worked with me setting up the “dialogue on governance in the Arab
world”, as well as writing extensively for various media. He is an erudite, exact person,
with strong interpersonal and investigative talents, a vast culture. He is an irredeemable
journalist in that he sees the world through the perspective of the daily written press, and
the printed word. He is a literary character, though has had more professional opportunity
in factual (business, economy and politics) than in fictional work. I have yet to approach
him on this issue, before doing so I want to know if this is feasible and do the necessary
research on my side. I would start with the UN report on resource pillage in central
Africa, and existing work on the Arab presence in central Africa. The work would
involved extensive research and interviews with protagonists around the world and in the
region. We would need to convince him we can do this, although he is willing to work
with me, he is demanding and cautious.
Levels of contacts :
I have tried to separate out the main “levels” of people one would be dealing with
a) professionals (Bank, Fund, UN, officials – local & foreign, ngo executives,
private executives, political staff) Confidence, private, professional
b) other professionals (non-traditional) bringing in unusual, non-traditional actors
c) local people, citizens, stakeholders target public, grass-roots, participants, local
public, opinion
d) global general public (taxpayers, charity givers, media audiences, students, traders
at large
Most websites and organizations can have three levels of web presence, one public, one
password, and one intranet.

I have discovered that to be effective, members of a group must trust one another,
confidence must be instored, a lingua franca may have to be used, rules must be agreed
up on and respected, a code of conduct instored. Trust is the principal ingredient.
Beyond that, for action to be effective today, it must have public political assent
(information and participation), and public awareness (communication).
Calendar
ADB Annual Meeting Kampala, 26 May 2004 – my former colleague and friend Eric
Chinje, recently appointed head of ADB, is considering partnering in the context of ADB
communications and public information.
Festival of African Communication, Kinshasa 22 July
It is vital to have a good internal schedule, of who is doing what, where, when
Costs
See Annex : Budget
Consulting fees – 240€ per day (includes 15% in lieu of health & pension) – negotiable
according to work, achievements etc…
Home costs – phone, consumables (paper & ink), internet
Travel for meetings, event organization – within Paris, France
London, Brussels, Washington, Kinshasa, Kigali, Kisangani

Annex
Reading & Viewing
L’Afrique en morceaux Jihan Al Tahar & Peter Chappell, TV documentary
In the footsteps of Mr. Kurtz, Michela Wrong
Various articles by Somini Sengupta, New York Times
Béatrice Delvaux, Le Soir
In and Out of Focus, catalogue of exhibition at Smithsonian National Museum of African
Art, Washington DC, USA
Suggested interviewees :
Bernie de Halbevang, Lloyds’ insurance market, London, various corporate executives
Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, CARE, various local NGOs
Alain Pinganaud/Caroline Tutin of ADIE/PRGIE/Ecofac
Jayaweera & Venus Jennings – UNESCO Paris media support, community media
World Bank :
Emmanuel Mbi, Mathurin Gbetibouo, Noël Tshiani2
, François Nankobogo, Marie-
Françoise Marie-Nelly, Ivan Rossignol, Onno Ruhl, Markus Kostner,
Rwanda :
Nicolas Shalita, Rwandan embassy in the USA
Théogène Raduszingwa, chief of Cabinet, Rwandan Presidency
DRC :
Jérôme Sekana, communications officer, DRC Ministry of Finance
Jeannine Mabunda, Communications director, DRC Central Bank
Media
Various journalists from Congo or acquainted with the country including Somini
Sengupta, Marie Joannidis, Agusta Conchiglia, Stephen Smith (if reachable), Muriel
Devey, Jean-Dominique Geslin, François Katendi…
2
http://www.mail-archive.com/africa@peacelink.it/msg00103.html « Après moult négociations, et grâce
au soutien très efficace du spécialiste financier de la Banque mondiale, Noël Tshiani, ainsi qu'aux conseils
de son consultant à ING Barings, Konema Mwenenge, le ministre a pu aboutir à un accord portant sur les
créances de 900 millions d'euros. »
http://www.congokin.com/news/categories/analyses/archives/ana841.shtml CV, comment on his candidacy
as Prime Minister (2001), source Kyodo News

A table to understand what communication and public relations can achieve.
Environment
Where are we,
is there a
problem(s)?
Awareness
We have to
find out if there
is something
wrong
Discussion
Agree/disagree
This is wrong,
this is right
announcement/
discovery
“this is where
we are, this is
the problem,
now we know”
Knowledge
“I see what is
wrong, where
we want to be,
how to get
there”
action &
change
“I/we can act,
do, change, lets
do it!”
Result
“now we are
where we
wanted to be”
Learn to swim Sow seeds Competition,
sprouting
Flowering,
opening,
blooming
Acceptance,
understanding
Action, effort,
work,
Achievement
Political
Cultural
Commercial
Industrial
Infrastructural
Intellectual
Social
Propose
questions,
avenues, for a
Debate,
exchanges,
arguments,
discussions
Discoveries,
organization,
categorization,
ideas
Breakthroughs,
mindset
changes,
agreements
Infrastructure
s built,
administratio
ns work,
business takes
off, capital
returns,
brains return
CA nice place,
nice people,
prosperous &
peaceful.
Positive flows
of people,
goods, capital,
ideas
Budget
Budget €/$ duration year month day
media monitoring BBC monitoring 2,000.00 2,000.00
other service 2,400.00 2,400.00 200.00
Me (15x8 days) 28,800.00 60,480.00 5,040.00 240.00
Consultant X 10,800.00 240.00
work with local media 400.00
Trips in Washington 3,569.23 3,569.23
London 1,292.31 1,292.31
Brussels 1,292.31 1,292.31
Kinshasa 8,307.69 8,307.69
Kigali/Kampala 8,307.69 8,307.69
Yaounde 8,307.69
Johannesburg 8,307.69
Nairobi/Dar/Arusha 8,307.69
Trips out Paris 28,000.00 28,000.00
Brussels
Geneva/New York 28,000.00
Delhi
Hong Kong
Equipment software 2,000.00
hardware 4,000.00
maintenance (OECD?)
outsourcing ?
phone usage 1,230.77 1,230.77 153.85
Total 130,400.00 66,110.77 81,086.15 480.00

INICA

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (10)

Ähnlich wie INICA

Ähnlich wie INICA (20)

Mehr von Raymond Toye

Mehr von Raymond Toye (8)

INICA