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The initiative's activities in Senegal, the only country where it operated in 2003, involved strategic planning, program design, and initiation of activities.
The first DFI volunteer traveled to Senegal in May 2003 to assess the in-country capabilities of Senegalese information,
communication, and technology (ICT) firms.
A DFI local management structure was prepared and staffed.
The first programmatic volunteer arrived in Dakar mid-September to identify next steps for issuing a tender for E-wallet* activities.
An experienced international telecommunications lawyer helped the governmentfs communication regulator to prepare a series of legal decrees that articulate the ability of the regulator's office to effectively issue and enforce regulations in a fair and transparent manner.
Noting the absence of a representative ICT industry voice, the design team, with extensive support from the U.S. Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), provided, for the first time, an organized and representative voice to the government and regional decisionmakers regarding progressive telecommunications policy reforms.
* E-wallet is a program that strengthens mechanisms for electronically transferring funds between the capital and rural areas.
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The Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI) is an alliance through which the U.S. Government and leading U.S. companies will work together to promote economic growth for entrepreneurs and small businesses in developing countries through emerging information and communications technologies. It was announced in March 2003 and is being piloted in Senegal. If successful, it could be expanded to 20 countries over the next five years.
