Walter Mosley
371-96-6471
In a dialogue, I was apart of with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright she
said, “I worked very hard in making sure that we hear the good stories of Africa.
Now it is up to you to work hard to make sure Africa is empowered so we can
continue to hear the good stories.” The fire, love, and intensity in her eyes as she
spoke those words immediately transferred to my eyes. Sometimes I get discourage
by the leadership and situation of Africa, but I can always reach back into my
memory for those words and those eyes. I am dedicated to make sure people can
continue to hear those good stories.
Globalization is upon us. She rewards us for good decisions and punishes us for bad
ones. Unfortunately, not every country is in position to take advantage of the
opportunities presented by globalization. Developing countries often times do not have
the necessary infrastructure, hard or soft, to be profitable participants in the global
economy. I say profitable participants because developing countries will be participants
whether it is profitable for them or not.
For example, when I walked through the Karnack Temple in Egypt, I was not only
mystified by the enormous pillars constructed and carved by the hands of the ancient
Egyptians, but also by the less majestic “golden arches” of McDonald’s adjacent to this
scared ground. I wondered if Egyptian corporations were as successful in Western
countries such that they would line our scared monuments and structures. I also am
reminded of a story of a young African-American man walking through small village
outside of Lusaka, Zambia. He had been walking in the scorching heat for over 3 hours
visiting local shops and studying the commerce system. The local people noticed that he
was suffering from mild dehydration, so over the next hour he was offered Coke after
Coke, not once a glass of water. Coke products had all but replaced the water in Zambia,
but were the beautiful and durable textiles found on the stands of the local vendors also
found on the New York shelves of Macy’s? These two examples illustrate the economic
potential and reach of globalization, as well as its ability to make some participants
profitable and others just participants.
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Walter Mosley
371-96-6471
Globalization has created many economic opportunities through rapid advances in
information and communication technologies (ICTs), the so-called “motor” of
globalization. Although we have seen economic opportunities pursued, the
unprecedented opportunities for societal advancement, also created by globalization, have
yet to be fully exploited. These advances can include better education, research and
training, increased proficiency in emergency management, electronic government
services, preventive health care as well as health care intervention, debt management, and
(as this author has argued) increased social capital (the ability for a group of people to do
productive and positive work) in underserved communities and developing countries.
Clearly, there is true motivation for developing countries to be profitable participants in
globalization.
The challenge upon us, as members of the Global Information Society / Global
Information Infrastructure (GIS/GII), is to make sure that all countries can take advantage
of the vast economic and societal opportunities of globalization. My current work and
my future work will be to continue to construct and develop the legal, regulatory, and
policy frameworks and strategies (soft infrastructure) needed, such that members of
developing countries can be profitable participants in the GIS/GII. As I embark upon
another journey, in March to participate in the African Development Forum (ADF) in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I plan to discuss new ways ICTs can retard the AIDS/HIV
pandemic in Africa and what type of policy framework must be in place for this to occur.
Also at this conference, I will make contributions to various think tanks, planning and
organizing committees, as well as to members of the Organization of African Unity
(OAU). While I am on the Continent, I will travel down to South Africa to deliver a
strategy paper on how the non-governmental organization (NGO) sector can influence
the GIS/GII regime components of principles, norms, and rules in order to include all
sub-Saharan African people in the profitable participation of globalization, to members
of the NGO sector, local and national government officials, and members of the private
sector.
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Walter Mosley
371-96-6471
Of course, there is still a lot to learn and many people to learn it from. The ideas that I
will develop and refine at the ADF as well as in subsequent conferences, my continual
research, travels, and my upcoming legal education will all contribute to my work. This
work of developing legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks and strategies for the use of
ICTs for profitable participation by developing Sub-Saharan African countries in the
Global Information Society / Global Information Infrastructure (GIS/GII), will make an
admirable intellectual contribution to the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
In conclusion, I would like to utilize the vast body of human capital and resources found
at the Berkman Center to further my research and in particular participate in the Open
Economies project, led by Dr. James Moore. The space that I want to work in is
undefined and wide open. Although, I am fairly young, my future education in law and
my current education in information policy will really add to my ability to construct
viable policy, laws, and frameworks for sub-Saharan African countries to use as a
gateway to enter into the digital age and economy. I look forward to the opportunity of
completing my law education, building upon my research, and contributing to the
Berkman Center at Harvard Law School.
Pictures of Walter Mosley
speaking at a conference at an International Digital Divide Conference
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