"USING INNOVATION AND ICT TO BUILD TOMORROW'S SOUTH AFRICA"

A two day conference to bring you up to speed on the use of innovative technology and how it can transform lives, support economies, promoting increased productivity and performance to meet the objective of "Building tomorrow's South Africa".

Supported by:

• The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM)

• The Black Information Technology Forum (BITF)

• Media Partner IT Web

Background and rationale
Despite real progress on many fronts, there remains a dramatic disparity in levels of human development. The international community has agreed on key development goals which should be reached by 2015, halving the number of people living in poverty, providing universal primary education, improving health and sanitation, combating HIV/AIDS, enhancing the empowerment of women, reversing the loss of environmental resources.

Over the last decade, information and communication technologies (ICT) have been increasingly used to achieve development goals. Developing countries, including poorer ones, have enjoyed rapid technological progress to help pull millions of people out of poverty. ICTs help transform economic and social activities for companies, governments and citizens.

South Africa is also feeling the effects of the current world economic recession with increased retrenchments, lower productivity and decreased spending. Government priorities are to focus on education, jobs, health, rural development and safety and security. Together with corporate and other institutions it is focusing on improving service delivery in education, health and social services, creating employment and community development. An important focus is on developing a skilled workforce that will support economic growth and job creation.

This conference focuses on the use of technology and how it can transform lives, support economies and service delivery, focusing on Government's priority programmes:

• Decent work

• Health care

• Education - Expanding education opportunities through technology and training

• Rural Development

• Crime and Corruption
  
  This two day conference will unpack these issues by bringing together a number of industry leaders to chart the way forward.
  The conference will facilitate open and robust discussion on all economic, social and business and technology issues.
  
  click here to view the programme
  
  click here to view our speaker and panellist profiles