SOMALIAS RECONSTRUCTION - AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A RESPONSIVE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE

This article envisions the development of an effective information inf rastructure in future Somalia that would contribute to the economic an d social renewal of that country The article highlights the role of in formation in Somalia's reconstruction. It then reviews the state of th e information infrastructure in Somalia before the collapse of the gov ernment in 1990, examining both existing and proposed components of th e infrastructure and identifying associated problems. In its final sec tion, the article delineates an ''appropriate'' information infrastruc ture which would be consistent with the conditions and needs of inform ation users in that environment. This contains an outline of the attri butes of such an infrastructure and offers specific recommendations to future Somali development planners and international donors supportin g information development activities. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited