Telecommunications+Mali+Bethany+Michalski

Name:Bethany Michalski Country:Mali Committee:Council of the International Telecommunications Union High School: Arundel High School Date:January 5, 2012


 * Topic 1: Using communication technology in response to natural and global disasters**

With natural and global disasters occurring all over the world at any given time, communication technology used to warn, inform, and respond is crucial everywhere. Without proper communication systems, problems arise within all aspects after the disaster. As natural and global disasters continue to occur and sometimes worsen, its important all nations have every possible communication advancement available.

Mali is one of the world’s poorest countries and is severely lacking in health development. The leading industry in Mali is agriculture, with over 80 percent of the population working on cotton farms. In recent years gold mining has helped Mali become the third largest minor of gold in Africa. From 1972-1974 Mali suffered from the Sahel droughts. As a result of the drought crops dried up, cattle and livestock died off, people lost work, and famine killed 100,000 people in the Sahel region.

Mali has begun developing telecommunications within the nation with help from many European nations. Cell phone and Internet use has increased but radio is most commonly used. Because of the widespread poverty it’s difficult for any other form of mass communication to be used. Mali is a constitutional democracy, meaning freedom of speech and the press is guaranteed and observed by the government.

Solutions: though radio is prevalent in Mali, initiatives to advance mass communication needs to be done. Many of the radio stations are local, leaving many people and nations unaware of the troubles Mali people face when droughts come and leave people starving. With the help of the UN, internet has become a priority in the nation since 2000, but more stress to spread internet usage to more parts of Mali must be done. With the increase in Internet use Mali’s people could blog and eventually spread awareness to other nations when they are in need of help.

Resources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_Mali

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali


 * Topic 2: Government’s right to censorship and private information tapping**

Censorship is commonly used by governments in order to prevent information from reaching their citizens. Reasons for censorship may stem from religious, political, or cultural reasons within the country. Often times government censor or limit information to the public to maintain strict power. With many different forms of communication including radio, internet, and cell phones, many governments have deemed it necessary to monitor all telecommunications for the sake of national security.

Mali is one of the poorest and undeveloped nations in the world, especially when it comes to telecommunications. Because of such a dense poverty stricken population, radio is the predominant form of communication. Improvements in other forms of communication including cell phone and internet use has begun but are still very low compared to other countries. In 2002 the UN reported that Mali’s internet usage is 123 out of 125 nations, with only an estimated 30,000 people using dial up and wireless internet systems.

The superior council of communication regulates all media .Owned by the state, the radio company office de Radiodiffusion au Television de Mali, controls over 35 radio stations in Mali. Independent radio stations have been allowed to broadcast since 1994, but must become a part of the radio union URTEL. Though the ORTM is a government sponsored radio station, government officials have no issues harshly cracking down on broadcasters because of very strict anti-libel laws. Over 90 percent of Mali’s population is Islamic and like many other Islamic nations, find it appropriate to block information due to religious beliefs. Even with slightly strict laws the government has allowed rural areas to create their own radio stations. With very loose bureaucratic and financial conditions for obtaining a license, anyone person or community that has the available equipment can start and run their very own station

Allowing anyone to own an independent radio station helps to spread communication to a community that does not have the opportunity available to use other forms of communications. It’s important to continue allowing independent radio stations to run but allow the government to censor where they see fit according to religious beliefs.

Resources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_de_Radiodiffusion-T%C3%A9l%C3%A9vision_du_Mali

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_Mali

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali

http://www.ictregulationtoolkit.org/en/PracticeNote.3153.html