Background

Efficient use of the potentials that Information and Communication Technology offer is the main focus of UNDP activities and interventions at local level. In that regard this Project aims to support and facilitate the ICT usage in local government processes and services by introduction of Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) as a cost-effective, comprehensive complementary tool. This tool is to assist the building of transparent e-governance at municipal levels. This in turn will improve efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery to its citizens.

The primary objective of the project is to enhance the understanding and demonstrate how and in which conditions FOSS can be beneficial to local governance processes and local economies. The intention is to build up on the existing ICT infrastructure and capacities in the municipalities in order to increase the penetration of successful open e-governance tools in local governance practices.

FOSS is software developed, tested and improved through public cooperation. Its source code is available to anyone at usually little or no cost. Licenses for this software guaranty its free usage, modification and re-distribution. This model has huge implications for affordable IT solutions in both public and private sectors. 

Action

Based on the assessment of the current ICT situation and potentials in terms of infrastructure and human capacities, introduction of FOSS as a tool for local e-governance will be supported in 3 pilot municipalities.

Main activities of the Project include: selection of pilot municipalities and needs/ priorities assessment, training on FOSS for IT professionals at municipal level, development of selected e-governance applications, implementation of FOSS solutions and increasing public awareness on FOSS.

The project will facilitate twining with municipalities from the region which have already undertaken similar projects to serve for the purposes of sharing of experiences and expertise in this area.

Based on the experience gained from the pilot municipalities, an outline of the steps needed for further introduction of FOSS and transfer of the project results municipalities will be prepared.

E-Society Association (MESA) will take a crucial role in the dissemination of the project results to other municipalities. MESA is an association of local IT Development Foundations which grew out of the IT Centers, jointly established by UNDP and 19 Municipalities in the period 2000 - 2005

During the project implementation, valuable UNDP expertise and experience in providing advisory services to the local government officials will be available. In addition, local NGO FOSS experts will be consulted and asked to provide their expertise in promotion and raising the awareness of FOSS.

Impact

It is believed that the local governments can significantly benefit from the FOSS, because it will help them save on the ICT budgets, reduce costs and be less dependent on imported technology and skills. FOSS initiatives offer more possibilities for development of the local software industry and for new employments. At the same time implementation of standardized and cost-effective e-governance solutions will enable the country to faster realize “access to government data without barriers”, allowing more citizens to have quick and efficient interaction with the local government and to strengthen peoples’ participation in local affairs.

The Project will contribute towards implementation of MDG – Millennium Development Goals and further progress towards the national development priorities.  It will also add to the country’s overall efforts to reach the standards for EU integration.

Project Details

Location of the Project: 3 pilot municipalities

Results disseminated in 4 other municipalities
Allocated funding:  $75,000 USD

Dates of Implementation: May 2006-August 2007

Implementing partners: Ministry of Local Self Government, Municipalities and Association of Units of Local Self-Government

Donor: UNDP

Programme Management

Jovan Madjovski, UNDP Programme Specialist

Suzana Ahmety-Janjik, UNDP Programme Assistant

Tose Misevski, UNDP Project Manager

Project Advisory Board

Dusica Perisic, Executive Director of ZELS ,  Project Director

Norimasa Shimomura,  UNDP Deputy Resident Representative

Fazli Zenuni,Head of Department for International Collaboration, Ministry of LSG

Bardhyl Jashari,  Director of Metamorphosis,

Novica Nakov,  Director of "Free Software Macedonia"

Recent events and downloads
 

1.FREE OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE WORKSHOPS
19-23 February 2007
Location: Prilep (19 Feb); Stip (20 Feb); Karpos (21 Feb); Tetovo (22 Feb); Struga (23 Feb)



Workshop presentations: 
 

	Download
	English		Macedonian
	odp	ppt	odp	ppt
1.Introduction to FOSS	√		√
2.Introduction to Linux		√		√
3.Linux in practice		√		√
4.Comparative presentation of applications on Linux and Windows	√	√	√	√
5.FOSS resources on Internet	√	√	√	√
6.Application Development based on FOSS	√		√
7.Licenses and Functioning of the FOSS community	√		√

2. FOSS Practical Guide    ( mac.pdf ) 

3. FOSS CONFERENCE 2007
15 May 2007
Location: Hotel Holliday Inn , Skopje

Invitation (mac.pdf)

Agenda  (eng. pdf )   ( mac. pdf )


Conference  presentations:

	Download
	odp	pdf	ppt
1. FOSS in EU and Macedonian experience, Mr. Miroslav Jovanovic- Ministry of Finance	√	√
2. FOSS solutions for local governments, Mr. Momcilo Spasovski - SEAVUS			√
			MK
3. Red Hat in SEE, Mr. Zoran Puric - RH
4. International projects on FOSS in Bulgaria and collaboration possibilities, Ms. Julia Velkova, Internet Society Bulgaria	√	√
5. Novell OSS program and strategy, Mr.  Vesselin Yankov, Novell	√
6. FOSS usage in the schools – conceptual strategy, Mr. Dragan Nikolovski, Ministry of Education and Science	√ MK	√
7. The Need for FOSS Policy, Mr. Filip Stojanovski, Metamorphosis Foundation	√
8. Support on FOSS, Mr. Jordan Angelovski, MESA	√
9. Free software, free society, Mr. Novica Nakov, "Free Software Macedonia"	MK