7. In this regard, the Rwandan ICT Policy and Strategies are set within the wider context of the socio-economic development objectives of the Government. These policies and strategies are designed to specifically accelerate Rwanda’s socio-economic development process towards the realization of the vision to transform Rwanda into an information-rich knowledge-based society and economy within 20 years. 8. The GOR is also aware that the deployment of ICTs to support the socio-economic development by a number of countries will be creating new winners and losers, within the new emerging global economic order to be dominated by information and knowledge economies (IKEs). And the gap between these new winners and losers is likely to be much larger than the development gap that now exists between the advanced nations and the under-developed nations. Rwanda is at risk of being further marginalized if she failed to embrace these technologies to transform her economy and society. 9. It is within this context that Rwanda, as part of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) initiated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has developed her ICT Policy and Strategies on which to base her future National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI) Plans for accelerating the socio-economic development of Rwanda. 10. This Policy Document presents the GOR’s Vision for Rwanda in the information age. It is based on an earlier GOR ICT Policy Framework Document “An Integrated Framework for Socio-Economic and ICT Policy and Plan Development and Implementation for Rwanda”. This framework document released in October 1999 was subjected to a wide-ranging consultation and dialogue within the Government and among other key stakeholders and the Rwanda public at large. 11. This Policy Document reflects the Government’s total commitment to transform Rwanda into an information-rich knowledge-based society and economy to ensure that Rwanda and its people fully participates in the information age and enjoys the social, cultural and economic benefits of the emerging information revolution. 12. The GOR is wholeheartedly committed to the implementation of its integrated socio-economic and ICT Policy and Strategies to facilitate the process of establishing a prosperous society, with an economy that is globally competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient in respect to the rapid changes and advances that will take place in the global economy to be dominated by technology-driven information and knowledge economies. 8