Minutes of SDNP meeti8ng with Mr Brian Christensen of UNDP which took place at AlHalaria Italian Restaurant in Blantyre on 22/7/98 at 12 noon

Minutes of SDNP meeting with Mr Brian Christensen of UNDP which took place at AlHalaria Italian Restaurant in Blantyre on 22/7/98 at 12 noon

Present

Dr P. Nyirenda Project Coordinator (PC) Chairman

Mr Brian Christensen Programme Officer (UNDP)

Mr C. Longwe Information Specialist (IS)

Ms F. Karim Khatrie Administrative Assistant (AA) Secretary

Agenda

No agenda was setup prior to this meeting. The meeting was heard mainly as a brain storming session.

Minutes

CU/184/98 The meeting took place over a working a lunch. The first item considered was the need for continuing with the training of the AA in accounting and financial management of the project. It was noted that the Assistant Accountant at NRCM had spent the last three days at the Coordination Unit to instruct the AA on how to maintain accounts according to the Government procedures. It was recognized that there is need for her to be attached to the Accounts Office at NRCM to finalize this instruction.

CU/185/98 It was agreed that the AA should spend some days of attachment at NRCM and some days at NESU in the near future.

CU/186/98 Mr Christensen indicated that he would like to discuss the workplan for the unit. To achieve this the workplan for the previous quarter was considered. It was noted that there were items that had not been completed in the previous quarter due mainly to lack of funds and constraints from MPTC.

CU/187/98 PC explained that the following items need to be completed from the previous workplan:

Registration of SDNP as a company as required by MPTC

Registration with upstream ISP. This could not be completed because UUNET requires a contact on MCI which only MPTC can provide.

Order regional node equipment. The equipment list and specifications have already been sent to New York but New York has not acted on it. Brian requested the equipment list to be resent to him.

CU/188/98 PC also indicated that on the equipment issue the following items need to be considered:

Buy a photocopier for the Coordination Unit. Mr Christensen agreed that this is a priority and quotation should be obtained soon. He indicated that it would be better to consider a local purchase to avoid huge transportation costs recently observed when a similar procurement was made for another project.

Install an air conditioner in the equipment room. It was also agreed that this should be bought locally and installed.

Order equipment for the district nodes. Mr Christensen advised the PC that the equipment for the district nodes had already been ordered and to to check with Ms Etta Mmangisa, a programme officer at UNDP

SERVICES

CU/189/98 It was agreed that with the finalization of the equipment testing at the CU, the next exercise to be undertaken would be to establish SDNP information services and open these to the public. The following services were considered:

leased line from CU to regional nodes

web and data services

e-mail

training program for operators

workshops. It was agreed that at least one workshop should be done in the quarter

CU/190/98 It was agreed that there is need to conduct a user survey to assess the information needs of possible users of the SDNP network.. NGOs were recognized as potentially important SDNP clients. It was noted that many NGOs are keen to mount, access and use information on Malawi.

CU/191/98 It was agreed that a list of possible NGO contacts be drawn up. The AA was requested to contact Ms Grace Mkandawire and Ms Jessie Manda of UNDP on the list of NGOs and list of people to send invitations to for the workshop.

CU/192/98 Mr Christensen suggested that there is need to design an assessment questionnaire to assess user needs which should include the following:-

Training needs

kind of information people would like to have on the internet

information links

publicity of SDNP.

CU/193/98 PC indicated that he would have a draft questionnaire ready by middle of the following week.

CU/194/98 PC told the meeting that he had requested Mr Malemia of NRCM to set up a meeting with the PS for NRCM as soon as possible to work out the funding and bank account arrangements for SDNP. Mr Christensen is to attend this meeting.

CU/195/98 PC thanked Mr Christensen for sparing time to visit the CU and meet with the staff. The meeting closed at 1:30 pm.