This workshop was organised by it@inwent and intended to have an impact on capacity building for the emerging e-business networks both in southern Africa and in South-East Asia, namely it@ab and it@asia. The objective was to strengthen the capacities of the multiplying institutions in the networks, such as universities, training institutions, Internet- and application providers and consultancies.

The workshop was organised in close cooperation with the members of the it@ab network.

The workshop had two main goals:


Enable the partners to efficiently access business information, that are relevant to SMEs in Southern Africa .
Support the organisational development within it@ab and establish a sustainable structure within the network.
Further subgoals were:


Support it@b members to access business information, that is relevant to SMEs in Southern Africa.
Make workshop participants familiar with sources of business information on the Internet.
Define further the requirements for business information in the region.
Develop concepts and processes for accessing sources of relevant business information in the the region and beyoond.
Further clarify objectives, strategies and measures for strengthening the it@ab network..
Agree on the next steps for strengthening the network by the it@ab members themselves.
Draft an organisational structure for the network with roles and responsibilities (including contact points).