8 The Role of ICTs and their Sustainability In Developing Countries

This chapter discusses how developing Countries (DCs) are increasingly aware that they have a major responsibility for rural ICTs development, but often lack the capacity and solutions to meet the challenge. Rural people constitute the greater part of the population in DCs and often lack access to basic ICT needs. These conditions, considered harsh by the majority of the rural population, result in immigration into urban areas, often in search of formal employment, as the only option for survival. This paper uses critical discourse analysis to demonstrate how ICTs have become deeply involved in the conception and practice of socioeconomic development within (LDCs) The challenges of creating sustainable ICT projects, initiatives and ultimately the community development in LDCs is explored and recommendations on the way forward are made