Les déterminants de la diffusion d'Internet en Afrique

Fast progress in information and communication technologies (ICT) involved the emergence of a new society : the information society. This society which appears within aframework of globalisation implies for all the nations a structural adjustment agenda.Thisadjustment must imperatively take place in the countries of the South, and particularly inAfrica, under penalty of exclusion of the world information society. Among these ICT, Internetseems to be the technology which conveys most hopes for the South. Many international andnational actors in the development process implement projects able to fill the existing delay ofAfrica in the field of Internet. This paper purpose is to examine the determinants of Internetpenetration in Africa, in order to appreciate policies implemented for the development of thistechnology in Africa. Some relations, on which are implicitly based development policies of ICTare highlighted. Most of these relations are significant. They show the importance of skills,urbanisation, wealth, economic activity, foreign relations, telecommunication infrastructures,computers, costs of Internet access and Internet supply in the Internet penetration in Africa.At last, two models are built. They both especially highlight the main role of telecommunicationinfrastructures whose development is the major concern of international co-operation. (Full textin French)