Challenges

and
Partnerships
A contribution of the United Nations Information and Communication
Technologies Task Force to the World Summit on the Information Society

Opening up
ICT to the world
Foreword
Mr Kofi Annan
Secretary-General, United Nations
The information society
W
hat do we mean when
we talk of an
‘information society’?
The expression is both a
description and an aspiration.
As a description, the term
captures the times in which we live,
as did other terms such as the
atomic age and the industrial age -
and even the stone and iron ages of
antiquity. For we live today in an era
in which information is omnipresent,
through newspapers, radio,
television and the Internet; in which information is transforming the
ways we live, learn, work and relate; and in which information is
indispensable – for health, agriculture, education and trade, and
for cultivating the engaged and learned citizenry that is essential
for democracy to work.
Description turns to aspiration when we consider what to do
with the masses of information and knowledge increasingly at our
disposal – how to make it serve some greater purpose, be it
peace, development, human rights, global harmony or all of these
together. The liberating and democratizing power of information is
as old as the Rosetta Stone or Gutenberg Press.
What is new today are the technologies that are dramatically
accelerating its global dissemination. These technologies are a
tremendous force for creating opportunities, and for integrating
people and nations into the global economy. But too many of the
world’s people remain untouched by the information revolution. A
‘digital divide’ threatens to exacerbate already-wide gaps between
rich and poor, within and among countries. The technologies are
also raising important social and other concerns, from privacy
rights and freedom of expression to the ability of local and
indigenous voices to be heard in an era of media concentration
and mass culture.
The World Summit on the Information Society (Geneva,
December 2003, and Tunis, November 2005) is a timely
opportunity. Organized by the
International Telecommunication
Union with the support of the
United Nations system, it can help
us better understand the
information revolution. It offers a
forum to develop a shared vision of
an information society that
empowers and benefits all people.
And it can help us to make specific
connections between information
and communication technologies
and the Millennium Development
Goals set by the international
community, since without creative and widespread of those
technologies, the goals will be that much harder to meet.
The Summit should also be a place to forge partnerships.
Many actors have much to offer: the scientists that make the
technology possible; the private sector enterprises that turn
science into tools; the community groups and civil society
organizations that are so dynamic in using those tools; the
governments that create the necessary regulatory frameworks; and
the media, who are both creators of content and connections that
tie the global village together, and essential watchdogs that
illuminate us about our world – thanks to the precious right of
press freedom, as spelled out in Article 19 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments. A
parallel event to the Summit, the World Electronic Media Forum,
will bring together media executives and practitioners from
developed and developing countries, as well as policy-makers, to
discuss the role of the electronic media in the information society.
Information and communication technologies are the driving
forces of globalization, with great potential to help people improve
their lives. But they are not an end in themselves, or a magic formula
that is going to solve all our problems. While technology shapes the
future, ultimately it is people who shape technology, and decide to
what uses it can and should be put. The World Summit on the
Information Society can and must help us do just that. ■
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 1
p3,5 CONTENTS 24/11/03 10:31 am Page 3

Contents
1 Foreword 33 ICT – Transforming the world by transforming
Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations universities
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
7 Introduction
Mr José Maria Figueres, Chair, United Nations Information 36 E-mail over short-wave radio
and Communications Technologies Task Force The Swedish International Development Cooperation
Agency
9 Contribution by
Mr Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary General, International 37 Closing the digital divide through education and
Telecommunication Union and Secretary General, WSIS training
STMicroelectronics
10 ICT and economic opportunity
Mr José Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for 38 The Abu-Ghazaleh Cambridge IT Skills Centre
Economic and Social Affairs Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International

11 The challenge of WSIS 39 The World Bank Group: Fostering digital

Mr Nitin Desai, Special Adviser of the United Nations opportunities
Secretary-General for the WSIS The World Bank Group

13 The ‘cyber summit’ 40 ICT Policy and Governance

Mr Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Information & Communication Technology
Communications and Public Information Task Force, Working Group 1

15 Publisher’s welcome 42 National & regional e-development strategies: A

blueprint for action
17 Digital diaspora networks United Nations Information & Communication Technology
United Nations Information and Communication Task Force, Working Group 2
Technologies Task Force
44 A road to universal broadband connectivity
20 Global digital divide initiative United Nations Information & Communication Technology
World Economic Forum Task Force, Working Group 5

23 Digital opportunities for all 46 Technology solutions advance entrepreneurship in

Digital Opportunity Task Force developing countries
United Nations Information & Communication Technology
25 The dialogue of civilisations Task Force, Working Group 6
UN ICT Task Force Regional Network for Europe and
Central Asia 48 The Wireless Internet Opportunity for Developing
Countries
27 eEurope: An information society for all Wireless Internet Institute
European Commission
49 ICT Policy Development and Implementation
29 A unique institution seminar for Afghanistan
The Markle Foundation The Asia-Pacific Information Development Programme

31 Global focus on youth and education

Nokia
p3,5 CONTENTS 21/11/03 2:45 pm Page 5

50 APC: Internet and ICTs for social justice and

development
The Association for Progressive Communications

52 Bridging the digital divide through the Cisco

Networking Academy Program
Cisco Systems Inc.

54 AME and the Cl@se initiative 75 The vital role of e-government and e-governance
Fundación Cisneros Ministry for Innovation and Technologies, Government of
Italy
56 Promoting ICT for development alongside gender
equality issues 76 Digital Freedom Initiative: fostering ICT-led
WSIS-Gender Caucus economic growth
The US Government and its private sector partners in the
58 Making ICT work for development Digital Freedom Initiative
Federal Foreign Office, Government of Germany
77 Digital opportunities for all
60 Creating a global network of innovation The Government of Canada
By Thomas Ganswindt, President, Siemens Information
Communication Networks 82 Challenges and partnerships
International Telecommunication Union
63 Telecommunications for development
By David Thorn, Regional Director, Telstra Europe 84 Media Lab Asia: Innovating for the next Five Billion
MIT and the World Bank Group
66 Capacity, complexity and cost: Lessons learned
about infrastructure costs and consumption 86 UNCTAD and e-commerce strategies for
An interview with Anil K. Singhal, President and CEO, development
NetScout Systems United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

68 e-Inclusion: Dikahotole Digital Village, South Africa 88 The Information Society in Europe and North
– rising out of a cycle of poverty America:
Hewlett-Packard United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

69 DIGITALYART, an exhibition on technology in art 90 UNITeS: In partnership with universities

The Cultural Center of the Inter American Development
Bank
70 The ICT4BUS Program: an initiative of the Inter-
American Development Bank to support ICT
applications for small businesses
Inter-American Development Bank Information and
Communication Technology for Development Division
72 The ALDEA Program: digital strategies for the Latin
America and Caribbean Governments
Inter-American Development Bank Information and
Communication Technology for Development Division
74 Italian Trust Fund for Information and
Communication Technology for Development
Inter-American Development Bank Information and
Communication Technology for Development Division
United Nations Information Technology Service
92 UNESCO’s international initiative for community
multimedia centres
UNESCO
94 UNFIP: Facilitating the Millennium Development
Goals
UNFIP
96 Capturing the promise of a Global e-Schools and
Communities Initiative
The United Nations Information & Communication
Technology Task Force Working Groups 3 and 5
97 Closing comments: capturing digital opportunities
Mr Sarbuland Khan, Acting Executive Coordinator,
Information and Communication Technologies Task Force
Introduction
Mr José Maria Figueres-Olsen
Chairman, UN ICT Task Force
D
espite real progress on some
fronts, there remain dramatic
disparities in levels of human
development: the digital divide is
threatening to exacerbate the existing
social and economic inequalities between
countries and communities.
The principal objective of the Summit
should be identification of strategies and
actions that would mainstream ICT into
the work aimed at achieving the
Millennium Development Goals, which provide the wider social,
economic and political context.
One third of the world’s population has never made a telephone
call. Seventy percent of the world’s poorest live in rural and remote
areas, where access to information and communications technologies,
even to a telephone, is often scarce. Most of the information
exchanged over global networks such as the Internet is in English, the
language of less than 10 percent of the world’s population.
In response to these growing concerns, in March 2001, the
United Nations Economic and Social Council requested the Secretary
General to establish an Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) Task Force. The Council recognised the tremendous potential of
the digital revolution for economic growth, poverty eradication and
sustainable development. Countries in which most people do not
have access to the new technologies cannot play a full part in the
new global economy at a time when knowledge acquisition and
information are becoming pre-requisites for human development and
progress. And the longer they remain outside the global economy,
the harder and costlier it will be to catch up. The digital divide must
then be bridged before it is too late.
In order to spread information and communications technologies
and their benefits to the developing world, intensified cooperation
and strong commitment among the private and non-profit sectors
will be required.
The private sector – through innovation, risk taking and
investment – can help develop a country’s ICT infrastructure. The
private sector can contribute to achieving development goals with
investments that can produce a positive impact on social and
economic development outcomes. Companies can do well by doing
good. They can help devise ICT solutions
that are built to last. Secondly, they can
participate in public-private initiatives that
are driven by user demands, identified
and realised through direct participation
and ownership. Thirdly, such initiatives
should be sensitive to local conditions
and limitations. And finally, initiatives
should be explicit about their
development goals and how they will
directly impact the target population.
All these aspects suggest that ICT interventions focusing on
development goals must address a variety of interrelated
dimensions to secure an enduring impact. The potential impact of
ICT interventions would be far greater if they are conceived in
conjunction with private sector economies. There is no doubt that
the private sector could be a great asset to ICT initiatives in
developing countries.
Governments, on the other hand, can play a role in providing a
favourable policy and pro-competitive environments to ensure
market fairness and flexibility as well as exercising leadership
through strategic investments in ICT applications and content.
If public-private partnerships are built on complementarities
between the profit motive of the private sector and human
development goals, we can achieve sustainable results and the
harmonious development of a global networked society.
The United Nations ICT Task Force is helping to build
partnerships in key areas such as low-cost connectivity access,
human resources development and capacity building, and business
enterprise and entrepreneurship. It also provides a platform to
analyse how programmes for promoting education, combating
diseases, promoting gender equality and the empowerment of
women, and those targeting youth, the disabled and people living in
poverty in general can be leveraged and enhanced with ICT.
Our objective is to work towards an ambitious but achievable
agenda, in which progress would offer all human beings a chance of
achieving lifelong prosperity. We have begun to transform our
societies and together we can and must find our way towards a
universal and inclusive information society in which wealth creation
and social well being go hand-in-hand. ■
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 7
Welcome message

Mr Yoshio Utsumi
Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union

“ While the basic needs of humankind have

long been food, clothing and shelter, the time

”
has come to add ‘information’ to that list

I
nformation has the power to dispel ignorance and to empower
those who are oppressed. It has the power to bind the global
community and to spread the common ideals of peace and
tolerance, growth and development. While the basic needs of
humankind have long been food, clothing and shelter, the time has
come to add ‘information’ to that list.
We stand on the brink of a new era in which we must make
fundamental choices about what life in the information society will
be like. We may not be entirely able to predict how it will manifest
itself, but we must embrace it if we wish to ensure the basic
principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
and embraced by the Millennium Development Goals, are fulfilled.
Today, activities based around the creation, processing and
dissemination of information account for more than 80 percent of
employment in the developed world, while 1.5 million villages
worldwide remain unconnected to this information society. The
World Summit on the Information Society represents a unique
opportunity to help our political leaders, on either side of this digital
divide, to develop a common vision of how to turn the challenges
created by the Information Society into opportunities.
Now more than ever we must seek new and innovative ways of
mobilising and coordinating our efforts in this area, by seeking a
global perspective that ensures we maximise our collective
strengths, resources and skills. This publication provides an
excellent overview of the work that is being done to bridge the
digital divide and the hope that information and communication
technology can bring to people of the world.
It has been said that the best way to predict the future is to
invent it. Together, through the World Summit on the Information
Society, we can invent a future where the tools of communication
make the world a more equitable, peaceful and sustainable place for
all, not just for a privileged few. ■

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 9
 ICT and economic opportunity
Mr José Antonio Ocampo
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
T
he new communications
technologies are one of the major
driving forces of globalization. They
are bringing people together, and bringing
decision-makers unprecedented new tools
for development. At the same time, however,
the gap between information ‘haves’ and
‘have-nots’ is widening, and there is a real
danger that the world’s poor will be
excluded from the emerging knowledge-based global economy.
There are more Internet connections in Manhattan alone than in
the whole continent of Africa; more hosts in Finland than in Latin
America and the Caribbean; and notwithstanding the remarkable
progress in the application of ICT in India, many of its villages still lack
a working telephone. Within developing countries, urban islands of
connectivity have emerged in a vast sea of the unconnected poor
people and rural areas. Digital divide needs to be bridged not only
among but within countries as well.
Information technology is cost-effective compared to other forms
of capital. ICT opens up economic opportunities for nations positioned
to capitalize on them by facilitating the creation of modern growing
economy and helping to seize the opportunities of the contemporary
global marketplace. ICT can help develop and capture economic
opportunities by: increasing business efficiency, productivity and
quality of output, promoting participation in the global economy, driving
growth in employment and high wages, and enabling effective and
efficient provision of public goods and services.
Emerging evidence from national or country case studies suggests
that ICT can play a more profound and far-reaching role in
development than simply through narrow interventions focused on
specific development objectives. ICT has clearly been a factor in the
impressive performance in improved competitiveness, exports and
incomes in high intensity ICT economies such as Estonia, Costa Rica,
and Malaysia with the generation of significant new export revenues
and employment opportunities. Indeed, ICT can give developing
countries the chance to leapfrog some of the long and painful stages
of development that other countries have had to go through.
But bridging the digital divide is not going to be easy. Too often,
state and private monopolies charge exorbitant prices for the use of
bandwidths. Governments need to do much more to create the
effective institutions and supportive regulatory frameworks that
promote competition, and attract investment; more generally, they
must also review their policies and arrangements to make sure they are
not denying their people the opportunities offered by the digital
revolution. We need to think of ways to bring wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)
10 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
applications to the developing world, so as
to make use of unlicensed radio spectrum to
deliver cheap and fast Internet access.
As promising and invaluable as they are,
such efforts – and others involving such
diverse areas as trade promotion, disaster
response and education – merely scratch the
surface of what is possible. If all countries
are to benefit, we need more and better
strategic public-private partnerships. That is one of the primary
functions of the United Nations Information and Communication
Technologies Task Force, which brings together CEOs, government
officials, non-governmental organizations, technical experts and other
information industry leaders to enhance developing countries’ ability to
fully participate in, and benefit from, the networked economy and
society. This work is particularly relevant at a time when we are all
more focused than ever before on the interdependence of our world.
That is also one of the main reasons why the United Nations General
Assembly decided to hold a World Summit on the Information Society,
which is to be held in two parts: first in December 2003 in Geneva, and
two years later in Tunis to define a vision and help develop an inclusive
and universal approach to information society, with the achievement of
UN Millennium Development Goals placed at the center
In September 2000, the Member States of the United Nations
adopted a Millennium Declaration – a landmark document for a new
century that reflects the aspirations and concerns of all peoples,
sets specific targets for reducing poverty, and calls for concerted
action to fight injustice and inequality and to protect our common
heritage, the earth, for future generations. Among the commitments
they made was to ‘ensure that the benefits of new technologies,
especially information and communication technologies, are
available to all’. Information technology is not a magic formula that
is going to solve all our problems. But it is a powerful force that can
and must be harnessed to our global mission of peace and
development. This is not only an ethical question but also an
economic imperative. The new economy can only be productive and
sustainable over the long term if it spreads worldwide and responds
to the needs and demands of the people of the world.
What is needed to seize this moment is a framework for
guiding concerted action. To date, efforts to harness ICT’s
potential have all too often fallen short, largely because they have
been taken in an uncoordinated and isolated approach. The
challenge for the World Summit on the Information Society is to
work to bring access to information, and the empowerment it
offers, to all of the world’s people. ■
The challenge of WSIS
Mr Nitin Desai
Special Adviser of the United Nations
Secretary-General for the WSIS
S
ome one hundred and fifty years ago, the
railways and telegraph transformed the world
economy. In the early phases, they were
driven by the creativity of technicians and went
through a huge speculative boom, followed by a
bust, before finding a more even paced business
model. They transformed the way business was
done in other sectors and had a huge impact on
warfare, governance and the news media. One
country, the United States, accounted for a large
proportion of the global total, while Europe was
comparable, but not continental in scale because of
multiple jurisdictions. The technology did spread to
the colonies and near-colonies (today’s Third world)
but mainly to connect them better with metropolitan
markets. Some developing countries, like India, were
a little ahead of the curve. Globally there was little
coordination of standards or interoperability. In sum,
the new technology changed the prospects for
development mainly in the richer part of the world
and may even have worsened economic and
political inequalities.
Replace the phrase ‘railways and telegraph’ with
the phrase ‘information and communication
technology (ICT)’ and the description above may still
apply. That is the core of the challenge before the
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS),
which convenes in December in Geneva and later in
Tunis in November 2005 in a unique two-phase
process.
The InfoTech industry needs a new dynamic for
continued growth. Throughout the last decades of the
millennium just gone we were bedazzled by the sheer
pace of technological advance. Computer and
communication costs seemed to drop by the day and
companies came out with yet another gizmo to tempt
the customer. But then the bubble burst and now the
future of industry depends on technological advance,
but also on the spread of InfoTech in the developing
world and in new using sectors. It needs a new
business model.
The choking points of development for the ICT
companies today lie in the lack of a vision and a
policy framework for this broader goal rather than in
technology. It involves organisational, institutional and
public policy questions not technological fixes.
This is at the core of the agenda for the World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) whose
objectives include:
• To establish a common vision for the information
society.
• To utilise ICTs to overcome poverty and archive
other millennium development goals.
• To work towards bridging the digital divide.
• To create partnerships and funding mechanisms for
universal and affordable access to ICTs.
• To consider the need for new legal and policy
frameworks for cyberspace.
• To create improved coordination mechanisms for
improved security in cyberspace.
• To promote cultural and linguistic diversity in the
information society.
• To uphold freedom of expression and the right to
communicate.
The preparatory process for this summit is
centred on governments, for they are the ones who
set the national and global policy frames that enable
or hinder development. There are the usual
differences between those who bemoan the anarchy
of multiple standards and lack of interoperability and
those who see too many constraints on competition
imposed by older more monopolistic visions of public
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 11
 service. Perhaps there is a merit in both
points of view but for different parts of the
industry. The challenge before the summit is
to secure a shared understanding of what
constitutes a good policy for managing the
cyberspace and what are the coordination
arrangements at the international level that
promotes such good policy practices.
The summit is also about the digital
divide – the vast gap in the use of ICTs in the
richer and poorer parts of the world. This
has to be a global concern because in a
networked world everyone gains when the
network spreads. My telephone becomes
more useful when you also acquire a ’phone.
But in the developing world public policy has
to give priority to eliminating poverty and
deprivation, This is why the focus has to be
on the use of ICT in governance, education,
health and similar areas, or more generally
on ICT for development.
ICT for development requires a new
mode of operation for public agencies and
private companies. The activities involved
are very much in the public domain. The aim
is to reach as many people as possible, not
just the privileged few who can afford rich
country prices. The competencies to
provide and deliver the service exist in the
private sector – hence the need for
partnerships and innovative initiatives.
Many are being developed, like for
instance the Global e-schools initiative,
which is bringing together some important
corporations, donor governments and
developing countries with homebound goals
for connecting universities and schools to
the Internet. This and several similar
initiatives have been spawned by the UN
ICT Task Force, which brings together
international policy makers from
governments, CEOs of InfoTech companies
and civil society leaders and international
organizations. But much more needs to be
done and the unique two-phase structure of
the Summit must be used to lay down goals
and strategies and then flesh them out in
concrete partnerships so that by the time
we meet in Tunis the Geneva Agenda
becomes the Tunis Action Plan.
Activities in the public domain require
12 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
“
The choking points of development for the ICT
companies today lie in the lack of a vision and a
policy framework for this broader goal rather than
in technology
public resources in national budgets and in
donor aid programmes. This is one issue
that the delegates will agonise over, the
developing world looking for specific
commitments and the donor countries
arguing for less binding language or, in
some cases, flatly rejecting any case for
new concessional resources.
There will also be some debate on
issues of technology access, not just in a
North-South context but also more
generally, for instance about appropriate
policies for open-source software. In both of
these areas, conversional finance and
technology transfer, the delegates will find
their way to appropriate compromises. But
the real challenge is to make sure that no
promising partnership of ICT initiative in the
public domain is held back by lack of
resources or technology access.
ICT is not just a technology that has a
profound impact in the economy. It can
transform politics as information on
government or corporate operation
becomes more widely available or as easier
communication makes it possible for
citizens to organize themselves. In fact, the
greater transformative potential of the new
technologies lies in how they can alter
government-citizen and citizen-citizen
relationships. We have seen this already in
the way SMS was used by citizens to thwart
an attempted coup in the Philippines, the
use of the Internet to exchange news in
Serbia under Milosevic and the way
citizen/pressure organized for the Land
Mines Treaty. But to ensure this we need
”
public recognition of the freedom of
expression and the right to communicate.
One of the most important results of the
Summit could be in precisely this area.
ICT technologies are seen as
universalising influences. To the extent to
which they universalise prosperity and
democracy that is surely welcome. But they
are also seen as universalising particular
languages (especially English) and
modalities of communication and through all
this homogenizing lifestyles. This fear has to
be met so that the diversity of languages,
cultures and lifestyles is respected and
nurtured in the Internet and in the media. In
fact, ICT technologies make possible a type
of decentralisation that actually can
enhance the viability of languages and
cultures outside the mainstream.
In many ways the World Summit on the
Information Society is tackling issues,
which will define how our century evolves.
This is not a matter just for technocrats in
information or communication ministries. It
concerns every part of government. That is
why it has to be a Summit and that is why
any political leader who cares for the future
should be there. It is also not just a base
for political leaders. The leaders of the
InfoTech industry must also be there
because their industry needs a second
wind which the Summit could provide and
because they command the capacities that
have to be deployed to realise the full
promise of these technologies – a more
equal, more prosperous, more peaceful
and a more free world. ■
The ‘cyber summit’
Under-Secretary-General for Communications
and Public Information, United Nations
“
The summit meeting has an
ambitious agenda: to come to
grips with the profound changes
wrought by the information
revolution and its impact on all
aspects of human activity
”
Mr Shashi Tharoor
O
nce again, a United Nations conference has aroused
concerns about press freedom. This time it’s the first World
Summit on the Information Society, or WSIS, which will be
held in Geneva later this year. Many media watchers fear that some
countries will use the ‘cyber summit’, as it has been dubbed, to
place restrictions on the Internet and other information technologies.
Others fear a resurrection of the ideologically charged debates of the
1970s and 1980s on a new world information order.
The summit meeting, organized by a UN agency, the
International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, has an ambitious
agenda: to come to grips with the profound changes wrought by the
information revolution and its impact on all aspects of human
activity. It will search for ways of putting this revolution, and the
technology that generated it, at the service of poor countries.
It will also be the first time that issues such as the role of
communications in promoting development, and the challenges of
cybersecurity, spam, Internet governance and freedom of expression
in the information age will be raised for global discussion and action
at the highest governmental levels, with the participation of all those
who have a stake in the outcome.
Press freedom, including its application to new technologies, will
be in the spotlight. The UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, has no
doubt that the summit meeting will reaffirm the universality of press
freedom through all media, as envisioned in Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
But does press freedom, some governments ask, give carte
blanche to produce and promote any and every idea, product or
cause? In all democracies, the law imposes certain limits in order to
protect the right to privacy and prevent abuse of the Web by
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 13

organized crime and terrorist groups. Isn’t it
only natural that these boundaries, already
in place for traditional media, be extended
to the Internet?
Action has been taken by some
governments to shut down Internet sites
that peddle child pornography, or that
promote anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and
racial hatred. These measures fall under
national penal law, and are not viewed as a
threat to freedom of speech.
At the same time, there is a risk in
sanctioning the extension of such
restrictions. National security or crime
control can easily serve as a pretext for
repressive governments to curtail press
freedom.
It is clear, however, that the free flow of
information is in the interests of all
countries. Restraints on the flow of
information directly undermine economic
well-being. Global interdependence means
that those who receive and disseminate
information freely have an edge over those
who do not – the ability to exchange
information through electronic networks has
become crucial to the health of economies
and civil societies.
There is little argument that information
and freedom go together. The information
revolution is inconceivable without political
democracy. Already, the spread of
information has had a direct impact on the
degree of accountability and transparency
of governments around the world – and thus
on their effectiveness.
Consequently, countries need to open
up to the outside world, liberalize the mass
media, and resist government control and
censorship of information. Prosperous
countries can play an additional supportive
14 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
“
In all democracies, the law imposes certain
limits in order to protect the right to privacy
and prevent abuse of the Web by organized
crime and terrorist groups. Isn’t it only natural
that these boundaries, already in place for
traditional media, be extended to the Internet?
role – by promoting greater, freer and fairer
access to information for developing
countries, helping them improve their
infrastructure, and sharing technological
advances with them.
Though some have rung alarm bells
during preparations for the summit meeting,
there have been positive signs. While the
main players at the meeting will be
governments, there has been strong
involvement and input from civil society, the
private sector and the news media during
the preparatory phase. Appropriately
enough, reports on the most important
subjects for debate have been posted on
the summit meeting’s website, increasing
the transparency of the negotiations and
providing fuel for debate by non-
government organizations.
International news media organizations
and journalist unions are keeping a watchful
eye on the summit meeting, and are calling
for a strong reference to press freedom in
the conference’s final documents. It is clear
that further efforts are needed to involve the
”
news media and their organizations in
summit preparations.
One way of involving the media is
through a parallel event organized by the
United Nations, the European Broadcasting
Union and Switzerland. The World Electronic
Media Forum will bring together media
executives from developed and developing
countries with policymakers to discuss the
role of the electronic media in the
information society. The event will provide
another platform for defenders of press
freedom to state their case loud and clear.
The world is heading inexorably toward
an information society, and all governments
need to see not the writing on the wall, but
the pulsing cursor on the screen. The
summit meeting will provide a major
opportunity to ensure that the ‘information
revolution’ does not leave any of the world’s
citizens behind. ■
Copyright (c) 2003 The International Herald Tribune. This
article is available on the IHT’s website (www.iht.com):
http://www.iht.com/articles/114041.html
Welcome message
Mr Spencer Green
Chairman, GDS Publishing Ltd
G
DS has been publishing journals for the
information and communication technologies
(ICTs) sector for many years, and still the
phenomenal speed of evolution and development
amazes me. New products, new services and new
ways of conducting business are created everyday
through an increasing convergence between
telecommunications, broadcasting multimedia and
traditional IT, then disseminated and implemented at
incredible speed using the same channels.
Meanwhile, modern business’ hunger for
information, ‘lean’ operations and connectivity – given
a solid platform by ICTs – is opening new markets to
competition, foreign investment and participation, and
is driving commercial and professional opportunities
in these markets.
We are living through a paradigm shift every bit as
far reaching as that of a century ago, when the world
pitched from an agrarian to an industrial base. Now
the industrial society that marked the 20th century is
giving way to the information society of the 21st
century, and the changes are coming thick and fast:
how people live, how they learn and work, and how
governments interact with civil society. Information
has become the most powerful tool for economic and
social development.
To benefit the world community fully, this new
dynamic needs global attention. We need to close the
gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ of access to
the global information and communication network: to
bridge the ‘digital divide’. And, as Kofi Annan,
Editor Adam Burns adam@gdspublishing.com Assistant editors Jonathon Edgley Kellie Peakman Alice Sharp Designers Andrew Hobson James
West Production manager Dylan Law dylan@gdspublishing.com Managing director Nick Farrar nick.farrar@gdsinternational.com Chairman Spencer Green
Contact GDS: T +44 117 921 4000 www.gdsinternational.com GDS Publishing Ltd, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK
Secretary-General of the United Nations has said:
“Governments themselves are acknowledging that
they cannot successfully pursue development on their
own. Thus there is unprecedented scope for public-
private partnerships that match real investment
opportunities with the real needs of the poor...”
The digital divide has the potential to give rise to
a new form of illiteracy by promoting information and
knowledge poverty and limiting the opportunities for
economic growth and wealth distribution. Mr Annan:
“If all countries are to benefit, we need more and
better strategic public-private partnerships. That is
one of the primary functions of the United Nations
Information and Communication Technologies Task
Force, which brings together CEOs, government
officials, nongovernmental organisations, technical
experts and other information industry leaders.”
ICTs can create economic and social networks,
allowing diverse groups around the world to access
and exchange information and knowledge crucial for
their socio-economic development. The benefits to
business are obvious, less obvious are the benefits to
basic health and education services delivery, and to
marginalized and isolated people who can now have a
voice in the world community, regardless of their
gender or where they live.
To this end, of course, there is the World Summit
on Information Society.
I would like to wish everyone a successful Summit
and hope you find ‘Challenges and Partnerships’ a
useful and interesting contribution. ■
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 15
FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TASK FORCE
TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION
SOCIETY
Digital diaspora networks
C
onvinced of the positive potential of ICT to
accelerate economic growth and social
development, and as part of its effort to
mobilise key partners for ICT-for-development, the
United Nations ICT Task Force launched an initiative
aimed at bringing together qualified members of the
Diaspora – high-tech professionals, entrepreneurs and
business leaders – into a network with their
counterparts in order to promote ICT- for-
development initiatives in their home country.
This initiative, known as the Digital Diaspora
Network, aims to promote development and the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals
through mobilising the intellectual, technological,
entrepreneurial and financial resources of the
Diaspora entrepreneurs.
Through the Digital Diaspora Networks,
expatriates working in the high-tech sector in North
America and Europe will seek to jump-start ICT
initiatives in their home region. Thousands of Internet
nodes and digital activities are taking shape in many
developing countries, but usually lack the capital,
expertise and networking ability to stabilise and grow.
The Networks will mobilise expatriate leaders and
entrepreneurs to underwrite and mentor these
developments.
The modalities of the initiative are modelled, to a
large extent, on the successful IndUS Entrepreneurs
network created nine years ago for the Indian
Diaspora in the United States.
Two Digital Diaspora Networks have been
launched by the ICT Task Force so far: The Digital
Diaspora Network for Africa (DDN-A) and the Digital
Diaspora Network for the Caribbean (DDN-C).
For Africa
The Digital Diaspora Network for Africa (DDN-A) was
launched in July 2002, in collaboration with the United
Nations Fund for International Partnerships, the
United Nations Development Fund for Women and the
Digital Partners Institute. The launch meeting brought
together more than 130 high-level entrepreneurs,
academics and experts of African origin currently
residing in the United States.
Among the tangible outcomes of the launch
meeting was the creation of an AfriShare Network, a
platform for sharing best practices and matching
innovative projects with mentors and potential
sponsors, and the launching of a Social Venture Fund
for Africa that will provide financial support for
entrepreneurial activities using ICT in Africa. A
Steering Committee was formed and immediately
started work on the Plan of Action of the Network.
In September 2002, the Digital Diaspora network
for Africa was launched in Europe as well. In the near
future the Digital Diaspora Network for Africa will link
the two diaspora networks – in the United States and
in Europe – with existing and emerging networks in
Africa, thus creating a broad platform for empowering
African entrepreneurs and enhancing their
contribution to development of the continent.
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 17
 For the Caribbean
The Digital Diaspora Network for the Caribbean was launched in
January 2003, in partnership with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Fund for International
Partnerships (UNFIP). The initiative was supported by the CARICOM
Permanent Missions to the United Nations and the CARICOM
Secretariat, and facilitated by the Caribbean American Chamber of
Commerce and Industry.
The launch meeting of the Network led to the formation of a
steering team, coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat and the
University of the West Indies with the task of establishing an
organisational framework to promote and manage the resulting
network of interest, to ensure continuity and to oversee and monitor
follow-up activities.

For Latin America and the Caribbean

The Digital Diaspora Network – Latin America Caribbean was
launched on September 5th, 2003 as a collaborative effort in

“
partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Fund for
International Partnerships (UNFIP), and Digital Partners. It was
created to promote development in Latin America and the It was created to promote
Caribbean and the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals, through mobilizing the technological, entrepreneurial and
development through mobilizing the
professional expertise and resources of the region’s Diaspora technological, entrepreneurial and
communities in North America. In addition, the aim was to build professional expertise and resources
upon the momentum of the Digital Diaspora Network Caribbean
launch and create a collaborative and synergistic relationship
of the region’s Diaspora
between the two networks. communities in North America
The outcome of bringing together organizations, corporations,

”
foundations and academics that promote the application of ICT to
assist Latin America and the Caribbean’s development, was the
generation of a wealth of ideas and support for promoting digital
opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean. A number of
actions points emerged after a day of intense deliberations
including: create LAC-Share – an online resource that can serve
both as a database and web-platform for interaction among network
members; hold Digital Bridge LAC annually in the region; develop
partnerships with corporations, educational institutions, and other
networks to support the work of the network; establish a LAC Social
Venture Fund to support projects in LAC using IT for Development.
To ensure that the vision will be implemented effectively an Advisory
Committee has been established and tasked with developing an
action plan. ■

For more information, contact:

Daniela Giacomelli
Program Manager
United Nations ICT Task Force Secretariat
giacomellid@un.org
www.unicttaskforce.com

18 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Programme
Series on Policy Awareness and Training in Information
Technology (PATIT)
Initiative
Organised by UNITAR, Mandate given by ICT Task Force, under the
auspices of the ECOSOC Working Group on Informatics in New
York, with the support of Intel Corporation, Inc.
Type of initiative
Capacity building programme – skills training and awareness
building.
Objectives
To enable diplomats to the United Nations in New York, to acquire
specific computer skills and be exposed to workings of the Internet.
To raise awareness and understanding of policy and security issues
related to the information society among diplomats and policy makers.
To enable govt. officials in countries to acquire specific computer
skills and be exposed to workings of the Internet through web-
based learning.
To help provide input into preparation for the World Summit for
Information Society by exposing Member State delegates and
officials in capitals to technologies, on which they will be required to
formulate policies.
Implementing partners
UNITAR, United Nations ICT Task Force and Intel Corporation, Inc.
Partnership with Intel
Intel’s high level of commitment to the series is demonstrated
through its donation of 40 computers for training labs at the United
Nations in New York, and its substantial and financial hands-on
participation in training events with UNITAR. This participation
includes providing instructors and facilitators in class, development
of training material and complete involvement in delivery and
evaluation of the project in instructor-led training as well as on-line
training. Intel is also very committed that this capacity building
initiative should support the eventual quality of inputs into WSIS.
Facts and results
Participants – Certificate Programme (4 modules on basic computer
and Internet skills and one module on policy and information
security issues):
• In 2002, 4 cycles of the 5 module certificate programme were
conducted.
• 33 workshops were delivered.
• 100 participants trained in the certificate programme in 2002
(Africa 41%, Asia 23%, Latin America and the Caribbean 24%,
Europe and Emerging Economies 10%, North America 1%).
• Participants from 65 countries participated in the certificate
programme.
Participants – Open High-level Seminar (Module 5) I, II and III:
• 400 participants attended the 3 high-level seminars in 2002; (Africa
33%, Asia 21%, Latin America and the Caribbean 28%, Europe and
Emerging Economies 16%, North America 2%)
Training Material:
• For Module 1 to 4 a set of handbook, exercises on CD ROMS and
Handouts were provided for each. In addition supporting resources
were posted on the training website www.un.int/unitar/patit
• For Module 5 – the high-level seminar, training materials and
summary of discussions were provided on CD ROM, and posted on
to PATIT website.
3-Year Plan (2003-2005) for the PATIT Initiative
Partnership agreement with Intel, with commitment from the ICT
Task Force for 2003:
• Instructor-led Classes in New York: To expand the cycles of
instructor-led classes in New York from 4 to 5 for the next 2 years.
• Global Outreach through Web-based Training: To develop, in
parallel to the above, web-based full-fledged modules to provide
access to training in capitals over the next 2 years. To phase out the
instructor-led classes once the modules are fully on-line.
• Policy and Security Awareness Seminars: To provide briefings and
input to the diplomatic community in New York in preparation for the
WSIS in 2003 and 2005.
Conclusion
The organisers and sponsors are encouraged that the participant
profile has been in-line with the ICT Taskforce’s developmental
priority of providing policy makers and officials from developing and
less-developed countries with basic exposure to computers and
Internet technologies. This can be seen from the regional and
hierarchical class profile, where on average 41% of participants were
from Africa (a priority area) and 47% were from Asia, Latin America
and the Caribbean combined. By title/hierarchy 48% of total
participants were senior diplomats such as Permanent
Representatives, Deputy Permanent Representatives and Minister
Counsellors etc. This indicated a high level of interest and need
among the highest level of decision makers for meeting the
challenge posed by new information and communication
technologies.
UNITAR and its partners for this series strongly believe that this is
one of the rare programmes where results are immediately visible,
because the need is immediate, and can be addressed very simply.
For more information, contact:
Humaira Kamal
UNITAR Special Fellow
hkamal@un.org
www.unitar.org
 FROM THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

Global digital
divide initiative
O
ver the last three years, the global digital
divide has come into focus as one of the
critical global issues facing poverty
alleviation and development. Indeed, the role of
technology in development has been recognised
through key international efforts undertaken by the
G-8 DOT Force and the United Nations ICT Task
Force. In parallel, the business sector has made
important investments towards digital development
and such practices are being mainstreamed into their
corporate strategy.
The World Economic Forum through its Global
Digital Divide Task Force is pleased to have served
the development community at the intersection of
government, business and the not-for-profit sectors
in addressing the issue of creating digital
opportunities for social and economic growth.
In its third and final year, the Global Digital Divide
Task Force has demonstrated itself as a successful over 10 countries and collective investments totalling
incubator for projects that facilitate digital over $2.5 Million.
development in disadvantaged regions of the world. While the Task Force completes its mandate at
Set up by the Governors for IT, Media and this year’s Annual Meeting 2003, the work
Entertainment at our Annual Meeting 2000, the Task programmes launched by the Task Force will
Force has developed a private sector-led multi- continue their growth thanks to the leadership and
stakeholder community that serves to provide a commitment of their original initiators. Having served
business perspective to policy advocacy, awareness as a ‘launch pad’ for sustainable projects, such as
raising, project implementation, resource mobilisation this one, the World Economic Forum will diminish this
and relationship building. support in the future.
Through the commitment and leadership of its As we end 2003, the Forum looks forward to new
co-chairs, and the vision, hard work and dedication challenges where we can apply our many lessons
of the Task Force members, the Global Digital Divide learned over the course of our mandate. The Forum
Task Force boasts a significant portfolio of is poised to facilitate efficient participation in
achievements. In 2000, the Task Force was corporate citizenship activities for our members and
mandated to complete an international policy effort partners that wish to increase their involvement in
culminating with the G-8 Summit in Kyushu-Okinawa. development activities. ■
With the momentum generated from this effort, the
Governors requested an additional two-year mandate
For more information, visit:
to implement our recommendations. Today, the Task www.weforum.org
Force work programme has a footprint that reaches

20 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
“
Through the commitment and leadership of its co-chairs,
and the vision, hard work and dedication of the Task Force
members, the Global Digital Divide Task Force boasts a
significant portfolio of achievements
CEO charter for digital development
At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2002 in New
York, former Vivendi Universal Chief Executive and Global Digital
Divide co-chair, Jean-Marie Messier, proposed the CEO Charter
for Digital Development (‘CEO Charter’).
The CEO Charter is a resource mobilisation initiative
designed to bring together members of the private sector to
affirm their commitment to social, economic and educational
progress in the developing world. The Global Digital Divide
Initiative has coordinated this process for the last year among
business executives involved or interested in ICT for development
activities. The CEO Charter is a private sector commitment to
transparently allocate human, in-kind or financial resources to
reduce poverty in developing countries and disadvantaged
communities through the use of information and communication
technologies.
It is a signal that participating CEOs stand ready to partner
and collaborate with governments, international organisations
and civil society to find innovative solutions to help bridge the
digital divide.
Participating CEOs agree to make their best effort to target
at least 20 percent of their annual corporate citizenship and/or
philanthropy budgets to support concrete and sustainable actions
aimed at promoting social, economic and educational progress in
developing countries and disadvantaged communities through
information and communication technologies.
We hope that the CEO Charter serves as a step towards
galvanising the private sector to commit to socially responsible
business activities and analysing the ‘support’ market. One result
will be the accumulated body of knowledge on the resources that
are dedicated by the private sector to combating the digital
divide. As we build up information about the ‘who’, ‘what’,
‘where’ and ‘why’ of social investments, we hope that project
partnerships will develop more efficiently (be it technology for
health, education or e-government).
The outline below serves as a first look at the support
market. It includes information generated from an informal
”
questionnaire answered by our first 10 CEO signers. Members of
the Global Digital Divide Task Force look forward to expanding
this process of information gathering and data analysis towards
more efficient partnerships as companies become more involved
in corporate citizenship activities.
General findings
The drafters of the CEO Charter used the terms ‘corporate
philanthropy’, ‘corporate citizenship’, and ‘social investment’
interchangeably to encourage companies from around the world
with different corporate cultures, traditions and business
practices to volunteer to participate in the Charter.
Of those that answered the questionnaire, 60 percent
exceed the 20 percent corporate citizenship/philanthropy or
investment target for ICT for development projects and 30
percent meet the target. The other CEO Charter signers
aspire to achieve the investment target. They indicated their
hope that participation in the CEO Charter will lead to
expanding their network of potential projects to support and
further exchange of best practices.
Ninety percent of CEO Charter respondents have a clear
mission behind their philanthropic programmes and 50 percent
of respondents undertake their social investments as part of their
core business strategy. This group indicated that such investment
is part of their portfolio of corporate citizenship activities rather
than a philanthropic investment. In their response, they indicated
that a focus on citizenship activities assist the corporate goal of
mainstreaming socially conscious corporate investment into their
core business operations.
All respondents stated in their reply form that partnership
organisations (e.g. international donor agencies, regional
government organisations, the World Economic Forum, etc.) play
a significant role in introducing projects to businesses for
corporate support. As companies expand and innovate on their
citizenship programmes, they will rely more on these
organisation to find sustainable, impactful and credible projects
that they can support.
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 21
FROM THE DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TASK FORCE TO
THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Digital opportunities for all
I
n July 2001, G8 leaders endorsed the Genoa Plan
of Action, a product of the work of the Digital
Opportunities Task Force. The DOT Force, which
was formed following the 2000 G8 Summit in
Okinawa, represented both a unique model of
international cooperation and a new way of
responding to the challenges of development. It
brought together committed leaders from
government, industry and civil society, drawn from G8
member countries and from the developing world, to
conceive a forward-looking action plan designed to
expand the use of digital technology and to
universalise its benefits. Its report, Digital
Opportunities for All: Meeting the Challenge,
contained a vision of global development based on
the power of information technology to promote
sustainable growth, advance social justice and
strengthen democratic governance.
Less than one year later, the DOT Force vision
has moved dramatically closer to realisation.
Participation has reached well beyond its original
membership to include almost 100 stakeholder
organisations, spanning more than 30 countries.
Through the work of its implementation teams, the
DOT Force has generated more than 20 major
bilateral and multilateral initiatives, operating across a
broad range of areas crucial to balanced development
– access, governance, entrepreneurship, health and
education. In designing and implementing these
initiatives, DOT Force members have also given
special attention to the needs of lesser developed
countries, and particularly to Africa, responding
directly to the requirements articulated in the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
New tools and partnerships for development
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in
September 2000, world leaders set a series of targets
for the reduction of poverty, known as the Millennium
Development Goals. They pledged to eradicate
extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal
primary education; to promote gender equality and
empower women; to reduce child mortality and
improve maternal health; to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria
and other diseases; to ensure environmental
sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for
development.
Information and communication technologies
(ICTs) provide a powerful tool to help achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. Thus, the
‘mainstreaming’ of information technology within
project planning and design and, even more
importantly, within development strategies is critically
important, both nationally and internationally. The
value and legacy of the DOT Force is clear – it has
focused global attention on sustainable, ICT-enabled
development, and has encouraged the international
development community to mainstream ICTs in its
bilateral and multilateral assistance programmes.
Over the past two years, DOT Force partners
have worked with great passion and dedication to
broaden the understanding that ICTs are a
fundamental tool for reducing poverty and for spurring
sustainable development. As stressed in its first report
to G8 leaders: “Access to knowledge and information
is a prerequisite for modern human development.”
This central premise underlies the continuing work of
the DOT Force and the commitment of its members
to expanding the contribution of ICTs to all forms and
levels of development.
Examples of the enabling power of these
technologies are now emerging. Community radio
stations in Africa are providing vital information on
weather disaster warnings, health and nutrition, and
HIV/AIDS prevention. The quality of life of many poor
women in Bangladesh has improved through the
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 23
 innovative use of cellular phones. In Bolivia, Internet
centres have been set up to provide farmers with
timely information on crops, production and
processing, as well as policies and regulations.
The formula for success
The success of the DOT Force has relied on the
close cooperation from representatives of G8
governments, developing nations, international
organisations and the non-profit and private sectors.
Each participated fully and equally in its work. The
multi-stakeholder approach of the DOT Force now
serves as the model for other global ‘ICT for
development’ initiatives that follow in its footsteps.
Future agenda
Under the auspices of the G8, the DOT Force has
emerged as the primary instrument for harnessing the
potential of information technology for global
development. Through its leadership and sense of
strategic purpose, it has successfully mobilised the
international community behind a common goal of
broadening the participation of countries and peoples
in the information age. As catalysts for action, its
products and partners have demonstrated
conclusively the crucial role of ICTs in addressing
basic development needs – in promoting good
governance and democratic values, improving
healthcare, education, and government services, as
well as supporting industry and small business. The
continuing challenge is to sustain the energy and
creativity of the DOT Force and ensure the full
implementation of its future agenda.
The first and most essential task is to maintain the
sense of political leadership and accountability that
have characterised the mandate and work of the DOT
Force to date. The mobilisation of political leaders,
industry captains and civil society requires a suitably
high-level forum to provide strategic direction to, and
promote the cause of, ICTs for development.
Secondly, given the numerous initiatives under way at
the global level, a focal point is required to provide
policy coherence and coordination in the design and
implementation of ICT-based development initiatives.
This focal point should also act as a strong catalyst in
the formation of partnerships between countries and
organisations of all types, based on an all-inclusive
approach that involves governments, the private
sector, civil society and international organisations.
As a process conducted under the G8, the DOT
Force is formally drawing to a close. Its agenda,
24 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
however, has now become the business of a
number of other bodies that will carry on the
leadership role of the DOT Force within the
international community. The UN ICT Task Force,
established by the Secretary-General in November
2001, shares the DOT Force vision and approach,
and provides a focal point for establishing strategic
direction, policy coherence and advocacy in relation
to the global, ICT-based development agenda.
Through its regional networks, the UN ICT Task
Force provides an effective means for broader
outreach and the effective involvement of
developing countries in future implementation work.
In the private sector, organisations such as the
World Economic Forum, the Global Business
Dialogue on Electronic Commerce, and the
International Chamber of Commerce have also
accepted the challenge of widening digital
opportunities within the developing world.
The DOT Force implementation teams have
become the primary means of implementing the
Genoa Plan of Action. Their initiatives illustrate the
key elements in the DOT Force formula — they
include innovative models of development that are
scalable and replicable; they involve partners from
developing countries in all phases, from design to
delivery; they rely on public private partnerships; and
they carry minimal overhead, allowing for speedy
implementation.
Their autonomy and operational flexibility are key
values to nurture in the deployment of projects,
while seeking high-level support from global
organisations.
The teams are important agents to carry forward
the future work of the DOT Force and to complete
the implementation of the Genoa Plan of Action.
They will seek other additional partners and
establish an informal network to coordinate their
work, facilitate the exchange of information and
combine forces on ‘ICT for development’ advocacy.
As part of their ongoing work, DOT Force
partners also invite G8 governments individually to
continue their involvement in the implementation of
the Genoa Plan of Action, including support for
specific initiatives. The World Summit on the
Information Society will provide a good opportunity
to take stock of progress made in achieving the goal
of an inclusive global information society. ■
For more information, visit: www.dotforce.org
FROM THE UN ICT TASK FORCE REGIONAL NETWORK FOR
EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON
THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

The dialogue of civilisations

O
“
n the 29 April 2002, an inaugural meeting of the UN ICT Task Force
Europe and Central Asia (EuCAs) regional network took place in
Geneva. Two nodes of the UN ICT TF EuCAs Secretariat were
established in Geneva and Moscow. The Moscow node started to operate in May
2002 and has five regular staff members. A special UN ICT TF EuCAs Regional The last five years of our
Network website has been set up. work clearly proved to us
Six EuCAs regional network working groups were established in accordance
with those in the global UN ICT TF. Election procedures for WG coordinators
that we are not talking
were organised. The elected coordinators now represent the following countries: about conquering the
Armenia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Switzerland and the United
digital divide, but rather
Kingdom. All six chairmen of the working groups became ex-officio members of
the UN ICT TF EuCAs Bureau, which includes 11 members. This Bureau was about conquering the
established to ensure that the regional network pursues the objectives of the divide between economies
UN ICT Task Force.
Two regional conferences took place in our subcontinent. We have approved
or even civilisations. Today,
the Bishkek-Moscow Declaration and Bucharest Declaration. These two we are appealing to those
important documents will be our ponderable input in preparation for the World who have knowledge
Summit on Information Society, which will take place in Geneva and Tunisia.

”
Upon the meeting of the EuCAs Bureau in Bucharest, we adopted the vision of
the strategy and plan of action for the near future. Now we have regional
priorities, such as creating the infrastructure of the information society,
knowledge-based economy and cultural diversity of the content.
An example of the holistic approach to e-development at the regional level
could be the comprehensive e-Moscow programme. Its main goals were
proclaimed as: improving the quality of life for citizens and their maximum self-
realisation, development of democracy, innovativeness and labour efficiency,
improvement of the social and economic situation through the creation of new
work places and the development of an information industry, improvement of the
environment through ICT, effective use of Moscow’s creative and cultural
potential, etc.
The last five years of our work clearly proved to us that we are not talking
about conquering the digital divide, but rather about conquering the divide
between economies or even civilisations. Today, we are appealing to those who
have knowledge.
On 9 December 2002, the international conference “Global Knowledge –
Russia” took place in Moscow, which brought together decision makers and
high-level experts from 18 countries, representing government, business, civil

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 25
 society, the research and education community, mass media, national and
international associations, and international organisations (such as the World
Bank, United Nations Development Program and United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe). The participants were made aware of E- and K-
strategies and programme development implementation worldwide. They could
exchange their own unique practical experience and were informed about the
World Summit on Information Society and its preparatory process. Partnership
networks were looked at and analysed as mighty tools to transform the society
towards an information society for all and to enhance the knowledge economy.
One such network is the Russian e-Development Partnership (PRIOR). It is a
loose association of organisations established in November 2001, aimed at
facilitating Russia’s dynamic and fully-fledged development in the information
society through building a partnership between the key forces of e-
development, undertaking targeted efforts to bridge the digital divide, and
assisting in the development of the knowledge economy. Now the partnership
includes 193 organisations from 26 regions of Russia – those ranging from a
one-man company to leading Russian universities and research organisations,
recognised public organisations and IT leaders. It is open for international
participation as well.
One of the significant outcomes of PRIOR and UN ICT TF EuCAs’ joint
activity is the fact that Russia made a step towards a national e-strategy – a
multi-stakeholder working group has been created to prepare a framework for
this document. The group has been established under the umbrella of the
Ministry of Russian Federation for Communication and Informatization, which is
in charge of issues related to the information society.
Today, we are looking at those who are ready to share technologies. We are
waiting for goodwill actions from those who are willing to share their profits,
realising that without it there will be no profits tomorrow. We are closely
cooperating with the Geneva Node of the UN ICT Task Force Europe and Central
Asia regional network. This cooperation resulted in a contribution to the
preparation of the conceptual outcome of the European Regional Ministerial
Conference (Bucharest, 7-9 November 2002), now it refers to the development of
action plans for the WSIS.
It’s time to speak about the dialogue of civilisations. And it’s time to use ICT
for this dialogue. The time is coming to merge TV, radio, multimedia and the
internet into one entity – the entity of knowledge and technology.
We are approaching the World Summit of Information Society. It will take
place in Geneva and Tunisia. Both Summits with our help can turn into a new
form of a dialogue between civilisations.
This is our dream. This is our will. ■

For more information, contact: Andrey Korotkov, Head of Bureau, UN ICT Task Force Regional Network
for Europe and Central Asia. www.unicttaskforce.org

26 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

eEurope:
An information society for all

T
he European Council held in Lisbon in March
2000 set the ambitious objective for Europe
to become the most competitive and
dynamic economy in the world. It recognised an
urgent need for Europe to quickly exploit the
opportunities of the new economy and in particular
the Internet. To achieve this, the Heads of State and
Government invited the Council and the
Commission to draw up ‘a comprehensive eEurope
Action Plan using an open method of co-ordination
based on the benchmarking of national initiatives,
combined with the Commission’s eEurope initiative
as well as its Communication Strategies for jobs in
the Information Society.’
eEurope initially identified ten areas where action
at European level would add value. The key target
areas were revised following the Lisbon European
Council, and clustered into three main objectives: a
cheaper, faster, secure Internet; investing in people
and skills; and stimulating the use of the Internet.

A cheaper, faster, secure Internet
The first priority of this goal was to establish
cheaper, faster Internet, an important aspect of which
involved developing competition in the local loop and
unbundling the local loop. Ensuring that less-favoured
regions can fully participate in the information society
is a priority for the Union. Projects encouraging the
uptake of new technologies in less-favoured regions
are also now a key element in regional development
agendas. In relation to the next generation Internet,
the Commission is also to launch an initiative aimed
at mobilising telecommunications operators and
equipment manufacturers to work together with
service providers and users to ensure the rapid
deployment and use of IPv6.
The next priority in this objective was faster
Internet for researchers and students. Europe needs
to invest more to provide both a truly ‘state-of-the-art’
infrastructure and the technologies required to fully
exploit it. The Commission launched the research
networking activity under the 5th Framework
Programme, which provide €80 million to ensure the
upgrading of trans-European capacity to 2.5 Gbit/s.
The final goal regarded the establishment of secure
networks and smart cards. This included improving
the availability of solutions for Internet security, better
co-ordination to fight cybercrime and the
encouragement of the use of smart cards to improve
the security of access to electronic services (via a
high level Task Force to initiate and support common
developments in the deployment of smart cards).
Investing in people and skills
A key responsibility established in the framework
of the action plan was to integrate European youth
into the digital age, by promoting the relevant use of

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 27
 new technologies and applications, and financing
dissemination of best practices. Extra financial
resources were also made available to ensure that all
pupils have the possibility to be digitally literate by the
time they leave school. Ensuring employability and
adaptability in the new economy is also a primary
responsibility. The Commission played a key co-
ordinating role within the European Employment
Process, which is based on drawing up employment
guidelines at European level and translating them into
National Employment Action Plans.
The Council also noted that there should be no
‘info-exclusion’, adding that special attention should
be given to disabled people. As part of this drive, the
High Level Group on the Employment and Social
Dimension of the Information Society (ESDIS), in co-
operation with the Commission, examined and
monitored legislation and standards relevant to the
information society to ensure their conformity with
accessibility principles. It was also established that
public sector websites and their content in member
states and in the European Institutions must be
designed to be accessible to ensure that citizens with
disabilities can access information and take full
advantage of their potential.
Stimulating the use of the Internet
A critical element of stimulating the use of the
Internet involves accelerating e-commerce. To
ensure the establishment of the internal market for
e-commerce, the Commission proposed a number
of legislative measures – the ‘Dual Use Regulation’
providing an internal market for security products
and the rapid adoption of the e-commerce
Directive, for example. Enabling electronic access to
public services and health information was also
For more information, visit: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/action_plan/pdf/actionplan_en.pdf
28 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
recognised as a critical component, and the
Commission has revised procedures to better
exploit digital technologies.
The Commission also launched a programme to
support European digital content on global networks
and promote linguistic diversity in the information
society. Finally, the eEurope initiative was also
created to address the growing demand for mobility
within transport infrastructure networks – paying
particular attention to the issues of congestion,
safety and the shortage of new services.
Technologies are already being deployed to address
these issues, and eEurope will also kick start new
solutions and accelerate their deployment.
An operational action plan
The action plan acknowledges that there is an
urgent need for Europe to quickly exploit the
opportunities of the new economy and in particular
the Internet. The objectives will contribute to the
development of a stronger and more pro-active
policy in the information society at a global level. In
the context of e-commerce, for example, it will
provide global co-operation between governments
and the private sector, particularly in the
development of co-regulation.
Europe must play an active role in the
development of a more equitable information society,
which offers fair chances of inclusion to all countries.
Closing the 'digital divide' between developed and
developing countries is a key goal for the European
Union. To meet this goal, collaboration with Europe’s
main international partners and private industry will be
necessary. eEurope assists this collaboration, driving
the ambitious objective of making Europe the most
competitive and dynamic economy in the world. ■
FROM THE MARKLE FOUNDATION TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON
THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
A Unique Institution
T
he Markle Foundation is a private not-
for-profit philanthropy. In 1999, the
Foundation focused its mission on
using emerging information and
communications technology (ICT) to improve
people’s lives.
The Foundation creates and operates
most of its own projects using grants,
investments, and strategic alliances with
governments, multilateral organizations,
industry, the academy, think tanks, and other
foundations and non-profit organizations. It is
a unique institution that combines the
functions of an operating foundation, granting
foundation, think tank, and incubator.
One of Markle’s goals is to advance the
policy foundation that will enable the public to
benefit fully from ICT. Markle seeks to
contribute to the development of that
foundation by leading multi-sectoral
policymaking processes through which
government, industry, and non-profits work
with equal dignity to build sound sustainable
ICT policies. Over the last three years, we
have focused much of our work on promoting
meaningful participation of developing
country stakeholders in ICT governance [1].
In addition to serving on the G-8 DOT
Force and the UNICT Task Force, Markle has
undertaken two projects to assist developing
countries in participating fully in ICT
governance.
The Policy Participation Project seeks to
engage developing countries in global ICT
policymaking that will influence how ICT is
deployed at the national level and in the
global marketplace; and
The Global Digital Opportunity Initiative
seeks to integrate ICT into national
development strategies.
Policy Participation Project
Markle created the Policy Participation
Project in 2002 to further the work on policy
participation begun in the G-8 DOT Force,
which expired in the summer of 2002, and the
UNICT Task Force, which is not an
operational body. The goal of this project is to
enable meaningful and effective participation
by developing countries in international
multilateral institutions where ICT
commitments, rules, and policies are made
(e.g., ICANN, ITU, WIPO, and WTO).
While domestic policies are needed to
harness ICT for development effectively,
international policies forged in multilateral
institutions will increasingly define the range
of policy options available to developing
countries. Many developing countries have
not participated effectively in international ICT
policy processes due to capacity and process
limitations. These limitations may cause
developing country stakeholders to question
the transparency, legitimacy, and
accountability of international governance
processes and outcomes related to ICT and
impede both developing and developed
countries in their national and international
ICT goals. Full and equitable participation by
developing nations in multilateral institutions,
therefore, is critical to the realization of their
developmental goals.
Through the UNICT Task Force, Markle is
working on two initiatives to promote
developing country participation in the WTO
and ICANN – two important global ICT
policymaking institutions.
WTO
In Working Group I on Internet Policy and
Governance, Markle is leading an initiative
focused on providing technical assistance to
developing countries on e-commerce and
ICT issues that may be addressed in the
WTO’s Doha Development Agenda and in
other bilateral or regional trade negotiations.
The objective of the ‘WTO Initiative’ is to help
developing countries identify and represent
their interests on e-commerce and ICT-
related issues arising in these trade
negotiations. This objective reflects the
tremendous potential of e-commerce/ICT
and the rules-based trading system to
promote development by using information
and communications technologies to create
new commercial opportunities and trading
efficiencies for developing countries.
Developing countries must participate in the
policymaking process through which the
rules-based trading system is applied to e-
commerce and ICT if that system is to reflect
their interests and maximize ICT-related trade
and development opportunities.
ICANN
Markle has been working with ICANN
since 1999 to ensure that its decisions,
decision-making processes, and venues are
representative and inclusive of all users –
including those in developing countries.
While many of ICANN’s decisions appear to
be strictly ‘technical’, they have important
social and economic ramifications for
developing countries, including: the allocation
and maintenance of country-code top level
domain names (ccTLDs); the standardization
of foreign language domain names; and the
implementation of the Uniform Domain Name
Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) to
safeguard the intellectual property rights of
users in developing nations.
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 29
 At the ICANN board meetings in Accra,
Bucharest and Shanghai, Markle funded
developing country participation and
organized meetings with ICANN officials and
other members of the global domain name
community to discuss how best to ensure
that the needs of developing nations are met.
Markle is also supporting the Uniform Domain
Name Resolution Policy Database that
provides Internet users worldwide with free
access to legal precedents regarding disputes
over Web addresses. The UDRP Database
encourages consistency of globally
distributed decision-making, enables equal
access to information for all parties and
improves ongoing policy development in
dispute resolution. And, Markle is leading the
exploration within the UNICT Task Force of
ways to provide even greater accessibility for
developing countries to ICANN.
The WTO and ICANN initiatives are an
extension of recommendations made on how
developing country participation in IT
governance can be improved in ‘A Roadmap
Toward Enabling Meaningful Participation by
Developing Country Stakeholders’, published
at the conclusion of the DOT Force. The
Roadmap defines the current global ICT
policy environment and the most common
barriers to developing-country participation,
examines key lessons in developing county
participation drawn from other global policy
fora that are not ICT focused, and lays out a
framework of priorities and recommended
actions to increase developing-nation
participation. The Roadmap complements
‘Louder Voices: Strengthening Developing
Country Participation in International ICT
Decision-making’ (‘Louder Voices’), a survey
and report conducted by CTO and PANOS
with DFID support.
Global Digital Opportunity Initiative (GDOI)
Markle, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and a broad set of public-
private partners launched the Global Digital
Opportunity Initiative (GDOI) in February 2002.
GDOI is based on a report developed for the
G-8 leaders at the 2001 Genoa Summit by
UNDP, the Markle Foundation and Accenture
that lays out a strategic framework for action
to assist developing countries in integrating
30 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
ICTs into the mainstream of their development
activities. The report emphasizes the need to
address not only policy changes, but also a
comprehensive agenda of strategic
interventions in the interrelated areas of
human capacity, enterprise, infrastructure and
applications.
GDOI includes a Steering Committee
comprised of senior officials and experts from
both the development and ICT communities
and an International Partners Group
consisting of commercial and non-profit
institutions with expertise and interest in both
ICT and development matters. While GDOI’s
initial work has focused on national e-strategy
development with individual countries,
specifically in South Africa and Mozambique,
GDOI plans to redirect the Initiative into
UNICT Task Force Working Group II on
National and Regional e-Strategies chaired by
UNDP. This will enable GDOI to engage with a
wider set of countries through a series of
regional meetings held under United Nations
auspices, bringing together six-to-eight
countries at each gathering. This approach
not only multiplies the number of countries
involved, but also promotes a peer review
environment and mutual learning among the
countries and outside entities participating.
GDOI partners – experts, donors, investors,
and others – are expected to participate in
these discussions on strategy implementation
as a way of facilitating new partnerships for
the country initiatives that follow.
GDOI’s country engagements to date
include:
Mozambique: GDOI was asked by the
Prime Minister of Mozambique to assist with
a national ICT for development strategy.
Working with an in-country ICT Policy
Commission, GDOI helped finalize an
‘Implementation Strategy’ by providing policy
and technical support to the Government and
other sectors. The Mozambique Council of
Ministers approved the final version in June
2002 and UNDP entered into an agreement
with the Government of Mozambique on an
Implementation Program to which Markle
contributed additional funds. GDOI is now
enlisting other partner organizations to help
implement the strategy.
South Africa: A team of seven GDOI
consultants was invited to participate in a
national e-Strategy Task Team mandated by
the South African Electronic Communications
and Transactions Act of 2002. The GDOI team
is providing expertise in key areas of the
strategy development process: education,
healthcare, e-government, job creation
access/infrastructure and policy.
In addition, Markle supports a set of
experts and NGOs whose work reinforces
the important interventions of policy,
human capacity, enterprise, infrastructure,
and applications addressed in the
framework for action:
• Bridges.org, an NGO focused on policy
issues in South Africa;
• Dr Allen Hammond of World Resources
Institute on the use of ICT to promote
enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovative
business models;
• Professor Ernest Wilson of the University of
Maryland on leadership and human
capacity building;
• Voxiva, a voice and data applications
provider dedicated to serving public
health in poor communities in developing
nations; and
• Interaction, an alliance of 160 international
relief and development non-governmental
organizations seeking to expand the use of
information and communication technology
to facilitate their work.
Markle is also a founding partner along
with Center for Democracy and Technology
(CDT) and Internews of the Global Internet
Policy Initiative (GIPI), an organization
committed to promoting an open and
democratic Internet through the adoption of
legal and policy frameworks in fourteen
developing countries. ■
[1] For further information about the Markle
Foundation’s interest in developing a sound,
sustainable foundation for ICT policy, please see the
following articles published by Markle President Zoë
Baird: ‘Governing the Internet: Engaging
Government, Business and Nonprofits,’ Foreign
Affairs (November 2002); and ‘Promoting Innovation
to Prevent the Internet from Becoming a Wasteland,’
Federal Communications Law Journal (May 2003).
FROM NOKIA TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY

Global focus
on youth and education

N
okia aims to be a good corporate community member
wherever it operates and has been running programmes for
many years to help people, particularly the young, improve
themselves through a wide variety of learning opportunities.
The focus of Nokia’s Corporate Community Involvement
programme is youth and education – a logical step given Nokia’s
leadership in future-oriented technologies. Chairman and CEO
Jorma Ollila puts it this way: “In the future that Nokia’s business is
shaping, people will have the technology to communicate anytime,
anywhere. Helping young people improve their skills, knowledge
and connections to society is a natural outgrowth of Nokia’s
business, vision and values.”
Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that
extends far beyond the advanced technology, products and
services it creates. The company’s Corporate Community
Involvement programme is designed to respond to the expectations
of all stakeholders – customers, employees and investors alike –
and to reflect the company’s core values.
It is dedicated to the ideal of continuous learning – constantly
improving life skills, creating an environment that fosters open and
creative thinking, establishing a meaningful connection with
society and sharing best practices across all borders. Veli
Sundbäck, Nokia’s Executive Vice President, who is in charge of
global Corporate Social Responsibility, explains: “It is not our
intention to promote technology as such even though it is our core
competence. In a fast changing world, we want young people to
develop the skills they are going to need – creative thinking, the
life skills needed to make quick decisions, and simply an ability to Nokia and the IYF make a connection
think for themselves and take responsibility for what’s happening While Nokia has been sponsoring activities to support youth
around them.” and education for many years, 2000 saw the beginning of a multi-
Veli points out that the company has also made local donations year commitment to the International Youth Foundation (IYF) – a
for specific events, such as disaster relief in Kosovo and victims of new and truly global partnership to promote corporate
the Venezuelan floods, in addition to supporting long-term responsibility.
initiatives on all the continents. “It’s not a question of pure In the first year, Nokia invested 3.4 million Euros in the well-
donations – we want to take an active role as a company and as established IYF programme to support children and youth
individual employees,” says Veli. “This is all about human values.” development activities in six countries – China, Germany, South

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 31
 Africa, UK, Mexico and Brazil – as well as to conduct global
programmes. The IYF programme, called ‘Make a Connection’,
will work hand-in-hand with existing Nokia projects in many parts
of the world.
IYF itself is an independent, non-governmental organisation
dedicated to improving the conditions and prospects for young
people wherever they live, learn, work and play. It does so by
drawing on the expertise of a worldwide network of national-level
children and youth development organisations, as well as
corporations, such as Nokia, and governments, to ensure that the
best programmes are identified, strengthened and expanded.
Currently, this global network includes organisations in more than
30 countries with plans to expand to 60 by 2003.
IYF views young people’s needs as an urgent global priority,
with all young people having the innate right to develop their full
potential to become responsible and caring individuals. Its
programmes seek to build character, confidence and competence
and to ‘connect’ young people to their families, peers and
communities.
Creative thinking in China
“In just two days, I learned skills which I believe are most
important to success in the information age. I believe this project
will have a positive and significant impact on nurturing the creative
thinking skills of Chinese university students.”
This is what graduate Fu Peng had to say about Nokia’s
‘Creative Thinking Corner’ project, which helped him to prepare his
thesis for his master’s degree. The programme, launched in Beijing
University of Post and Telecommunications, is the first of its kind
and is touching the lives of thousands of students. It includes a
series of roadshows and Thinking Club activities and has travelled
to 12 universities across China.
An important part of the programme in 2000 was the Nokia
College Student Thinking Challenge Competition, which helped
students from the 12 universities develop their brainpower,
intelligence, innovation abilities, problem-discovery and solutions
capabilities. And, in order to share the project with as wide an
audience as possible in China, the Thinking Corner now has its
own website.
The Thinking Corner, for university students, has a natural
synergy with an existing IYF project called the ‘Little Master
Newspaper’, which is now receiving Nokia backing. Youngsters
under the age of 15 write, edit and produce the newspaper which
has a circulation of more than 1 million.
Folke Ahlback, Chairman of Nokia (China) Investment
Corporation, comments: “We feel that the newspaper encourages
leadership, creativity and responsibility across activities such as
culture, education, sports and the arts. We hope it will emulate the
success of Nokia’s Creative Thinking Corner workshops.”
32 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Life skills initiatives in the UK
For the past seven years, Nokia has sponsored Mencap – the
UK’s leading charity for children and adults with learning disabilities.
The company supports specific projects each year ranging from
establishing a special sensory unit for learning to the construction of
a recording studio to produce Mencap’s newsletter in audio format.
Mencap Chairman Brian Baldock comments: “Computer and
communication technologies have the potential to revolutionise the
lives of people who have a disability by offering a better quality of life
unimaginable only a few years ago.”
Mencap is also one of the partners helping to develop teaching
materials in the new IYF Make a Connection project in the UK,
funded by Nokia and managed by the Children and Youth
Partnership Foundation. The nationwide project is aimed at young
people aged between 11 and 16, including those with special
educational needs, to equip them with the necessary life skills for
future personal and social well-being.
Connecting schools and families in the USA
ClassLink is a well-established example of Nokia’s commitment
to creating a positive impact on society by providing wireless phones
to hundreds of schools across the USA in order to connect students,
teachers and parents more effectively.
More than 90 percent of American classrooms do not have
access to a telephone, yet a national survey of teachers showed that
wireless phones are the one tool they really need. ClassLink, a
philanthropic partnership sponsored by Nokia, the CTIA's Wireless
Foundation and several carriers, answers that need.
Piloted successfully in Texas, Nokia donated 1,000 phones to 200
high schools in the state. Due to the success of the Texas programme,
ClassLink moved into the national arena in 2000. So far, more than
6,000 phones and millions of minutes of airtime have been donated to
schools across the country, bringing teachers and parents into a closer
partnership in the education of their communities’ students.
But ClassLink is not the only Nokia Corporate Community
Involvement project in the USA – others include help for sick children
and support for community issues. The Make a Wish Foundation
supported by Nokia and CBS Channel 11 has given trips to Disney,
puppies and computers to children suffering from life-threatening
illnesses. And The United Way is a programme dedicated to making
communities better places in which to live and work.
Nokia employees choose to donate to a network of agencies
looking after children, families, crisis relief, health and the elderly.
Their contribution went up by 116 per cent in 2000 and the
combination of corporate and employee pledges rose to $472,000 in
2000 from $173,200 the year before. ■
For more information, visit:http://www.nokia.com/cda2/0,1083,2912,00.html
FROM THE SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
ICT - transforming the world
by transforming universities
S
weden started to support
development research in 1975. The
support is currently administered by
Sida’s Department for Research
Cooperation, SAREC, which is responsible
for support to research and also acts as a
resource in programmes of development
cooperation run by other departments of
Sida in which there is a focus on research.
The objective of research cooperation is
to support research, which is of significance
for development in developing countries.
This is done by providing support to
improve the capacity to run research
programs of their own and by providing
support to research which can contribute to
the solution of important development
problems.
Sida is supporting regional research
networks in Africa, Latin America and Asia
which focus on, for example, energy,
biological diversity and biotechnology.
Sida also supports research in important
areas that require special attention. Several
special projects are linked to the four action
programmes which guide Sida’s
international development cooperation:
sustainable development; poverty reduction;
gender equality; and peace, democracy and
human rights.
There are today many donors providing
support to ICT programmes in general. Sida
has established a focal point to promote the
use of ICT, identifying strategic applications
for the various areas of development
cooperation. The focus of ICT support in
research cooperation programmes is to
improve higher education and research at
universities.
Access to the Internet is absolutely
necessary for modern research in term of
access to information, data, communication
and research networking. Within the
framework of research cooperation, Sida is
therefore systematically assisting
universities and research institutions to get
access to Internet. At present, the budget
for ICT projects at universities in developing
countries is approximately 60 MSEK a year.
The ICT projects are usually initiated by
providing assistance for making an ICT
policy and an ICT master plan. To increase
the long-term effects of the ICT projects,
technical infrastructure is just one of the
focused areas. Human resource training at
various levels is an essential part of these
projects as well as the development of ICT-
based services such as distance learning,
policy and organisation development.
SAREC also hopes universities will
emphasize research on ICT as there is a
need to develop an ICT knowledge base in
many developing countries.
Universities are important for
development. In many countries they have
the possibility – and capacity – to be the
driving force that could spearhead the use
of Internet. But they cannot play this role in
isolation. In order to participate in the fight
against poverty the universities must
cooperate with the private sector and the
society in general. The use of ICT will make
their contribution even more important.
Forming a new administration
Introducing ICT as a tool in all administrative
areas is seen by many universities as being
the first step for using ICT as a tool for
education and research.
In the University of Dar es Salaam the
process began with the formulation of an
ICT policy plan. The aim was to provide a
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 33
 common vision for the adoption of ICT with
regard to the university’s mission. Initially,
the process was concentrated on
implementing ICT into the university’s
administration. Access to the Internet was
given high priority.
In 1989-90 a computer centre was
established and in 1999 a dedicated
computer science department was formed.
The process has since then been twofold.
One aim is to develop an ICT structure
within the university and for the university’s
administration. The other aim is to introduce
ICT as a tool for education and research.
Despite the overwhelming needs, there
was a great deal of uncertainty within the
university about the implementation. The
enormous changes ICT would introduce
within the university and the institutions
were not always to everybody’s liking. For
many lecturers, ICT was something that
would disrupt their old habits. For quite
some time, members of faculty remained
unaware and uninformed of the ongoing ICT
process.
One conclusion is that more investment
is needed in promoting the policy within the
university. Internal level management
support is crucial for the implementation of
any ICT plan. If that fails, the work for those
involved in the project will be very
burdensome. Another experience also
shared by other universities is the
importance of end user training. Both
students and staff need to attain at least a
minimum level of computer literacy.
As the University of Dar es Salaam was
a frontrunner in ICT compared to society in
general, most capacities had to be
developed internally. However, the second
level support provided by external partners
in northern universities was vital for the
implementation of the ICT policy plan.
Pedagogy and training
The introduction of ICT into universities is
clearly changing the way education is
conducted. Not only is it possible to work
with distance learning and achieve a closer
collaboration between different universities,
ICT is also paving the way for a new
34 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
pedagogical approach where students are
expected to play a more active role than
before.
The Faculty of Education at UEM in
Mozambique is a newly formed faculty that
has facilitated the introduction of new
pedagogical methods and ideas.
The experience of Professor Ernesto
Mandlate is that ICT is clearly changing the
way education is conducted. Until recently
the focus was on theoretical aspects with
little relation to what was happening outside
the university. The student was seen merely
as a reproducer of knowledge. With the
introduction of ICT the student has come to
play a more active role.
“Students like places with technology so
ICT has given the students a lot of
motivation. Our students already show a lot
of ability in ICT. They go to the library and
search for information etc. But there is no
point teaching students ICT skills if they
have to use pen and paper in the
classroom,” he says.
ICT also gives university teachers the
role of facilitator, organiser, manager and
adviser on top of the knowledge required
within their domain. This, in turn, means that
the professors need to acquire new skills.
Professor Björn Pehrson at KTH calls for
a collaborative framework for learning. With
this individualised learning model, all
students might not learn the same from the
“
Another experience also shared by other
universities is the importance of end user
training. Both students and staff need to attain
at least a minimum level of computer literacy
same course. The Moz-IX project is one
example of this approach.
“I am very much in favour of an Open
Source approach. There is a lot of free
software available in the Open Source
community. One of the first laboratory
exercises for the students is to build a
network using their laptops. Most things can
be done with cheap hardware and free
software,” he explains.
The university within society
As the leader in ICT, universities could play
an important role in the development of the
society, both in cooperation with private
companies and within society at large.
“The university was among the first to
promote the Internet services and Internet
café model,” says Professor Beda
Mutagahywa, University of Dar Es Salaam,
Tanzania. “We initiated the local telephone
company into the Internet business and now
they are providing Internet links to many
organisations, both governmental and
private including small Internet cafés. When
we started, the Internet was very expensive
as all access was through local dial up
system. We developed a wireless solution
that was quickly adopted by many ISPs and
Internet cafés, something that lowered the
access cost for the local entrepreneur.
“The university also played a role in
establishing the ICT business. The first
”
private ISP was started by one of my staff
from the medical college who teamed up
with a foreign company. Others have
followed. Some students have also, when
they graduated, started enterprises together.
“There is a digital divide between
Tanzania and the developed world, but also
one within Tanzania itself. Our attempt to
create public access telecentres, Internet
cafés and other facilities is a way to bridge
the gap.”
“During the genocide in 1994, the
university lost many skilled people and today
we face a lack of teachers,” says Albert
Nsengiyumva, National University of Rwanda.
“In 1998 we opened up the computing centre
at the university. Our first priority was to
provide Internet access for teachers and
students so that they could get
complementary information for their studies.
“We are looking at ICT as an important
way to improve the quality and the
accessibility of education, because the
human resource is one of the keys to social
and economic development of Rwanda
where we don’t have natural resources. The
first level of empowering ICT in Rwanda will
be to educate people. With the use of ICT
we will increase the literacy in the country
by creating the telecentres especially in the
rural areas, by promoting instructional
technology in the existing educational
institutions.
“ICT is a powerful tool in order to link
Rwanda with the outside world and to
facilitate the ongoing reconciliation process.
We need to provide people with information
and knowledge, especially in rural areas.
One thing we are looking at is the
development of telecentres where people
can discuss and share ideas, learn from the
outside on how they handled their
problems, for example the reconciliation
process in South Africa.”
Sweden is one of the most ICT
developed countries in the world in terms of
both usage and population working within
the ICT sector. Swedish industry has great
expertise in areas related to most aspects
of connectivity, including
telecommunication equipment and
“
There is a digital divide between Tanzania and
the developed world, but also one within
Tanzania itself. Our attempt to create public
access telecentres, Internet cafés and other
facilities is a way to bridge the gap
consultant services. Sweden also has
extensive experience of the implementation
and management of technology projects in
distant parts of the world due to a small
home market. These characteristics would
make the Swedish ICT industry an
important partner in the transfer of
knowledge and ICT services to developing
countries. The cooperation with developing
countries would also benefit the private
sector in Sweden, as it will provide access
to new markets in developing countries and
the possibility to recruit personnel with
experience from university cooperation with
Sweden.
In Sweden there is a tradition of close
cooperation between universities and the
private sector. Universities often function as
incubators for commercial projects. They
play an important role, not only in
graduating students but also by actively
participating in various projects. This
cooperation is especially strong in research-
intensive fields such as biotech and ICT.
Listening to universities from developing
countries, one senses a certain hesitation
when it comes to cooperating with the
private sector. In many developing countries
the public sector is the largest employer.
The private sector is small, especially when
it comes to companies in the ICT sector. But
instead of looking for opportunities for
cooperation with the private sector many
institutions fear they might lose qualified
staff without getting anything in return. The
”
Sri Lanka experience shows that there is
little reason for this fear. The University of
Colombo has successfully cooperated with
the private sector for many years.
Achieving sustainability
To bridge the digital divide, huge
investments are required in bandwidth,
running cost, infrastructure, equipment and
human resources along with major support
from the donors. But here lies the problem
with sustainability. In order to make the
investment sustainable, there is a need to
develop a long-term financing model for ICT
at the universities. But who will pay? What
will happen with salaries, software licenses,
connectivity costs, and salaries to match
the private market once donor programmes
are coming to an end?
Sustainability requires income
generation and universities can actually also
make money so cooperation with the private
sector is of vital importance. Many
universities in developing countries are
selling their services to the private sector in
the form of Internet services, consultancy
for private companies, fees for students etc.
Sida is planning to start a study that will
address the issue of sustainability of ICT
projects in the public sector of low income
countries. ■
For more information, visit: www.sida.se
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 35
 FROM THE SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

E-mail over short-wave radio

N
ot a telephone or power pole in sight, not even a satellite
dish, but the people in Wino Ward, a remote Ward in the

“
south-western Corner of Tanzania, are busy sending and
receiving e-mails from all over the world. They are using old fashion
short wave radio.
The e-mail service has not only
A data modem and a laptop allows a classic ‘Codan’ radio
transceiver to send binary files through robust error-checking provided a means of
protocols to a receiving station, BushLink, where the file is put out communication; it has also become
on the Internet. Bushlink is one of two commercial providers in
Tanzania, offering publicly accessible radio e-mail networks to many
an income generating activity

locations in sub-Saharan Africa.
Wino Development Association (WIDA), Wino Savings and Credit
Co-operative Society (SACCO) and Wino Agricultural Marketing Co-
operative Society (WAMCS) have used this e-mail service since
February 2002. The source of energy for the equipment is a 50 W
solar panel and two 12 V batteries. The staff has been trained in
understanding the basics of running the service after training in
Microsoft Word and Excel programmes. The initial cost for a short-
wave radio transceiver with antennae, a laptop, data modem and
software is in the order of USD 3000. The monthly cost is around
USD 30 plus 0.12 per Kbyte for sent and received messages.
The e-mail service has not only provided a means of
communication; it has also become an income generating activity
for the CBOs. Private e-mails are charged USD 1-1.5 depending
”
WAMCS to become a player in the markets for these products.
Coffee prices are followed regularly and WAMCS is able to withdraw
from the market when prices are low and enter when prices are
more favourable. When the coffee price was low in Tanzania, the e-
mail system allowed WAMCS to secure a buyer through the Fair
Trade Coffee Register, who was prepared to pay above the world
market price.
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
has received a request to look into a scaling up of this project by
promoting, attracting and training rural entrepreneurs to run such
low-cost rural e-mail services. ■

upon whether you are a CBO member or not. This income has been
enough to cover the total monthly costs.
This is by no means ‘broadband’ communication; the data
speed is only 2000 baud! However, it does allow e-mail and thus
also facsimile messages to be sent to and from an area, where it
would take a letter posted in Dar es Salaam two weeks to reach its
destination. It has considerably raised the prestige of the Wino
villagers. It has been used by private people to deliver messages of
social character such as death announcements, arrangements of
trips and visits, business matters, family issues etc.
Wino Ward is far away from market centres. However, the area is
very rich in natural resources such as forests and water and is highly
productive, producing coffee as cash crop beside maize, beans,
sunflower, groundnuts and fingermillet. Other activities involve
honey, fruits and timber production. The e-mail system has allowed

36 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
FROM ST MICROELECTRONICS TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Closing the digital divide
through education and training
T
he proposal made by Pasquale Pistorio and
STMicroelectronics (ST) concerns the involvement of
corporations in the fight against the digital divide. The
proposal is based on the firm conviction that, while building
infrastructure – and whatever else is needed to provide Internet
access – is essential for overcoming the technological gap between
the most advanced nations and the developing world, it is equally
important that people be able to use the technology, understand its
importance and recognise the benefits it has to offer. Education and
training are essential to access modern means of communication
and information.
In Pistorio’s opinion, all companies can and should invest in
teaching those who have not had access to the education necessary
to use a PC, no matter where they might live. He suggests that
medium to large corporations – i.e. companies with over 250
employees – voluntarily donate up to 0.1 percent of their annual
revenues and up to 0.1 percent of their employees’ working hours to
this cause. The intention is to create a widespread movement and to
mobilise voluntary donations, not only of hardware, software and
communications connections but also of human resources.
Why get business involved? Firstly, because Pistorio and ST are
deeply convinced that socially responsible companies – that is,
companies that are committed to promoting the wellbeing of the
communities in which they work – generate more value not only for
their stakeholders but also for their shareholders.
Secondly, corporations should consider that by encouraging
employees to transfer basic computer skills they also provide them
with extra motivation. This kind of initiative helps companies to
recruit the best young talent and retain them for longer since they
contribute to increase the motivation of employees and their
acceptance of and identification with the company.
Lastly, in the long run, the most advanced economies will clearly
benefit if, by triggering a process to limit the digital divide and to
contribute to the development of poorer areas of the world, new
markets and new opportunities for trade and production are created.
Moreover, no one should forget the payback in terms of security and
peace for the entire world if economic reasons for potential conflicts
are reduced in the future.
ST has already started down on this track and has completed
the most significant part of the preparation job, that is, building up a
model course for basic PC and internet literacy, and a course to
train its employees or other volunteers to become trainers. The
courses were designed by ST information technology specialists
leveraging the training expertise of the internal corporate school of
management, and are totally royalty-free. As such, they will be
offered to any organisation willing to run the same programme.
The model course, to be deployed in at least 20 hours in a
classroom, not only includes basic PC and internet tools for a user
starting from scratch, but also instructions on security and quality,
as well as an introduction on hardware key elements.
After a successful trial with teachers in an Italian primary
school, translation in all the main languages spoken by the ST
community worldwide has begun, taking into consideration both
local culture and local standards of computing literacy. The
English, French and Italian versions have already been
completed.
More than 50 trainers have now been trained and will initiate, in
2003, the cascading process by which the company aims to reach
one million people in a decade.
The process will first involve members of the ST community at
large, including employees, their relatives, small businesses,
schools, local organisations and administrative entities in the vicinity
of ST sites.
The next steps will foresee the setting up of internet kiosks for
free access to the web and its services and the start-up of remote
training activities, while at the same time expanding the cooperation
with other organisations and business enterprises in order to
broaden the scope and the reach of the initiative. ■
For more information, visit: www.st.com
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 37
 FROM TALAL ABU-GHAZALEH INTERNATIONAL TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The Abu-Ghazaleh Cambridge
IT Skills Centre
T “
alal Abu-Ghazaleh International (TAGI) is one
of the leading providers of professional
services in the Arab world. Although it is a
profit-making firm, it is uniquely distinguished by the
inclusion, in its core mission statement, of a
commitment to contributing to the socio-economic
development of the Arab world. This unusually strong
focus on development issues originates in the life-
long commitment of the firm’s founder, CEO and
namesake Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, to fostering a
renaissance in the Arab world. Abu-Ghazaleh’s
special interests and commitments in this area have
resulted in his becoming a leading Arab business
leader in the field of development.
In the late 1990s, his belief in the power of
information and communication technologies (ICTs)
increased to such an extent that he acted as a
catalyst to the development process. The increasing
focus on ICTs led to an evolving leadership role at an
international level, which culminated in his current
international leadership position as chairman of the
ICC’s Commission on Electronic Business,
Information Technology and Telecoms (EBITT), and
co-chair of the UN ICT Task Force.
The stumbling block for Mr Abu-Ghazaleh in
seeing his vision of an Arab information society
realised is that the Arab world is one of the most
digitally deprived regions in the world. Other issues
that pose problems include lack of high-quality local
content (i.e. Arabic language materials), and
significant lack of literacy in basic computer skills.
One solution pioneered by Abu-Ghazaleh was to
partner with Cambridge International Examinations
(CIE), one of the world’s foremost educational
institutions. Together with the Arab Knowledge
Management Society (AKMS), they formed Abu-
Ghazaleh Cambridge IT Skills Centre (AGCA). AGCA
was established to prepare prospective candidates for
the Cambridge IT Skills Award tests in Arabic.
38 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
The key to initiating the
project was TAGI’s core
commitment and mission
to Arab development
”
Individuals who successfully complete this course are
awarded the Cambridge Skills Award in Information
Technology. CIE provided their world-renowned
educational materials and awards, which were
translated into Arabic and marketed by TAGI.
The only difficulty the project experienced was
that which affects most development-oriented
initiatives: financing. CIE and TAGI are both profit-
making companies. For CIE, venturing into the
marketing of Arabic versions of their products would
be too risky without a strong local partner. Even for
TAGI, some of their in-house consultants were
sceptical of the profitability of the project. The key to
initiating the project was TAGI’s core commitment and
mission to Arab development.
Thus far, the project has yielded far greater
success than was initially imagined. Utilising a
franchising system, TAGI has begun spreading the
Abu-Ghazaleh Cambridge IT Skills Centres (AGCA) to
academic and other institutions across the region.
This is a demonstration of a winning partnership
between the two motivations of development and
profit making in one successful project. ■
For more information, visit: www.tagi.com
p39 World bank_ed 21/11/03 10:35 am Page 39
FROM THE WORLD BANK GROUP TO THE WORLD SUMMIT
ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The World Bank Group:
fostering digital opportunities
T
he World Bank Group’s strategy for
ICT lays out four directions for our
work:
• Policy for ICTs, including
telecommunications reform, access
programmes and e-strategies.
• Connectivity, including support for private
sector roll-out of information infrastructure.
• Skills, supporting public private
partnerships to generate human capital to
exploit ICTs.
• Applications, using ICTs to deliver the
goals of development.
The Bank is currently involved in over 70
countries worldwide working with
governments to improve the policy and
regulatory environment for information
infrastructure. This involves support not only
for the development of well regulated,
competitive private provision of
infrastructure, but also innovative subsidy
schemes to support the roll-out of services
to poor and rural communities.
The IFC, the World Bank Group’s
private sector arm, has mobilised about
USD 5 billion in private capital over the
past 10 years to extend access to
information infrastructure in developing
countries. Including the catalytic impact of
IFC projects, this investment can be linked
to the roll-out of 32 million new cellular
connections – equal to 20 percent of all of
the mobile phones in developing countries
at the start of 2000. MIGA, the private
sector guarantee agency, has also
supported a number of
telecommunications investments.
Turning to skills, the Bank has been a
leader in expanding e-learning operations.
This is not only through lending operations
such as the Turkey Basic Education Project
which will eventually link 10,000 schools to
the Internet, but also through a number of
special initiatives. The Global Development
Learning Network, World Links and the
Africa Virtual University all provide e-
education facilities – the first through a
network of 32 learning centres, the second
through virtual teaching that has reached
24,000 tertiary students and the third
through a programme that has reached
130,000 primary and secondary school
students in LDCs.
Finally, the Bank also supports roll-out
of ICT applications in government services
from budget and accounting to education
and telemedicine. In total, somewhere
between USD 1-2 billion in lending each
year goes to support the ICT components of
such projects.
The World Bank Group is continually
evolving its ICT agenda to ensure that its
policy and investment tools remain effective
in a rapidly changing sector. This evolution
is underpinned by a commitment to learning
and knowledge development within the
Bank and beyond, covering research, pilots
and dissemination. Much of this
development and dissemination is
supported by infoDev, which was one of the
first grant initiatives created to back pilot
projects that put ICT to work in the fight
against poverty. It has supported over 250
projects covering initiatives such as rural
telecentres, e-readiness studies and use of
the Internet to sell products created by
artisans. More recently, the Development
Gateway has also played an important role.
The Gateway is more than a website
containing best practice and information on
development topics, it also acts as an e-
procurement portal, an aid database and a
centre for knowledge creation surrounding
ICT and development.
Finally, it should be noted that the World
Bank Group’s ICT strategy recognises the
great importance of cooperation and
partnership in an area where so many
governments, private companies, donors
and non-governmental organisations are at
work, and on an agenda that is far too large
for any one organisation to hope to tackle
alone. The World Bank Group sees
collaboration with and learning from our
development partners central to the effort of
grasping digital opportunities. ■
For more information, visit: www.worldbank.org
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 39
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY TASK FORCE WORKING GROUP 1 TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
ICT Policy and Governance
I
nformation and communication
technology (ICT) is an important tool that
developing countries can use to achieve
social and economic growth by, for
example, creating new economic activities
and markets, improving mechanisms for
delivering education and healthcare, and
mapping environmental resources and
planning for their sustainable usage.
ICT policy and governance will be one
of the key factors shaping how ICT is
deployed for development and whether it is
deployed successfully. Accordingly, the goal
of Working Group I of the UNICT Task Force
is to improve developing country
participation in global ICT policymaking
institutions.
Background
Over the last decade, the number of
global ICT policymaking institutions has
grown along with the importance of their
work. Many traditional, government-
dominated multilateral institutions – such as
the International Telecommunication Union
(ITU), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), and World Trade
Organization (WTO) – as well as new non-
governmental bodies – such as the World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN), and Global Business
Dialogue on Electronic Commerce (GBDe) –
are identifying critical ICT policy issues and
addressing them. The policies these
institutions are setting have a direct impact
on how developing countries promote the
use of ICT at home, and consequently, on
their ability to reap the benefits of the
networked economy and society.
40 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
“
Developing country participation in ICT
governance will ensure that ICT resources and
benefits are more democratically distributed
This reality highlights the critical need for
developing country stakeholders to
participate more effectively in these
multilateral institutions. However a lack of
financial and human resources and
incomplete information with which to
develop negotiating priorities and positions
makes it difficult for developing countries to
participate in, and contribute effectively to,
the complex international policymaking
processes related to ICT. As a result,
developing countries may not be fully
invested in the ICT policies developed in
these multilateral institutions and may
question the accountability and
inclusiveness of those policies. Some of
these institutions have learned first-hand the
importance of improving developing country
participation and are taking meaningful steps
to do so. But there is much work left to do.
The Plan
Working Group I on ICT Policy and
Governance is addressing these
”
challenges by promoting transparency,
legitimacy, and accountability of the
international governance processes and
outcomes related to ICT to ensure that
they represent and serve all stakeholders,
including the developing countries that
have so much to gain from ICT.
Developing country participation in ICT
governance will ensure that ICT resources
and benefits are more democratically
distributed by promoting the development
of ICT outcomes that reflect developing
country interests, needs, and experiences.
Working Group I convenes
approximately two times per year during
the UNICT Task Force meetings.
Participation is open to all governments,
industry, and non-profit representatives
who have an interest in ICT policy and
governance and in improving developing
country participation in global ICT
policymaking. For each meeting, the
agenda includes the initiatives that the
Working Group is pursuing. Participants
are encouraged to propose other agenda
items for the purpose of exploring new
initiatives, improving understanding of
specific ICT policy issues, and showcasing
their own ICT policy work.
In its first year (2002), Working Group I
and its participants published two
documents recommending strategies for
improving developing country participation
in ICT governance: ‘A Roadmap: Global
Policymaking for Information and
Communications Technologies’ and ‘Louder
Voices’. For 2003, Working Group I has
launched two initiatives involving the WTO
and ICANN. In addition, CTO/Panos, a
Working Group I participant, will support a
series of initiatives to build capacity among
developing countries to participate more
broadly in international ICT policymaking.
WTO Initiative
The WTO Initiative focuses on
assisting developing countries in
becoming active and successful
participants on e-commerce/ICT issues in
WTO and other trade negotiations, an
increasingly important issue with the
launching of the WTO’s Doha Development
Agenda and the expanding number of
bilateral and regional free trade
agreements. The WTO Initiative will serve
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
that call for the further development of an
open, rules-based, predictable, non-
discriminatory trading system (MDG 8,
Target 12) and mandate that the benefits
of new technologies, especially
information and communication
technologies, should be made available to
all (MDG 8, Target 18).
The milestones of this initiative are to:
• Develop materials explaining what e-
commerce/ICT issues the WTO and
other trade agreements will be
addressing over the next 1-3 years and
why they are significant to developing
countries;
• Disseminate these materials through a
network of experts, partners, and
institutions who are working to promote
developing country participation in ICT
governance.
ICANN Initiative
The ICANN Initiative seeks to improve
developing country participation in both
the technical and the policy aspects of
ICANN. ICANN is responsible for
managing the domain name space (DNS);
allocating IP addresses; managing the root
server system; and coordinating protocol
number assignment. All of this means that
ICANN’s decisions are tremendously
important to the worldwide community –
developed and developing countries.
This initiative is exploring how to:
• Assist African countries in creating their
own regional internet registry (RIR),
AfriNic, that would provide for increased
technical capacity as well as more
decision-making power within ICANN.
Existing RIRs have proven an effective,
transparent and bottom-up means of
channelling local DNS concerns into
policy. They are a crucial means of
ensuring that regional IP resources are
efficiently and fairly distributed.
• Create linkages between the UNICT
Taskforce and ICANN to improve
developing nations’ understanding of
and participation in ICANN (as well as
possibly manage a travel-fund); and
• Advise ICANN in creating regional
outreach centres or networks.
Louder Voices
CTO/Panos will launch several
initiatives drawn from the Louder Voices
recommendations to build capacity by
providing basic tools, resources, and
training that can be applied to international
ICT policymaking, including:
• Establishing regional institutes on ICT
policy and regulation;
• Developing an authoritative website on
ICT policy issues;
• Establishing a fund to support small-
scale research studies;
• Developing a code of practice for
‘fellowship’ and similar programs to
enhance participation in ICT policy-
making;
• Developing a model policy-making
processes to address international ICT
issues; and
• Stimulating public awareness and
debate on international ICT issues.
Conclusion
Participation in ICT policymaking
processes is a critical component of the
Task Force’s work on ICT for development.
Working Group I welcomes all
governments, industry representatives,
multilateral institutions, and civil society
actors who wish to share their experiences
and resources in support of this work. ■
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 41
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TASK FORCE
WORKING GROUP 2 TO THE WORLD SUMMIT
ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

NATIONAL & REGIONAL E-DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES:

A BLUEPRINT FOR ACTION

T
he focus of e-development strategies
is to enhance development through
effective deployment of ICT, putting
in place the conditions necessary to achieve
these ends.
Convinced by this potential of ICT to
enhance national and regional development
opportunities, and realising that
telecommunication and IT sector reforms
by themselves were insufficient to release
this potential, a number of developing
countries have embarked on formulating
and implementing e-strategies or ICT for
Development (ICT4D) strategies. Many
have yet to do so, and are looking to
understand what needs to be done and to
get a clearer sense of the results that can
be expected.
In developing e-strategies, countries do
not necessarily retrace all the steps of
those who have gone before but adapt
their strategies to new environments and
opportunities. For both developed and
developing countries, e-strategies are thus
an evolving process rather than a fixed
output that is defined once and for all. In
analysing past national and regional e-
strategies, impact is seen to vary
according to the approach followed.
Strategies can be differentiated along some
of the following:
largely connectivity-centred focus on the
digital divide to a more holistic
development focus that concentrates on
the deployment of ICT.
• Awareness of the networked economy
and society as opportunity and
challenge: ICT themselves have helped
to underpin the process of global
integration through the creation of a
networked economy and society. This
has transformed the ways in which
organisations, services, production and
markets are organised, creating new
opportunities and challenges for those
not yet networked.
• The distinctive focus on ICT – as a
sector and/or enabler of development:
development of the ICT sector is not
essential for deployment of the
technology, nor can all countries benefit
from developing a sector.
National approaches to ICT
ICT as a sector
While falling costs and an increase in
technology options are making ICT more
accessible than ever before, difficulties in
securing investment funds and private
sector involvement remain in the wake of
the dotcom and telecom crashes. This
increases the premium on well-defined,
costed and implementable strategies, as
well as the need to think of new
partnerships, business models and
implementation strategies in terms of ODA.
The e-strategy
As an enabler of development, ICT has
the potential to assist in the achievement of
millennium development goals: through the
creation of new economic and social
opportunities; the promotion of greater
participation in development policies and
processes; an increase in the efficiency,
accountability and delivery of public
ICT as an enabler

• Degree of integration of telecom in e-

strategies: few address the full range of National capacity/ Export market Global Development
ICT and converging technology choices domestic market focus positioning focus goals focus
Focus e.g. Costa Rica, e.g. Malaysia/ e.g. Estonia, South
and platforms. e.g. Brazil, India India (1990s) Ireland Africa (1990s)
(1960s-1980s)
• Digital divide as opposed to digital
opportunities for development focus:
Source: p. Final Report of Digital Opportunity Initiative, a partnership of UNDP, Accenture & the Markle Foundation
strategies are only slowly evolving from a http://www.opt-int.org/

42 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
 e-strategy essentials / a blueprint for national and regional e-strategies
This blueprint highlights 10 key steps for conceiving, planning and implementing e-strategies.
Telecom-IT cohesion
Regional integration
services; as well as through assisting with
improving the content, access and delivery
of education and healthcare.
However, this awareness of the
development potential of ICT is often not
fully reflected in the formulation of national
e-strategies, many of which either lay
primary emphasis on ICT as a sector (IT
services, call centres), assuming that this
can emerge as a new growth and export
sector, or focus on ICT as an enabler, but in
a more piecemeal fashion.
Also critical in making the case for a
strategic deployment of ICT to support the
achievement of millennium development
goals is the potential to demonstrate
impact. There are currently few studies or
strategies that outline a strategic
programmatic vision with regard to ICTs
and development in terms of benchmarks,
goals, etc.
Poverty
reduction goal
Implementation modalities
Prioritisation programmes
Holistic framework
Multi-stakeholder strategy
Vision and leadership
Bottom up approaches
Identification of strategic entry points
It is important to begin by identifying
areas where ICT can have a critical
development impact. Most e-assessments
do not have this development focus in
mind. Development entry points for the
strategy may be usefully derived from the
priorities identified in the national poverty
reduction strategy and other development
policies and plans.
To consider a few recent examples: in
the case of Mozambique, the ICT policy
implementation strategy draws its priorities
from the PARPA or poverty reduction
strategy. There are indications that the
PARPA may in turn be iteratively revised to
address deployment of ICT for development.
Within the context of the IT Masterplan
2001-2005, the pre-eminent focus is more
on ICT as a sector rather than ICT as an
enabler. But in general, these are the
Processes to enhance
global inclusion
Donor cooperation
and resource mobilisation
exceptions rather than the rule. In the
context of the PRSP exercise, ICT is yet to
be viewed as a strategic enabler for
development and poverty reduction. There
are examples of ICT but as of yet there are
no systematic case studies or guidelines
on ICT as an enabler in the PRSP
sourcebook. ICT is viewed as infrastructure
or considered in the context of private
sector development.
Moving forward, it could prove both
useful and important to secure
complementarity at the policy and
implementation levels between the national
ICT and poverty reduction strategies by
inserting development in ICT strategies and
ICT in poverty reduction strategies. ■
For more information, contact:
UN ICT TF Working Group 2.
E-mail: denis@undp.org
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 43
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TASK FORCE
WORKING GROUP 5 TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY
A road to universal
broadband connectivity
A
s an implementation of very low cost ICT
infrastructure, we have developed a store-
and-forward wireless network for rural
connectivity known as DakNet. The name derives
from the Hindi word ‘dak’ which means ‘post’ or
‘postal’. The DakNet wireless network takes
advantage of existing communications and
transportation infrastructure to distribute digital
connectivity to outlying villages lacking digital
communications infrastructure. DakNet combines
physical means of transportation with wireless data
transfer in order to extend the internet connectivity
provided by a central uplink or hub (e.g. a cybercafe,
VSAT or post office) to kiosks in surrounding villages.
Instead of trying to relay data over a long distance
(which can be expensive), DakNet transmits data over
short point-to-point links between kiosks and portable
storage devices called mobile access points (MAPs).
Mounted on and powered by a bus, motorcycle or
even bicycle, the MAP physically transports data
“DakNet transmits data over
short point-to-point links
between kiosks and
portable storage devices
called mobile access points
”
44 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
among public kiosks and private communications
devices (as an intranet) and between kiosks and a
hub (for non-real-time internet access). Through the
use of low cost WiFi radio transceivers, the data
carried by the MAP is automatically and wirelessly
transferred at high bandwidth for each point-to-point
connection. The operation of the network can be
described as follows:
1. As the vehicle carrying the MAP comes within
range of each village (up to 1km depending on line-
of-sight, velocity and use of antennas) they
automatically sense a wireless connection with a
kiosk and deliver and collect data at relatively high
bandwidth (300Kbs-11Mbs).
2. Whenever a MAP comes within range of another
kiosk or a hub, data is automatically uploaded to,
and downloaded from, the Intranet/Internet.
3. This cycle is repeated for every vehicle carrying a
MAP unit, thereby creating a low-cost wireless
network and seamless communications
infrastructure. Even a single vehicle passing by a
village once per day is sufficient to provide daily
information services.
Although the data transport provided by DakNet
is not real-time, a significant amount of data can be
moved at once, supporting a variety of applications.
As a result, it is interesting to note that physically
transporting data from village to village by this
means generally provides a higher data throughput
than other low bandwidth technologies, such as
telephone modems.
By employing short distance radio links, DakNet
allows for small low cost, low power radio devices to
be used. Perhaps more importantly, the use of short
distance radio links also ensures high data rates and
does not have the interference problems, security
problems and maintenance costs associated with
long distance wireless links.
 DakNet can be used to support a wide variety of
applications such as:

“
• Internet/Intranet messaging: e-mail and video/audio
messaging.
• Information distribution/broadcasting: community
bulletin boards, public health announcements,
music and video broadcasts.
Although the data transport provided
• Information collection: collection of environmental by DakNet is not real-time, a
sensor information, voting, census/polling, health significant amount of data can be
records and land records.
• Information searching, web services: searching and
moved at once, supporting a variety
browsing, and e-commerce. of applications

”
• Rural supply chain management: tracking the
movement of goods. ■

For more information, contact:

Prof. Alex (Sandy) Pentland, Dr Richard Fletcher,
Amir Alexander Hasson, MIT Media Laboratory
E-mail: daknet@media.mit.edu

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 45
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TASK FORCE
WORKING GROUP 6 TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY
Technology solutions advance
entrepreneurship in developing countries
“ W
orking Group 6 (WG6) was
created with the understanding
that ICTs can be leveraged to
The projects are achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Over the past year, the working group has
consistent in their assessed the development environment and
overall goals: has recently engaged in three specific
projects aimed at helping enterprises and
addressing the entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.
business and financial With the assistance of experts in the field
needs, and sustainable and inputs from those who have worked in
development, the chair of WG6 has crafted
economic growth in a strategy that will allow the working group
developing countries to directly affect medium enterprises, small
to medium-sized businesses and micro-
”
entrepreneurs. In addition, WG6 is also
drafting policy recommendations for
governments wishing to create a more
enabling environment for business
development. To achieve this goal, WG6 has
partnered with outside NGOs, most notably
Bridges.org and Open Economies.
Each of the projects being pursued
under the WG6 umbrella is unique in its
focus, scope and reach. Yet the projects are
consistent in their overall goals: addressing
the business and financial needs, and
sustainable economic growth in developing
countries. These goals parallel those of the
Millennium Development Goals. Thus all the
WG6 projects are focused on concretely
applying the benefit of ICTs to entrepreneurs
and enterprises in developing countries.
Enablis
In the category of medium-sized
businesses, WG6 is continuing the efforts
initiated by the DOT Force entrepreneurship
task force through an already partially
46 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
funded initiative called Enablis. A new
organisation that will be piloted in South
Africa, Enablis will provide venture capital-
style funding and support to medium-sized
businesses that are either focused on ICT
or are using ICT in innovative ways.
Enablis will also serve as a focal point for
expertise in the ICT/entrepreneurship area.
It is believed that Enablis will have a
transformational impact on the socio-
economic environment of the businesses it
supports. This vision is to be achieved
through loan financing, direct business and
technical support to the SMEs, as well as
policy advice to governments that
encourages a more bottoms-up approach
to business development.
DevelopmentSpace Network
WG6 has formed an alliance with the
Center for Global Development, Many
Futures Inc. and State of the World Forum
to create the DevelopmentSpace Network
(DSN). DSN is an innovative approach to the
way the private sector and civil society can
participate in development. Through a
website (www.developmentspace.com)
created by Many Futures, the alliance will
create a virtual marketplace that matches
pre-qualified community-based projects in
developing countries to individual donors
who wish to make direct contributions. By
building a bridge between small donors and
small entrepreneurs, DSN plans to link
individuals at a person-to-person level for
the transfer of financial and skills-based
resources. It is the vision of the alliance that
grantmaking and individual and corporate
investment to the developing world will
dramatically increase, resulting in direct
partnerships between the private sector and
civil society that will help reach and surpass
the Millennium Development Goals.

Microdevelopment finance team

WG6 has focused on micro-
entrepreneurs by seeking solutions that
enable the dramatic scaling of microfinance.
A team of dedicated and talented
individuals who comprise a cross-section of
organisations involved in microfinance has
been convened by WG6. Over the past
several months, this team has been
considering the key obstacles that are
preventing the microfinance industry from
reaching scale and exploring potential
solutions. The elements of the solution are
likely to include:

• Financial instruments that can attract

sizeable new commercial investment.

• Consistent management information for each aspect of microfinance. The

systems and standardised operations and implementation of such a solution will

“
reporting systems. require a voluntary, decentralised
• Universal, low-cost, end-to-end, real-time organisation structure that supports

It is believed that information flows within the sector and
between microfinance institutions and
Enablis will have a organisations outside the sector.
transformational impact • Innovative solutions (both high-tech and
low-tech) for reducing the cost of
on the socio-economic transactions.
environment of the • Flexibility in the design and delivery of
continued local innovation, institutional
autonomy and consensus building around
critical issues. The concept behind this
initiative was announced at the
Microcredit+5 Summit held the week of 11
November 2003 in New York City. The team
is continuing to reach out to parties who are

businesses it supports financial services to meet diverse and interested in participating. ■

changing local needs.

”
For more information, contact:
The group is seeking a solution that will www.unicttaskforce.org
leverage the most appropriate technology

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 47
 FROM THE WIRELESS INTERNET INSTITUTE TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The Wireless Internet Opportunity
for Developing Countries
T
he promises of wireless Internet technologies
have generated much interest on the part of
the international-development community.
While in developed nations these technologies have
primarily been associated with mobility applications
and local area networking in homes and offices, their
most intriguing application in developing nations is
the deployment of low-cost broadband Internet
infrastructure and last-mile connectivity.
The rationale for such interest is simple in theory:
The digital divide cannot be resolved any time soon
because of the prohibitive cost of deploying
conventional wired infrastructure in developing
countries. Wireless Internet, however, has the
potential to ease this bottleneck. And leading IT
vendors do confirm that wireless Internet should be
the most promising accelerator of technology
adoption in developing nations. In support of these
hopes, technology is readily available and more
accessible every day thanks to standardization and
fast-declining costs.
So, why should this topic become central to the
World Summit on Information Society initiative?
Wireless Internet may be a very effective and
inexpensive connectivity tool, but it does not carry
any magic in itself. It can only be successfully
deployed as demand for connectivity and bandwidth
emerges in support of relevant applications for the
populations served. These may be supporting e-
government, e-education, e-health, e-business or e-
agriculture applications. But those are not easily
implemented in the developing world.
Consequently, demand aggregation for wireless
Internet connectivity around applications needs to be
48 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
explored and documented to support wireless
infrastructure investment needs. A multitude of field
experiments are currently under way in the developing
world, suggesting that wireless Internet can be
sustainably and in some cases profitably deployed in
support of economic and social development
objectives.
One common characteristic among these
deployments is their unconventional, often grass-
roots origin. Entrepreneurs from the private, public, or
not-for-profit sectors are independently developing
original deployment models pointing to potential
solutions. Most, however, must confront serious
challenges that are non-technical in nature and
associated with legacy regulations, administrative
obstacles, and the opposition of incumbent
telecommunications operators.
Key issues need to be clarified and brought to the
attention of governments, international development
agencies, and nongovernmental organisations, whose
goals are to bridge the digital divide. Documenting
this worldwide phenomenon, sharing best practices
and experiences, and promoting adequate policies
can help to accelerate the resolution of the many
obstacles that constrain the expansion of one of the
most promising information-technology tools of this
century. ■
Adapted from 'The Wireless Internet Opportunity for Developing
Countries', co-published by the infoDev Program of the World Bank,
the UN ICT Task Force, and the Wireless Internet Institute, a Division
of World Times, Inc., to be released at the World Summit on
Information Society in Geneva in December and available on W2i's
website: www.w2i.org.
FROM THE ASIA-PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT
INFORMATION PROGRAMME TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
ICT Policy Development
and Implementation seminar for Afghanistan
T
he Asia Pacific Development Information Programme
(APDIP) in collaboration with the UNDP Afghanistan Country
Office successfully conducted a specialised seminar on ICT
Policy Development and Implementation from 14-18 October 2002
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The curriculum of the seminar was
tailored to the specific needs of government officials from
Afghanistan: to provide professional expertise and assistance in the
development of organisational, national and international ICT
policies for their country.
“APDIP aims to promote the development and application of
ICT for poverty alleviation and sustainable human development in
the Asia Pacific region,” said Shahid Akhtar, the programme’s
Regional Coordinator. “By providing assistance in formulating
comprehensive ICT frameworks and enabling policies, we help
countries to harness the potential of ICT to support national
development in line with their social, economic and political
objectives.”
Headed by the Afghanistan Minister of Communications, H.E.
Masoom Stanekzai, the Afghan delegation included representatives
from the Ministries of Information, Foreign Affairs, Education,
Justice, Higher Education, Women Affairs, Commerce and Finance,
as well as from the Afghan Assistance Coordination Authority. “The
need for ICT development in Afghanistan is huge and the
development of policy is a critical ingredient for the success of the
ICT programmes,” said Mr Stanekzai.
With the assistance of a skilled facilitator and ICT policy
specialist, the group identified challenges, issues and processes for
developing and implementing a national ICT policy for Afghanistan.
Citing a vision to build a high-quality, low-cost ICT network for
Afghanistan, a strategy paper was produced that outlines pertinent
public policy issues and recommends the development of a
national ICT policy for Afghanistan in consultation with
stakeholders. The paper puts forward three objectives to be
pursued by the strategy:
1. Ensure affordable and equitable access to ICT networks and
infrastructure.
2. Provide universal access to ICT information and knowledge.
3. Reinforce the role of government as a model user of ICT.
Five principles are also put forward to guide the development
and implementation of policy:
1. An interconnected and interoperable network of networks.
2. Collaborative public and private sector development.
3. Competition in facilities, products and services.
4. Privacy protection and network security.
5. Lifelong learning as a key element of ICT policy.
Afghanistan already has two key building blocks in place for a
national ICT policy: the National Telecommunications Policy issued
in July 2002, and the Telecommunications Development Strategy
issued in October 2002. These documents tackle critical aspects of
building communications infrastructure. However, a number of
complementary public policy issues related to content and capacity
building must be addressed before further progress can be made
towards the development of a national ICT policy. These public
policy issues, ranging from competition to culture, and from access
to learning, will be discussed and debated by representatives of all
levels of Afghan society.
Mr Stanekzai is considering the establishment of a National
Information and Communications Technology Council (NICTC)
consisting of a core group of UNDP/APDIP ICT policy seminar
participants, to which representatives from various levels of Afghan
society would be added. The NICTC would use the strategy report
as a roadmap to ensure an appropriate and balanced approach to
providing network access, information and knowledge access to all
sectors of Afghanistan that respects Afghanistan’s history, socio-
economic and cultural realities, international context and
encourages investment and innovation. ■
For more information, visit: www.apdip.net
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 49
p50-51 APC 21/11/03 10:44 am Page 50

From the Association for Progressive

Communications to the World Summit on the
Information Society

APC: internet and ICTs for

social justice and development

“ Our Internet Rights programme works to build the capacity

of civil society organisations to understand the issues and
influence of policy and to ensure that ICTs and the Internet

”
are tools for development and democracy

T
he Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is an
international network of civil society organisations. APC is
dedicated to empowering and supporting groups and
individuals working for peace, human rights and the development and
protection of the environment, through the strategic use of information
and communication technologies (ICTs), including the Internet.

Technology: practice and policy

APC’s members were often the first providers of the Internet in
their countries. Today, we continue to pioneer practical and relevant
uses of ICTs for civil society, especially in developing countries. APC
is an international facilitator of civil society’s engagement with ICTs
and related concerns (in both policy and practice), who strives for a
just and inclusive information society. Our Internet Rights
programme works to build the capacity of civil society organisations
to understand the issues and influence of policy and to ensure that
ICTs and the Internet are tools for development and democracy.
The APC’s Internet Rights charter
(http://rights.apc.org/charter.shtml) outlines our position on the right
to communicate, freedom of expression, diversity of ownership and
control, licensing, intellectual property, privacy, governance of the
Internet and awareness of rights.
We work to expand concern for ICT issues into the broadest
range of civil society organisations: social movements, women’s
groups, human rights organisations, trade unions, environmental
activists and more. We aim to generate information, explain
issues, build capacity and encourage lobbying – supporting the
voice of civil society to build a just information society. Visit
http://www.apc.org/english/rights/why_ir_and_civsoc.shtml to
read why civil society should lobby and protect our right to use
the Internet.

50 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
p50-51 APC 21/11/03 10:44 am Page 51

Working regionally in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean

The APC has active Internet Rights initiatives in Africa and Latin
America and the Caribbean (LAC), and works with networks of
activists in Asia and Europe. To read more about our activities,
please visit http://rights.apc.org.
In 2001, APC brought together civil society representatives to
Internet Rights workshops in Europe, Asia and LAC. In November
2002, we held a successful African Civil Society and ICT policy
workshop in Addis Ababa hosted by the UN Economic Commission
for Africa. Over 80 people attended from all over the continent. This
workshop (http://africa.rights.apc.org/workshop.shtml) developed an
African civil society statement on ICT policy, with specific actions
and contact people in each region.
Monthly newsletters are produced in LAC and Africa on ICT
policy issues as complements to our regional ICT policy monitoring
websites. Occasionally special issues on WSIS and related themes

“
are produced.
We are developing a one-week training course on ICT policy
for civil society, which will be translated into French and
Portuguese. Currently in draft form, this was demonstrated at the
Addis conference.
We work to expand concern for ICT
issues into the broadest range of
The Communication Rights in the Information Society campaign
civil society organisations
The APC is a member of the campaign for Communication

”
Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) (http://www.crisinfo.org),
which brings together many civil society organisations and
individuals committed to building an information society that
benefits all. Communication rights are emerging as a key issue. The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not fully recognise this,
however, the World Summit on the Information Society could declare
it a universal right.
APC would like to thank IDRC, the Open Society Institute, the
CTO and Hivos for their support of our Internet Rights work. ■

For more information, contact: Dr Peter Benjamin, APC Communications

and Information Policy Programme Manager. E-mail: peterb@apc.org

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 51
 FROM CISCO SYSTEMS INC. TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

Bridging the digital divide

through the Cisco Networking Academy Program

T
he Cisco Networking Academy
Program is a comprehensive e-
learning programme that provides
students with the internet technology skills
essential in a global economy. The
Networking Academy Program delivers
web-based content, online assessment,
student performance tracking, hands-on
labs, instructor training and support, and
preparation for industry-standard
certifications. 24 of the world’s 49 least developed countries, companies and individuals,”
Launched in 1997, there are now over countries (LDCs) by the end of 2001. Chambers stated.
10,000 networking academies in 149 “The Cisco Networking Academy The initial target was met six months
countries. Over 296,000 students are Program enables the Internet to bring digital ahead of schedule. The Academy Program
enrolled in academies in high schools, opportunity to every corner of the earth. By has been established in 32 LDCs and six
colleges and universities, technical schools, including these countries in our programme African non-LDCs. Eighty-six academies
community-based organisations, and other we will show that the Internet and education have been established at universities,
educational programmes around the world. are truly the two great equalisers in life for technical schools, secondary schools and
Cisco has partnered with various
international organisations to help bring
digital opportunities to disadvantaged and
at-risk communities worldwide.

Least developed countries initiative

During the G-8 Summit in July 2000,
leaders of eight major industrialised
democracies called for new public and
private sector efforts to bridge the global
digital divide. In response, Cisco System’s
President and CEO, John Chambers, and
United Nations Development Program
Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown,
announced the Least Developed Countries
Initiative. Their intention was to partner with
the US Agency for International
Development/Leland Initiative/EDDI and the
United Nations Volunteers/UNITeS to extend
the Cisco Networking Academy Program to

52 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S

“The Cisco Networking
Academy Program
enables the Internet to
bring digital opportunity
to every corner of the
earth”
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Three-hundred instructors have been trained
and more than 2440 students are currently
enrolled. Furthermore, 20 UN/UNITeS
volunteers have been deployed in the
targeted LDCs to focus on outreach to
groups with restricted access to ICT training
and to promote female participation.
Internet Training Centres Initiative for
Developing Countries
Leaders and experts worldwide
increasingly recognise human-resource
capacity development as one of the most
crucial constraints facing developing
countries in their attempts to bridge the
digital divide. In both the developed and
developing world there is an acute shortage
of skilled networking and IT professionals.
Students in developing countries face
particular difficulties in gaining access to
training in the IT field.
With the aim to close the gap in Internet
and networking skills in developing
countries, the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) launched the
Internet Training Centres Initiative for
Developing Countries (ITCI-DC) in May 2001.
Cisco is the pioneer corporate partner under
this initiative. Cisco Networking Academy
Program will be offered at the ITU’s training
centres, which will provide training in
networking skills. The goal is to establish a
worldwide network of 50 Internet training
centers by end of 2003. As of November
2002, 26 centres were participating in the
initiative, with more than 800 students
enrolled in the Academy Program. opportunities with particular emphasis on
women, ensuring that they play an active
Jordan – achieving e-quality in the IT sector role in the Internet economy.
In Jordan, Cisco and Cisco Foundation Under this project, 10 institutions
have partnered with UNIFEM and the including community centres, NGOs,
Government of Jordan to establish 10 colleges and high schools were identified in
gender-focused academies. The primary the capital and secondary cities. Instructor
goal of the project is to create training training took place in August 2001 in
Amman and since then, nine of the 10
academies have started classes. There are
currently 520 students enrolled, of which
345 are females (66 percent).
In addition to establishing the
academies, this partnership also includes
other activities such as research on the role
of women in IT in Jordan, as well as
developing marketing materials intended to
improve recruitment and retention of women
into the IT sector. ■
For more information, visit:
www.cisco.com/edu/academy
(The Cisco Networking Academy Program)
www.cisco.com/edu/ldc
(The least developed countries initiative)
http://cisco.netacad.net/public/digital_divide/
partners/ITU.html (The ITCI-DC)
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 53
 FROM THE FUNDACIÓN CISNEROS TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
AME and the Cl@se initiative
What is AME?
D
esigned to make a contribution to
the quality of basic education in
Latin America, AME (Actualización
de Maestros en Educación) is a partnership
between an entertainment content providing
satellite-based platform and the educational
authorities of seven Latin American nations.
AME is also an innovative distance-learning
programme that provides training to
schoolteachers across the region via digital
satellite television.
AME relaunches its services this year
to serve 250 schools in seven Latin
American countries: Argentina, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and
Venezuela. Teachers access an eight-
month distance-learning course that
originated in Barcelona, Spain, at the
headquarters of the Universidad Autonoma
de Barcelona via DIRECTV, and
communicate with the University and fellow
trainees through the Internet.
Groups of teachers from different
countries then work together to resolve
practical tests and to prepare research
projects designed to deepen the knowledge
acquired through the distance-learning
courses. The effort has been widely praised
by teacher participants, and preparations
are underway to become a full-scale
resource for teachers throughout Latin
America. UNESCO assessed AME at the
end of its pilot project phase (September
1998-May 1999). Strong recommendations
to continue the project were issued by this
UN authority on educational matters.
54 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Founding partners
AME’s founding partners have made this
programme a forceful reality through their
generous contributions. These enlightened
institutions are:
DIRECTV Latin America
Made available transponder space in its
region-wide digital satellite platform (Galaxy
VIII i).
The Microsoft Corporation
Donated the operating programs and
Internet software to schools.
Fundacion Cisneros
Provides the project management and
finances the training fees and the publishing
of learning manuals for teachers.
Inter-American Development Bank
Covered the fees charged by UNESCO
to assess the pilot project.
Centro de Transferencia de Tecnología
Trained, free of charge, participating
teachers in the pilot project phase in the use
of computers and the Internet.
Why AME?
As the DirecTV partnership (Hughes
Electronics-Cisneros Group of Companies)
prepared to enter the Latin American
market, disparities between economic and
social trends became painfully apparent.
Most salient was the status quo of
education in the region.
• 45 percent of entrants into primary school
do not graduate.
• 40 percent of primary school graduates
do not understand a 500-word essay.
• 55 percent of high school graduates fail a
basic algebra test.
• 35 percent of primary school children
repeat grades.
• 45 percent of children in high school
repeat grades.
• 70 percent of primary school teachers do
not receive their teaching materials.
• 80 percent of primary school teachers are
not empowered with new teaching skills
throughout the duration of their careers.
• Average teacher salary in the region is
US$1.09 per hour.
This situation posed a development
challenge for the partnership, as the
expansion plan was based on the constant
recruitment of skilled human resources. The
Fundación Cisneros was thus enlisted to
develop a region-wide teacher-training
programme that would contribute to
redressing this situation – resorting to the
DIRECTV digital satellite platform as the
distribution medium. ■
For more information, contact:
AME
Dennys Montoto dmontoto@ame.cisneros.com
http://www.cisneros.com/company/ame.asp
CL@SE
Maria Ignacia Arcaya
Marcaya@Claxson.com
http://www.cisneros.com/company/clase.asp
 “Thank you so much for your devotion to a
kid like me… Congratulations to all programmes,
especially to the Math Crew that is leading me
out of my fear of numbers.”
John Jairo Marulanda Arroyave, aged 12,
Pereira, Colombia
What is the Cl@se initiative
Cl@se was developed in 1996 as an educational
channel for families in DIRECTV subscriber homes in
Latin America. The first pan-regional educational
channel, it was further developed in 1999 to provide
educational content for children and teenagers.
Cl@se offers dynamic content relevant to
primary and secondary school students, thus serving
as an educational tool for teachers that children and
teenagers become easily engaged with. Its valuable,
educational content provides a clear purpose for the
integration of new technologies in the classroom and
its integrated system takes full advantage of available
technologies, offering:
• Cl@se: the educational channel direct-to-home
and direct-to-schools.
• Teacher guides: distributed to schools to assist
teachers in taking full advantage of the channel
content as a complement to the curriculum.
• Cl@se website: an interactive environment allows
for open communication within the continent
between students, teachers, parents and Cl@se.
The Cl@se channel
• Targets 6 to 17 year olds.
• Includes hosts who make programming content
relevant for a Latin American audience, frame
programmes with questions to stimulate classroom
discussion, and promote audience participation
through contests, e-mails, on-line games, etc.
• Features programmes from: BBC, Dorling
Kindersley, TV Ontario, Pearson, Canal Once.
Programming includes:
• Eyewitness – Dorling Kindersley. This series
stimulates the imagination through the use of
computerised images, documentaries, footage
from films and animations. In Eyewitness, history
and science are presented in an anecdotal manner
with energy and a touch of humour.
• Eddie Files – FASE Productions. Eddie solves
interesting mathematics assignments and, through
his video camera, shows us that numbers are a
part of our day-to-day lives.
• Beakman’s World – Columbia Pictures. Mr
Beakman and his assistants use ingenious
humour, special effects and fascinating scientific
experiments to make learning an adventure.
• Sacbe, The Maya Route – Canal Once.
Documentary content and fiction are combined
to yield a passionate adventure through the
Maya World.
• Connect with English – WGBH/CPB/Annenberg.
Provides all of the pedagogical foundations
required to use television to teach a second
language. Throughout the video, key phrases are
repeated, important events retold and idioms
paraphrased.
• The Arts – BBC. Artists and artisans show the
techniques applied to their artwork, while they
explain their perspective on the world and how it
provides them with inspiration.
Teacher guide
Developed by Latin American educational experts
to add didactic value and relevance to the channel’s
programming, the teacher guides provide detailed
information about the channel’s programming,
suggested activities in accordance with the students’
grade level, programme summaries and more in depth
information about related subjects, and articles
regarding teaching trends.
Website
The Cl@se website provides a meeting point for
the Latin American educational community. Alongside
programming information and teacher guides, the site
also provides children with the opportunity to interact
with the programmes’ content through games, and
offers access to additional resources for parents,
teachers and students.
Distribution
Argentina
Cl@se is offered as part of the package of
channels that is made available to 8000 rural schools
through the Ministry of Communications’ Schools
without Frontiers initiative.
Costa Rica
Cl@se reaches 150 schools that have access to
DIRECTV programming through a government-
sponsored project.
Mexico
Cl@se signed a collaboration agreement with
the Instituto Latinoamericano para la Comunicación
Educativa (ILCE) for distribution of the channel and
teacher guide to 30,000 schools throughout Mexico.
Pan-regional
Cl@se provides educational content to more than
6000 teachers and 150,000 students in schools that
have participated in the Fundación Cisneros’ AME
project in seven countries (Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa
Rica, Panama, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia).
“At our school we follow Cl@se’s
programming with much enthusiasm, which we
wish could be seen in all Mexican homes. We
await the fourth teacher guide and wish you
much more success.”
Prof. Martin Alcocer, teacher, Mexico City, Mexico
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 55
 FROM WSIS-GENDER CAUCUS TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Promoting ICT for development
alongside gender equality issues
T
here is a wide consensus that ICT can play
an important role in reducing poverty,
improving education and healthcare,
enhancing political participation and empowerment,
and promoting sustainable development in
developing countries as well as countries with
economies in transition. The ICT sector is the central
core of the emerging global knowledge-based
economy in which access and control of ICT
facilities and applications are prerequisites for
effective integration into the global economy.
The role of ICT as a tool for development has
recently attracted the sustained attention of the
United Nations. In 2000, the Economic and Social
Council adopted a Ministerial Communiqué on the
role of information technology in the context of a
knowledge-based economy. Later that year, the
Millennium Declaration underscored the urgency of
ensuring that the benefits of new technologies,
especially ICT, be available to all. The World Summit
on the Information Society, with ITU as lead
organising entity, which takes place in 2003 (Geneva)
and 2005 (Tunisia), provides a unique opportunity to
advance the ICT for development agenda.
These positive opportunities are undermined by
the prospect that ICT will remain accessible only to
the elite and will not contribute to the achievement of
fundamental human development.
The majority of the world’s population still lives
in poverty and remains untouched by the benefits
of ICT. There are critical disparities between and
within countries and among groups within countries
and regions. One of the most overlooked and
ignored disparities is the one that exists between
men and women. Unequal power relations in our
societies contribute to differential access,
participation and treatment for men and women in
the Information Society.
56 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
These inequalities in access to, and control of,
ICT between men and women limit the potential of an
information society to make the most valuable
contribution to the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals MDGs. Without women’s
participation in decision-making in all spheres of life
and at all levels of society, poverty will not be
eradicated nor will fully democratic societies be
created. Limited access to ICT for women also has
the effect of reducing countries’ competitiveness in
the global market.
Promoting ICT for development can assist with
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
The first goal of the MDGs is to: “Eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger.” The UN General Assembly
recognised that the achievement of this goal depends
in part on: “Good governance at the international
level,” and also resolved to: “Ensure that the benefits
of new technologies, especially information and
communications technologies… are available to all.”
(UN Millennium Declaration paras. 13 and 20.5
[A/res/55/2]).
Gender implications
The challenge of gender inequality can be
overcome with urgent and concerted actions at the
national, regional and international levels to put ICT
firmly in the service of development for all. However,
this will not happen if ICT decision makers continue
to treat gender issues as being non-existent or
unimportant. In recent months, specifically since the
first WSIS PrepCom in July 2002, there has been
consolidation of evidence on the status of women in
the Information Society and development of analysis
of strategies for improving this position. WSIS should
provide a platform for sharing this information and
debating on the best course of action to reduce
inequalities and increase opportunities.

“
The majority of the world’s
population still lives in
poverty and remains
untouched by the benefits
of ICT
”
Evidence shows that it is important for decision
makers on a national and global level to recognise
that, in order to formulate an appropriate plan of
action to proactively target the themes proposed by
WSIS, there must be a clear understanding of the
issues that impede some sectors of the population to
maximise their potential. In doing so, it will be
possible to formulate measures to effectively provide
access to ICT for all, to understand the value of ICT
as a tool for economic and social development and to
assure confidence and security in the use of ICT
(www.itu.int/osg/spu/wsis-themes/).
Therefore, some of the issues that must be
seriously taken into account are:
• A lack of participation by the majority of the people,
particularly women, in the developing countries,
because of structural and cultural impediments,
which significantly reduce the developmental
benefits of ICT.
• The uneven and unaffordable access to ICT
facilities and services by women, especially, but not
exclusively, in developing countries.
• Inadequate provision of relevant content and
applications, particularly in local languages and
adapted to needs of non-literate women.
• Gender discrimination in labour markets and in the
provision of education and training opportunities
and allocation of financial resources for
entrepreneurship and business development, which
also offer negative consequences.
• Under-representation of women in all aspects of
decision-making in operations, policy and
regulation in the ICT.
The convening of a World Summit on the
Information Society by the United Nations system
provides a unique opportunity to focus global
attention on these issues. In making preparations for
the Summit, the organisers are urged to take the
opportunity to ensure that WSIS provides an
opportunity for women and men to enjoy the myriad
of potentials for social and economic empowerment
offered by ICT, and to participate effectively in all
aspects of the ICT field. WSIS can assist in building
an information society that contributes to promoting
gender equality as well as furthering progress in the
eradication of poverty, promotion of peace and
security and the enjoyment of human rights. All
stakeholders must take urgent action to ensure that
gender equality and women’s rights are integrated
into the WSIS and its follow-up programmes. Unless
these actions are taken, there is a grave risk that the
Summit will not succeed in its aim of creating a
vision of the information society that contributes to
human development. ■
For more information, visit:
www.wougnet.org/WSIS/wsisgc.html
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 57
 FROM THE FEDERAL FOREIGN OFFICE,
GOVERNMENT OF GERMANY TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Making ICT work for
Development
I
n the framework of bilateral development
cooperation, Germany supports a number of
projects aimed at the application and use of ICT.
These, above all, are projects that improve the access
of the rural population to ICT services, contribute to
the modernisation of the economy and strengthen
civil society organisations.
Some examples of these initiatives include:
Communal multimedia centres in Mali
Mali has a very dynamic and wide-ranging media
environment. Its 110 private radio stations represent
the largest transmitter density in the whole of sub-
Sahara Africa.
These private radios are of a commercial,
communal, religious or cooperative type. Radio is the
most important means of communication and
information in rural areas. Communal radio not only
conveys important information, but it also gives a
‘voice’ to the rural population. In the course of the
decentralisation process, communal radio stations
have become particularly important because they
contribute to creating a local identity.
The project, currently in the pre-feasibility stage,
aims to create multimedia centres in small towns and
rural communities in Mali. These centres are to be
attached to existing private radio stations, thus
creating an added value of communication services
for the population. The one-way communication of
radio transmitters is to be extended by means of a
modern communication infrastructure (telephone, fax,
computer, Internet access).
The aim is to give an additional means of income
to private communal radio stations while, at the same
time, facilitate a more active participation of the
population in the political decision processes on the
communal and national level.
The project promotes the connectivity of remote
areas and supports the process of decentralisation in
58 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Mali. In this way, it makes a contribution to bridging
the digital divide.
Extension of the digital patent information system
in the People’s Republic of China
With the first Patent Law of 1985 the People’s
Republic of China has created the legal conditions for
granting commercial patent rights to applicants from
China and abroad.
Because of rapid economic development, the
Chinese Patent Office (CPO) reached the limits of its
technical capacities. The increasing duration of patent
procedures (on average four years) was an obstacle
to the modernisation of the People’s Republic of
China and to economic growth.
The project supports the capacities of the CPO
and access to patent information by affiliated patent
information centres of the most important industrial
cities in China. The CPO was equipped with new
data-technical equipment. There was also extensive
training of CPO employees.
The German Patent Office has been involved in
the whole process from the beginning. The exchange
of information between the two patent offices is to be
continued by means of a sponsorship agreement.
Development of the electronic payments system in
Uganda
Uganda has implemented substantial reforms in
the financial sector since 1993, with the support of
the international donor community. A lack of trust in
the system has preventend an interbank market from
coming into existence. Clearing of checks by the
Ugandan Central Bank can take several months. The
deficiencies of the system burden the rural
population, because financial transactions often
require travelling to the capital. The project aims at
improving the efficiency of the Ugandan payments
system by creating an electronic clearing house. Both
companies and private bank customers will profit
from reduced transaction costs.
In the near future, cross-boundary digitalised
payments will also be possible.
The project comprises the equipment of this new
electronic clearing house with the necessary
computer hardware and software, as well as
installation, maintenance and training.
The commercial banks have been involved in the
preparation of the project and the elaboration of
standards and regulations.
Support of the project of the NGO Kabissa
‘It’s time to get online: simple steps to success on
the Internet’
Many NGOs in developing countries are not able
to take advantage of the Internet, because they do
not realise the benefits or because they do not have
the necessary knowledge to use it. The project aims
at removing these two barriers.
Training material will be developed and capacity-
building workshops will be organised in order to
convey the necessary knowledge for an efficient use
of the Internet.
The project is aimed at NGOs in West Africa that
commit themselves to human rights, freedom of
information and democratisation.
At first, Germany will support the pilot phase of
the project. It is planned to finance the propagation in
West Africa together with other donors. Overall, 1000
NGOs are to be reached with the project and more
than 3000 sets of training material are to be
distributed.
Support of the UN University for Peace in Costa
Rica in setting up and propagating study programmes
in the field of crisis prevention, conflict management
and peace education.
Beginning in autumn 2003, the UN University for
Peace in Costa Rica will – with German support –
offer study programmes for a Master’s Degree in
international peace education.
These programmes can be made available on a
worldwide scale through links with partner universities
(above all in developing countries) and the use of new
information and communication technologies
(distance learning).
ICT in development cooperation
In 2002, Germany presented a study concerning
the state of ICTs in five countries (Peru, Laos,
Vietnam, Tanzania and Uganda). This study, which
was carried out against the background of the G8
countries’ commitment to promote the application of
ICTs in developing countries, analyses the potential
for possible cooperation in this field. ■
“
Many NGOs in developing
countries are not able to
take advantage of the
Internet, because they do
not realise the benefits or
because they do not have
the necessary knowledge
to use it
”
For more information, contact:
Gerd Benke, Federal Foreign Office, Germany
406-RL@auswaertiges-amt.de
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 59
 FROM SIEMENS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
NETWORKS (ICN) TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY
Creating a global network of innovation
By Thomas Ganswindt, President, Siemens ICN
T
he hallmarks of post-millennial information
and communications (IC) technology are
subtle but revolutionary. Individuals across the
world are taking control of their individual lifestyles,
business models, and socio-economic relationships.
These developments are being driven by a global
alliance of individuals converging on a foundation of
IC networks.
60 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Recent statistics indicate that IC technology is
advancing meaningful connections between a broader
range of people and cultures. Human interaction has
become easier, more consistent and more refined
than ever before, as IC technology also becomes
more accessible and more mobile.
People are now, more than ever, able to
advance their personal goals, and in turn contribute
to a new, democratic society of information.
Individual power is increasing because of individual
access to global resources, and as this access
increases, so does the value of intellectual capital
regardless of local economics.
Conquer the digital divide
Information is becoming a very important
economic resource, especially for nations that have
little or no access to traditional commodities. India is
a perfect example. The intellectual capital boom
fostered by advancements in IC technology has
enabled India to make strides that would have been
considerably more difficult in a traditional economy.
In established industrial nations, ‘the power of the
individual’ is indicated by improved mobility and
flexibility. IC technology offers combinations of
personal, business and carrier technologies as well as
wired and wireless access, tools and applications
over an ubiquitous network.
Though strides are being made everyday in
providing access to the global information society for
all, there still exists a disparity between many citizens.
It is the task of all global enterprises and organisations
to bridge this divide. We can accomplish this by
recognising and supporting local strengths. A so-
called global network of innovation is only as strong as
each region’s contribution. We will only truly bridge the
digital divide by enabling local individuals to
 communicate according to their own specific needs
and under their own control. And by reinforcing the
value of the intellectual capital that each region
contributes, we enrich the global economy.
The power of information and communications is
crystallised in this unique dialectic: local talent
flourishes by means of global interaction and global
business subsequently recognises and responds
more accurately to local supply and demand.
Meaningful connections
Before globalization was a buzzword, Siemens
was a forerunner in helping to connect some of the
most diverse regions of the world. Indeed global
innovation has been the priority throughout our entire
business history. We have long recognised that
developing nations are as rich in intellectual resources
as wealthy nations are in currency. Enabling these
nations to access their own intellectual capital is
ultimately the aim of the IC infrastructures that we
provide. By the same token connecting these nations
to the global network of innovation, enables them to
derive the prosperity that they deserve. This means
creating local infrastructures commensurate to local
resources that are also on par with a global standard.
Our office in Kabul, Afghanistan, for example
functions to coordinate all local activities enabling us
to offer local IC solutions to meet the war-torn
nation’s many distinctive challenges with locally
grown knowledge. Similarly, our support of the
UNICEF initiative ‘Back to School’ in Afghanistan is
an investment in the future of the global information
society – another bridge across the digital divide. The
“It is only by empowering
individuals to succeed by
themselves that we
contribute to a true global
network of innovation,
cooperation and prosperity”
campaign enables more than three million children to
attend school.
In Cabo Verde, previously an isolated island chain
off Africa’s Atlantic coast, Siemens joined forces with
Cabo Verde Telecom, the local carrier. Together we
recently completed a fibre-optic network linking all the
tiny islands in the archipelago, thus improving their
connection to the global network.
In Vietnam, over 60% of the country’s
communities are linked by ‘communal Cultural
points’. These provide information and
communications free of charge to even the most rural
areas of the country, allowing people to use postal
and telecommunications services or simply read
books and newspapers online from around the world.
These are only a few examples of how IC
technology can fulfil the pledges we are making. In
the end an information and communications
infrastructure is about the people it supports; and it is
only by empowering individuals to succeed by
themselves that we contribute to a true global
network of innovation, cooperation and prosperity. ■

Author information
In his current role as Group President of Siemens ICN, Thomas Ganswindt is responsible for transforming ICN into a long-term earnings leader
at Siemens once again.

Previously, Ganswindt served as Executive Vice President and Member of the Group Executive Management of the Siemens Transportation
Systems Group. He began his career with Siemens in 1989, when he joined the Numerical Controllers Division within the Automation Group.

In 2000, Ganswindt was selected to be one of the Global Leaders for Tomorrow (GLT), a subgroup of the World Economic Forum in Geneva,
and has since become a GLT alumnus.

Thomas Ganswindt became a member of the Siemens AG Managing Board on December 1st, 2002.

62 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
FROM TELSTRA TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY
Telecommunications for development
By David Thorn, Regional Director, Telstra Europe
T
he digital divide exists between continents,
between countries, within countries and
between communities. Whether it is Alice
Springs, Atlanta, Amsterdam or Addis Ababa,
variations in access to ICT risks creating ‘haves’ and
‘have-nots’.
At the same time, ICT can be a great leveller and
can connect the ‘have-nots’ to the developed world in
ways considered unimaginable decades before.
One only has to look at locations such as
Bangalore in India to realise what can be achieved to
encourage development. What were once communities
at the margins of the developing world now punch way
above their weight on the global stage.
But the role that telecommunications can play on
the digital divide goes way beyond the economic. Our
health, skills and environment can all benefit.
A good example of this is a world first in
telemedicine that Telstra enabled in May this year.
Using its advanced digital videoconferencing
technology, Telstra enabled urologists in Brisbane
(Australia) and Christchurch (New Zealand) to work
together during a complex surgical procedure. The gap
between these two cities crosses some of the world’s
most ferocious ocean stretches and is about the same
June Derschow (left) took part in
a joint Telstra-Pilbara
Development Commission
initiative that provides free, on-
the-spot training and support in
the use of the internet to people
within this vast region of
Western Australia.
distance as London to St Petersburg and further than
Harare to Nairobi, or Sao Paolo to Buenos Aires.
During the operation the Brisbane urologist, a
world leader in kidney transplantation, became a
‘virtual assistant’ to Christchurch urologists as they
performed laparoscopic (keyhole) removal of a live
donor kidney.
The Brisbane urologist received images from four
strategically placed remote cameras in the operating
theatre, and also appeared live on a large plasma
screen easily viewed by his colleagues in
Christchurch. Using a joystick, the Brisbane urologist
was able to manipulate the cameras to advise and
assist the Christchurch surgeons with a technique
they were relatively inexperienced in. The technology
provided him with the opportunity to virtually interact
with his colleagues in real-time.
Historically, to provide such advice and
assistance, surgeons have been required to travel to
their colleagues for each case, which can be
expensive and time consuming.
There is every reason to believe that this
technology could be applied in other countries.
But, of course, to be able to take advantage of
some of these innovations, and thereby reduce the
digital divide, clearly the infrastructure needs to be in
place.
Broadband is a ‘hot’ topic worldwide and in some
cases it is a controversial topic.
Australia is almost the same size as the contiguous
states in the USA. We are now seeing healthy
broadband growth, through a variety of technologies.
Whether cable, DSL or satellite; broadband could have
a significant impact on communities that previously
had difficulty accessing services.
Telstra’s broadband satellite services are available
nationally – so that the most remote rural and
indigenous communities can have access to them. In
addition, through a Telstra subsidiary REACH, Telstra
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 63
has signed a memorandum of understanding with the 1.0
Shin Satellite Company of Thailand (SSC), which has
three satellites offering low-cost high capacity
0.8
broadband to Asia, Europe and Africa.
In addition, through our operational centres in
London, Hong Kong and New York, Telstra is 0.6

providing digital connectivity into many developing

countries around the world to support the delivery of 0.4

digital services and applications that will help

development in those countries. 0.2
But reducing the digital divide is as much about
the people as the technology. Partnerships are vital if
0.0
the divide is to be bridged. Examples of this people
approach include Telstra’s initiatives with aboriginal
communities. These include an indigenous dedicated
DSL penetration Year 3 of technology rollout
number for remote Australian communities, to enable
them to talk to someone in their maternal language
and with a similar cultural background when making
inquiries about their telephone service.
Other indigenous initiatives include:

• Telstra installing approximately 450 of the latest

technology pay phones for remote Aboriginal
communities in the Northern Territory, South
Australia and Western Australia. The cabinets are
cyclone-rated and offer greater protection from the
environment. Often the local Aboriginal community
chooses to decorate the payphone cabinet to
demonstrate its importance as a community facility;
and
Broadband Forecast 2001 – 2007 (Australia)
• Several traineeships and cadetships to indigenous
Australians in rural and regional areas. Cadetships
are provided with a 13-week work placement while
they study, with an opportunity to apply for a
permanent position with Telstra at the conclusion of
the cadetship program.

Beyond Australia, Telstra has also worked with

local communicates. In 1999, under the auspices of
the United Nations, Telstra was appointed to restore
public telecommunications in East Timor. During this
period, Telstra worked with the local communities
(employing around 50) to restore and expand
services. We would like to believe that, partly as a
result of our work, services are better in East Timor
than they were prior to independence.
The digital divide is a contemporary issue, but
there are many ways that the ICT industry can look to
bridge it. The examples above are but a few. Working
in partnership with communities I am sure that many
more can be achieved.

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 65
 FROM NETSCOUT SYSTEMS TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Capacity, complexity and cost:
Lessons learned about infrastructure
costs and consumption
An interview with Anil K. Singhal, President and CEO of NetScout Systems
D
eveloping nations will encounter complex cost and demand
challenges as they begin to bridge the digital divide. In the
United States and Western Europe, we have learned that the
success of investments in information infrastructure cannot be
measured in terms of capacity or access. It is ultimately measured
by the availability, performance and total costs of delivering
information services.
Q. What important lessons have been learned about
harnessing the power of the internet in technologically-
advanced countries?
Singhal. As the entire world witnessed, the concept of gaining
access to the vast amounts of information and opportunity afforded
by the internet was so compelling that it set off an unprecedented
phase of technology spending. What we learned during this
dot.com era of hyper-spending was that information technology (IT)
initiatives can easily fail or become cost-prohibitive to even highly-
resourced organisations.
The only way to avoid these mishaps is to engage in highly-
accountable, tightly-planned infrastructure growth. Most advanced
networking strategies used by enterprises in these countries now
include specific goals to which all IT investments must be directed.
Without a plan that aligns IT spending to business, economic or
social goals, it becomes impossible to prioritize the technology and
service demands that occur after establishing connectivity.
In addition, we have learned that having both tools and
practices that enable cost-avoidance are a critical long-term
success component. Eliminating legacy-based, wasteful approaches
such as over-provisioning and infrastructure complexity are two
forms of cost avoidance.
Q. What are over-provisioning and infrastructure complexity?
Singhal. Over-provisioning was a concept born out of the hyper-
spending era when not much was known about the influence of
applications, devices and end users on network and application
performance. For example, in the mid-1990s, US enterprises began
aggressively expanding their private networks with few inhibitions
66 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
about cost. The application market provided a flood of new tools for
accelerating business productivity as well as acquiring significant
new revenue streams via the internet. Businesses made an urgent
rush to acquire and deploy them. With dramatic physical and service
expansion occurring simultaneously to networks, enterprises began
to experience serious disruptions in the availability and performance
of their now-critical business applications.
Having little experience to draw from, IT organizations
assumed that network bandwidth and device capacity were the
chief cause of these problems. They tried increasing network size
and capacity but that approach proved expensive and produced
inconsistent results.
We know now that capacity-based performance statistics do not
address the more complex causes behind performance degradation.
As data networks become more physically complex and application-
laden, issues such as network architecture, application design,
device design and end-user behaviour all become significant factors
affecting infrastructure costs and performance. As it turns out, over-
provisioning used as a performance mechanism only causes huge
amounts of wasted resources.
With regard to complexity, we have learned that information
infrastructures cannot be managed in the same manner that they
evolve. Technologies are constantly introduced into data networks,
with each one competing for resources and management attention.
Managing networked resources ‘one technology at a time’ becomes
not only chaotic as network nodes, applications and end users
mount into the thousands, but financially disastrous. Decisions
need to be made with an understanding of their impact on the
entire system. It is urgent that the keepers of these new information
networks understand that the most difficult aspect of bridging the
digital divide will come after connectivity is established, when the
expectations to show value from new infrastructure investments will
be high. The demands for faster, newer services against an ever-
changing technology environment are expensive. By understanding
what traps to avoid and by getting ready with preventative
strategies aimed at cost-avoidance, their chances of succeeding
will be stronger.
Q. What is cost-avoidance?
Singhal. Cost-avoidance is a practice that most organizations adopt
after seeing how easily IT costs can spiral out of control. Technology
investments can be either misappropriated or misused, presenting a
huge drain on available funds. As I said earlier, eliminating over-
provisioning by moving under-utilised network resources to bear
where extra capacity is needed before allocating new funds is one
form of cost avoidance. Keeping control over how resources actually
get consumed, by what services and by what users, is another.
In particular, understanding whether or not the network is being
used to transport legitimate or appropriate materials is a particularly
important capability to establish. We have seen many cases where
lack of policies governing usage, as well as end-user ignorance of
the impact of their network-based actions, have had severe effects
on the responsiveness of critical applications and services.
Tools that provide continual and detailed application-level
visibility throughout the network, and a comprehensive plan that
sets priorities for what services will be invested in over others, are
critical to achieving cost-avoidance.

Q. When is the right time to engage in planned growth?

Singhal. Planned growth assures that all resource costs are 1)
mapped to strategic business priorities and 2) contained as much as
possible. It is not a concept aimed at limiting the breadth of
technology investments rather, it supports the concept of increasing
potential reach by eliminating waste.
With that in mind, planned growth is a design requirement in as
much as it is a post-deployment strategy.
The financial constraints of underdeveloped regions make
planned growth a serious priority. For every dollar wasted, the
opportunity to join the global information society is delayed for a
city, town, or village in need.
Q. What has your organization experienced in supporting
planned growth initiatives?
Singhal. NetScout has worked with all types of organisations around
the world in helping them to harness the resources they have
acquired for information technology. It is amazing to see how often
that millions of dollars are spent on capacity, business and e-
commerce applications without any visibility into how those
investments are consumed.
At an industry level, NetScout has led in the development of
standards that deepen and improve control over information
resources. In particular, we have led development of distributed
applications monitoring systems that provide views into networks
that reveal how applications perform in a shared infrastructure. We
have addressed complexity and cost containment in response to
one of the most critical issues we see facing IT organisations today
– lack of qualified individuals to run these networks, and not enough
money to acquire staffing. Our most advanced initiative to-date,
called our CDM™ (common data model) initiative, addresses multi-
vendor technology environments with a performance management
architecture that provides cross-vendor integration of management
information. Our nGenius® Performance Management System
incorporates CDM capabilities throughout its entire architecture.
Q. Does NetScout anticipate providing its management
technology in developing regions?
Singhal. We expect that we will first work with government,
academic and telecommunications organisations that drive the
implementation of new data networks in under-privileged areas of
the world. Financial institutions will also play a leading role in this
technology adoption. In North America and Western Europe, we
facilitated much of the planned growth, performance and cost
containment initiatives that evolved in these types of organisations
and we remain closely engaged with them, today.
Q. Do you have any final advice for organizations to achieve
planned growth?
Singhal. Retain control over information technology investments by
creating accountability at all levels of the IT organisation, the
infrastructure, with all vendors and all telecommunications providers.
As the numbers of users, vendors, service providers and
technologies increase, it will become more important to enforce
quality and performance promises. Even small organisations that
NetScout has worked with have prevented bandwidth costs in the
range of a million dollars a year by having the right practices and
tools to identify poorly performing technologies, network misuse,
architectural deficiencies and so forth. Working in their favour, the
advanced tools and lessons learned are there; ready to assure
success with every initiative. ■

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 67
 From Hewlett-Packard to the World Summit on the
Information Society
e-Inclusion: Dikhotole Digital Village,
South Africa – rising out of a cycle of poverty
D
ikhatole, a community just outside of Johannesburg, suffers
from chronic unemployment coupled with primitive living
conditions – no running water, electricity or basic housing.
The unemployment rate is more than 30 percent and many of
the community’s 8,000 people still cling to the bottom rungs of the
South African economy: most families are led by single mothers who
lack the skills needed to get a job. Often, young people leave their
unstable home environments to live on the street, and are vulnerable
to a life of violence, crime and infectious disease. There is a
perpetual cycle of poverty that leaves little hope for the future.
A reason for hope
A business consortium led by Hewlett-Packard South Africa has
launched a project to provide the Dikhatole community with basic
computer, Internet and business skills to improve their chances of
getting work. The training will be provided through the Dikhatole
Digital Village, the largest facility of its kind in the country, with more
than 90 Internet-enabled workstations.
To stem the tide of chronic unemployment in this South African
township, this Digital Village strives to help unemployed youth and
women develop sought-after computer and business skills, giving
them access to the Internet to open job opportunities.
The project is spearheaded by the non-profit Organisation for
Rehabilitation and Training (ORT) South Africa and sponsored by
HP, Macsteel and Microsoft. HP is donating much of the
equipment, while Microsoft is donating the software. Macsteel, a
South African industrial-steel producer is providing the training
room and related offices.
Opening new opportunities
The programme’s goal is to improve the standard of living
among Dikhatole residents by increasing their earning potential and
connecting them to the world. “The project targets unemployment
and low income in the area by helping youngsters gain qualifications
68 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
and experience, and encouraging entrepreneurship, particularly
among women,” explains Henry Ferreira, Managing Director of HP
South Africa.
Residents will be taught skills such as computer literacy, CV
writing, communications and presentation, and entrepreneurship.
More than 1,000 unemployed youth will be trained in employability
skills and self-employment, while 540 women will be trained in basic
Internet use for networking and support, as well as in starting and
running a small business.
Addressing community needs
The second major thrust of the project is to build up computer
resources and skills in the region’s schools. HP and ORT aim to train
at least 70 teachers in essential computer skills and will help train
more than 2,400 children in basic computer use. In addition, the two
companies will upgrade and install computers and Internet facilities
at the schools.
The third aspect of the project involves training local
government employees in basic computer and Internet skills, and
installing computers in the workplace to allow them to communicate
effectively and share information more readily.
The project is expected to last for three years; by then it is
expected that the community will be trained enough and
experienced enough to become self-sufficient. HP and ORT have
worked closely with governmental and private-sector bodies, and
members of the community, to ensure the project will sustain itself
once ORT and HP have withdrawn.
Dikhatole, which literally means ‘lost’, may have represented the
feelings of many youths and women in the community up until now.
But hopefully this project will be one small step toward self-
sufficiency and helping people find their way. ■
For more information, visit:
http://www.hp.com/e-inclusion/en/project/dikhotole1.html
FROM THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF THE INTER-
AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
DIGITALYART,
an exhibition on technology in art
T
he Cultural Center of the Inter American
Development Bank, in cooperation with the
Information and Communication Technology
for Development Division, of the Sustainable
Development Department and the Istituto Italiano di
Cultura, of Washington, DC, has organised
DIGITALYART, an exhibition honouring Italy and the
City of Milan, host of the 44th Annual Meeting of IDB
Governors in March of 2003.
It has become the Center’s tradition to honour the
member country hosting the Annual Meeting with an
art exhibition. This allows the IDB to bring to global
attention some of the most significant cultural
expressions from the LAC region. Most importantly, it
helps establish a tangible relationship between culture
and development, a notion that is obvious for some,
but debatable for others; the debate illustrates how
imperfectly the definition of development is
sometimes conceived.
Technology summarises the dynamic of the world
in the 21st century. The ‘revolution’ that started at the
end of the past century has brought many unresolved
issues into the beginning of the new one. Technology
has always been entangled in the socio-cultural
evolution of civilisation, but has never before played
such an important role affecting almost every second
of our lives. Although technology is assumed to be, in
itself, an expression of advancement, its goals are
unavoidably linked to the improvement of life and
elevation of human kind. Technology, however, has
not always brought man to better understanding,
refined his nature, or made him wiser. If not these,
what other purposes should technology have?
The artists selected for this exhibition represent a
variety of current proposals within the ample framework
of artists working with interactive digital technology in
Italy. Maestro Fabrizio Plessi is one of the most admired
and recognised contemporary Italian artists. For this
presentation, the Center was able to secure his piece
ROMA II, currently in the collection of the Guggenheim
Museum in New York. Both the monumental scale and
the bold statement he makes with the use of marble
and video combined, not to mention the sensible use of
water imagery, speaks of the balance between the past
and present, the reference to history for man to remain
alert to recurrent errors, and the awareness of
everything else humans share life with.
The position of Plessi in the international scene is
that of an artist concerned with developing a
contemporary language inspired by the newest and
most advanced resources available. At the same time,
however, he uses that language which is inscribed in
the context of man and the existential realm.
Architect Celestino Soddu has dedicated his
entire career to investigating the possibilities of
generative design. He creates software that endows
the machine with the capacity to produce multiple
alternatives to a given program, producing designs
that depart from cultural and physical DNA. Adriano
Abbado’s work illustrates an artist interested in
expressing himself with new tools. To achieve these
goals in a contemporary world, sensibility has to be
guided into new dimensions where both aesthetics
and intellectual thought coexist with technology; the
resultant imagery cannot be rejected under the
traditional arguments or modes of perception.
For the IDB it has been very rewarding to
coalesce such an interesting and different group of
efforts and realisations departing from a common
premise. This is the first time that the work of these
three artists has been exhibited in Washington, DC ■
For more information, contact:
Enrica Murmura, Information and Communication Technology for
Development, Division SDS/ICT
enricam@iadb.org www.iadb.org/ict4dev
Felix Angel, Cultural Centre- Inter american Development Bank
felixa@iadb.org www.iadb.org/exr/cultural/center.html
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 69
 FROM THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The ICT-4-BUS Program:
An initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank to support
ICT applications for small businesses
T
he Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB) and the Multilateral Investment
Fund, a unit of the IDB Group, have
launched the second ‘call for proposals’ for
the ICT Innovation Program for e-business
and SME Development (in short ICT-4-BUS
Program), a USD 5 million fund which
supports innovative ICT applications in Latin
America and the Caribbean aimed at
strengthening the competitive position of
SMEs. The second call for proposals is
currently under way and has yielded 118
proposals from 18 countries in the region.
Between five and seven projects will be
selected through the competitive process.
Background
In the past few decades, knowledge-
driven innovation has become a decisive
factor in the competitiveness of both
nations and firms. This trend is particularly
pronounced in developed countries, where,
by 1999, knowledge-based industries
represented more than 50 percent of GDP.
Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) are the backbone of
knowledge-based economies. ICT solutions
and services improve efficiency in the value
chain, for instance, by providing better and
faster communication between trading
partners, integrating transactions with
logistics functions, reducing intermediation
costs, facilitating the search for new
markets, and allowing better pricing
policies. ICT also serves as an important
tool for other corporate functions such as
strategic planning, business operations,
customer services and decision-making
process through the provision of rapid and
strategic information.
70 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
As ICT has become a key element for
improving the productivity and efficiency of
private firms it also plays a crucial role in
strengthening the competitiveness of the
national economies. However, access to
and use of these technologies remains
uneven. This disparity, the so-called ‘digital
divide’, is a reflection of deeper social and
economic inequalities. In particular, the lack
of financial, human and technical resources
prevent small and medium sized enterprises
(SMEs) from swiftly adopting new
technology to compete in national and
international markets.
On the supply side, during the years
from 1999 to 2000 an incipient industry for
ICT has emerged in Latin America and the
Caribbean, confirming the potential for a
small but vibrant information sector that
could count on a reservoir of technology
and business talents. The subsequent
downturn in the sector’s fortunes lead in
2001 to a swift reduction of resources in the
development of ICT applications.
Innovation by tech-firms has been
reduced and marketing efforts have been
concentrated on providing IT services to
large corporations, a market that is already
controlled by large consulting and/or IT
firms. Investments in new ICT technologies
tailored to the need of hereto marginalized
medium- and small-sized business users
have become much more risky. This
represents a potential setback for the
access of these users to ICT technologies
either for increased efficiency and
competitiveness or for market penetration.
The ICT-4-BUS program
ICT-4-BUS aims to improve the
competitiveness, productivity, and
efficiency of the SMEs in Latin America and
the Caribbean through the implementation
of innovative ICT and e-business solutions.
It will make available ICT solutions that
were once limited to larger companies and
international corporations to SMEs that
strive for market penetration and business
efficiency. In so doing, this initiative will
lend a truly global dimension to the
multitude of efforts to bridge the global
digital divide, foster digital opportunity and
thus firmly put ICT at the service of
development for all.
In this context, ICT-4-BUS provides
non-reimbursable matching funds for the
development and implementation of pilot
projects, which will test innovative ICT
services and solutions for SMEs, primarily
in the areas of value chain integration,
workplace productivity and efficiency, and
market penetration. Overall cost of the
projects to be funded is estimated at USD 8
million, out of which USD 4.5 million is
provided by the ICT-4-BUS Program. Over
1000 SMEs will participate in the pilot
projects. It is expected that a large number
of SMEs will benefit from the new services
and solutions through the dissemination
and replication of the ‘best practices’ and
‘lessons learned’ from the pilot projects.
Between 12 and 15 pilot projects will be
selected through a thorough evaluation
process coordinated by the IDB. The projects
that will be selected for funding may receive
between USD 75,000 and USD 500,000 in
matching grants form the fund.
Potential ICT solutions and services that
could be used by the projects include:
• E-commerce and e-business applications.
• E-productivity applications for individuals
and organizations.
• Infrastructure and access enhancing
systems.
• Knowledge management and distribution
systems.
• Mobile (including satellite-based)
applications and services for businesses.
The projects are presented by non-profit
institutions in the region that are involved in
promoting SME development and/or have
proven experience in the development of
ICT solutions or services. Examples of these
institutions are trade associations,
universities, foundations, NGOs, chambers
of commerce, business development
centers and research centers.
2002-2003 awarded projects
The first Call for Proposals attracted a
strong interest in the region: 101 project
proposals from 18 countries were submitted
to the Bank in October 2002. Of these 6
projects were selected for MIF funding.
Most of the projects presented to the
program addressed the need to strengthen
SME competitiveness, both in local and
international markets. As one of the
proponents put it, developing ICT services
and applications that bear fruits in terms of
business efficiency and ability to compete is,
at this stage, an indispensable route for small
businesses, albeit not one exempt from perils.
The six proposals that were approved in division that provides support to the Bank
the first call for proposals were the following: and Latin American and Caribbean
countries in ICT related areas. The
• Integrated System for the Quality and e- Division’s specific responsibilities include
Commerce Management for the Veracruz providing technical and financial
Coffee, submitted by Laboratorio Nacional backstopping for projects to be funded by
de Informática Avanzada (Mexico). the Bank, and offering strategic and
• New Technologies for Export technical advice to governments on how
Development by Argentine SMEs of High to make better use of available
Quality Meat, submitted by Asociación information technology.
Cultural para el Desarrollo Integral
(Argentina).
• Web Services for SMEs: Technology
Innovation to Improve Business
Management, submitted by Cámara de
Comercio de Santiago (Chile).
• ICT Application to Strengthen the Business
Model of SMEs in the Pharmacy Sector,
submitted by FUNDES – Venezuela.
• E-Commerce in SME ‘Clusters’,
submitted by Fundación Andrés Tosello
(Brazil).
• Implementation and Development of a
Logistics and Procurement System,
submitted by FUNDECOMERCIO
(Colombia).
The selected projects cover an ample
spectrum of sectors, technologies and
business needs: projects in the area of
agriculture and commerce made a strong
case to introduce ICT either to enhance
quality and export or to improve efficiency
in the value chain. Many projects will at
least partially rely on programs written in
Open Source code, a sign that they are
viewed as an economically viable
alternative to proprietary software. Other
initiatives make use of systems like GIS The IDB is actively participating in the
(Geographical Information Systems), activities carried out by the UN ICT Task
radio-frequency transponders and Web Force and has also joined the Working
Services. Applications will help deliver Group on Business Enterprise and
following crucial services: quality Entrepreneurship in order to share and
management; online procurement; exchange lessons learned and best
customer relationship management, practices in the development of ICT policies
business-to-business and business-to- and programs for developing countries. ■
consumer e-commerce, call centers and
digital certificates. For more information, contact: Antonio Ca’ Zorzi,
Program Manager Information, Technology for
The Program is managed by the
Development Division, Inter-American Development
Information Technology for Development Bank. E-mail: antonioca@iadb.org
Division (SDS/ICT), the IDB technical
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 71
 FROM THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TO
THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The ALDEA Program:
Digital strategies for the Latin American
and Caribbean governments
I
nter-American Development Bank offers, through this program, a
solution to the Latin America and Caribbean countries, in order to
allow them to properly face the Digital Era challenges.
Introduction
The Digital Strategies program for Latin America and the
Caribbean – the ALDEA Program – has recently been launched in
several countries. The ALDEA Program was first developed in
Uruguay, and, at the moment, different operations are carried out
also in the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Argentina and
Paraguay.
The ALDEA Program offers technical assistance and/or loan
operations for digital strategies development through the different
financial segments managed by the Bank. In particular, the Program
is oriented to work with Flexible Loan Institutions for Innovating
Operations (almost 10 million fast approvals!). The Program started
from a central concept: to partner digital strategies’ development
with institutional strength in order to support the implementation of
72 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
different pilot projects (e-government solutions, e-commerce, and
access to information and communication technologies [ICTs]) to be
realised in each country.
The Program’s focus is to create the National Committees for
the Information Society (CNSI), connecting a political effort, mainly
represented by each country presidency, with representatives of
telecommunications, academic world, entrepreneurs and all
citizens. This particular partnership has to analyse each single case,
and the pilot projects will be identified depending on the priorities
of each country. The single strategy can be constructed from top to
bottom, starting from the idea that there are no set rules or models
in this context.
The Program
With the assistance of the IADB’s Information and
Communication Technology for Development Division (SDS/ICT) and
the Refurbishing Divisions of the State of the Operative Regional
Departments, we have gathered a technical team dedicated to assist
the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, in their
formulation of strategies, and development of solutions based on
the application of ICTs for development.
Our mission consists of identifying and starting up solutions that
can suit the realities of development in each country.
These are the leading principles:
• In the digital era, there are no set rules to development: strategies
are specific to each country.
• Development is local, but must show deep commitment to a
global view.
• This is not an exclusive task for governments. All different
economic and social agents (companies, governments,
universities, civil organisations, financial agents) should
participate.
• It is necessary to generate new management skills.
• All digital strategies must be converted into state policy.
• Strict coordination of public policies must be considered.
• A cultural environment where knowledge is the new goal of
development must be created.
What does the ALDEA Program do?
The ALDEA Program offers technical and financial assistance in
order to answer the question: how can we create the right national
conditions for development in the digital era?
We offer:
• Development of a new public institutional ability for knowledge,
exchange and management.
• The transfer of technical, management and learning skills in the
knowledge economy domain.
• The integration of country’s technical teams with Latin American
professionals and experts of local reality, in order to identify and
formulate the pilot projects that will be able to offer a positive
factor for change.
• An appropriate frame for the definition and management of co-
ordinated policies between several economic and social agents.
How does the ALDEA Program work?
Governments of the countries benefited by the IADB can request
assistance from the ALDEA Program. The request must be directed
to the IADB’s representative in the country, and copied to the
Information and Communication Technology for Development
Division (SDS/ICT), and to the State’s Refurbishing Division of the
Regional Department, and referred to and signed by the Governor
and the Bank.
Once the request is received, it will be appointed to a technical
team in the Bank that will follow it throughout the project. Each
technical team will assist in identifying the ‘type of operation’.
Objectives
The general aim of the program is to contribute in creating the
institutional conditions able to foster knowledge development in
each country, starting from a single national strategy, and to favour
the implementation of pilot initiatives for the starting up of the
chosen strategy.
In each country, the ALDEA Program creates:
• A political level able to identify and coordinate a digital policy with
different economic and social agents.
A technical skill in management (management level) for the public
administration of different projects in the following areas:
• Connectivity projects (Telecentres).
• Online Government projects.
• E-commerce projects.
• Education and ICT projects.
“
Our mission consists of identifying
and starting up solutions that can
adapt to the realities of
development in each country
”
Identification and start up of pilot projects in the following areas:
• Connectivity projects (Telecentres).
• Online Government projects.
• E-commerce projects.
• Education and ICT projects.
Activities
What kind of activities does the ALDEA Program promote?
• The design of a digital policy, linked to specific action plans, and
built-on in a coordinated way.
• Modernisation of the direction and decision-making systems for
public administration.
• Strengthening or development, according to the case, of the
institutional ability responsible for promoting digital strategies.
• Development of the necessary human resources.
• Improvement in the quality of services.
• Design and start up of mechanisms able to promote community
participation.
What results are expected from the ALDEA Program?
Right solutions for knowledge development.
Results
• Strengthening of the public management ability for a digital
strategy.
• Strengthening of the policies’ definition ability for a digital
strategy, co-ordinating the public and private sectors, citizens and
academic representatives.
• A pilot project to improve and increase citizens’ access to ICTs.
• A pilot project for the creation of e-government abilities.
• A pilot project for the creation of legal and institutional conditions
to support the development of e-commerce.
• A pilot project for the introduction of ICTs in public education
systems. ■
For more information, contact: Pablo Valenti, Information and Communication Technology
for Development, Division SDS/ICT. pablova@iadb.org www.iadb.org/ict4dev
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 73
 FROM THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TO
THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

A
mong its mandate and activities, of promoting the

Italian Trust Fund introduction, use and application of ICT in the social and
economic development process of the Bank’s borrowing

for Information and member countries in the Latin American and Caribbean Region,
the ICT for Development Division (SDS/ICT) of the Sustainable
Communication Technology Development Department (SDS) promotes effective inter-
institutional collaboration efforts to leverage the reach and impact
for Development of such emerging technologies in the region.
In particular, the Bank’s inter-institutional cooperation and co-
financing strategy in ICT seeks avenues of cooperation with
international organisations, civil society institutions and private
sector enterprises to leverage the technical and financial resources
available to promote the use and implementation of ICT in the
region. Within this context, a number of cooperation agreements
have been reached with, among others, the Information Society
Technologies Programme (IST) of the European Commission for the
establishment of a ‘Pilot Programme for the Diffusion of Information
Technologies in Social Programmes’, and the Government of Italy,
which has provided an effective support to the Bank in various
activities in the area of ICT for development including ‘E-Strategies’,
‘E-Commerce’ and ‘ICT Financial Leverage’.
Of particular importance is the establishment of the ‘Italian
Trust Fund for Information and Communication Technology for
Development’ for US$3 million. Such an initiative will finance a
series of pre-investment studies, project preparation activities,
pilot programmes, and small and medium-sized demonstrative
ICT projects in priority e-government activities in the Latin
American and Caribbean region. Additional bilateral donors will
be invited to join the initiative under individual trust fund
agreements in 2003 and, thereby, be allowed to cover additional
areas in the field of ICT for development (e.g. for social
development, sustainable development, business development,
and national strategies for the information society). ■

For more information, contact: Andres Garret

andresg@iadb.org www.iadb.org/ict4dev

74 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

The vital role of e-government

and e-governance

T
he rapid pace of technological development has created The United Nations ICT Task Force has also stated that e-
increasingly more powerful communication and information governance is a priority area of action and has instituted an ICT Policy
technologies that are capable of radically transforming public and Governance Working Group and another group with national and
institutions and private organisations alike. regional e-strategies comprising an e-governance component.
These technologies have proven to be extraordinarily useful The Italian government believes that e-government is a strategic
instruments in enabling governments to enhance the quality, speed of instrument that will enable both the developed and the developing
delivery and reliability of services to the citizens and to business. countries to make a quantum leap forward in terms of enhancing the
International experience and major international programmes efficiency of government services.
that identify ways of ensuring the digital revolution will benefit the
population of the whole world, have demonstrated that e-
government and e-governance can make an invaluable contribution
to helping to create digital opportunities for all. In the Indian state
of Andhra Pradesh, thanks to the new computerised real estate
registry system, the public can now perform operations locally in a
matter of hours, which formerly involved several days of travelling
to attend the registry offices. Increased efficiency has also helped
to reduce corruption and sharply raise the tax revenues associated
with conveyancing.
In the Brazilian state of Bahia, the introduction of computerised
service kiosks to access government services in shopping malls,
post offices and railway stations provide easy access to such
services as the issuing of passports, registration on unemployment
lists and submitting of police reports. In the Philippines, the
computerisation of the customs system has cut transaction costs,
streamlined procedures and substantially boosted tax revenues.
Both the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force and UN ICT TF have
identified the vital role that e-government can play in spreading Italy has, therefore, put forward her candidacy to promote an
wider access to information technologies. innovative form of technological cooperation based on the design
In the action plan presented at Genoa in 2001, the DOT Force and implementation of operational projects with measurable
recalled the importance of e-government in so many fields: “For results for the developing countries. Italy’s initiative, E-
internal efficiency and effectiveness within government, as well as of Government for Development, is intended to make an effective
e-governance for institutional capacity building, transparency, and original contribution to disseminating information about e-
accountability and its ability to enhance democratic governance.” government and its programming and implementation in
In addition to adopting the DOT Force Action Plan, the G8 countries which have not, or have only partially, exploited the full
leaders in Genoa, acting on a proposal by Italian Prime Minister, potential of this important tool for narrowing the economic and
Silvio Berlusconi, in the final declaration, encouraged: “The social divide. ■

development of an action plan on how e-government can

strengthen democracy and the rule of law by empowering citizens For more information, contact:
Minister for Innovation and Technologies – Italy
and making the provision of essential government services http://www.palermoconference2002.org/en/egov1.htm
more efficient.”

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 75
 FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND ITS PRIVATE SECTOR
PARTNERS IN THE DIGITAL FREEDOM INITIATIVE TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

Digital Freedom Initiative:

Fostering ICT-led economic growth

S “
enior U.S. and Senegalese government and business
officials launched the Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI) at a
White House event on March 4, 2003. The goal of DFI is to
promote economic growth by bringing the benefits of information The DFI reflects President Bush’s
and communication technologies to entrepreneurs and small
businesses in the developing world.
determination to encourage innovative
The approach is bold and innovative, leveraging the leadership foreign assistance policies that
of the United States and partner governments, and the energy and encourage wealth creation, economic
vision of entrepreneurs in the developing world. The DFI will be
piloted in Senegal and, if successful, could be rolled out to over
and political freedom, the rule of law
one dozen countries over the next five years. and human rights.
U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY, DONALD EVANS
Elements of the program

”
There are three key elements of the program. These include:

• Placing volunteers in small businesses to share business and

technology knowledge. U.S. and Senegalese private sector and
NGO volunteers will assist small business and entrepreneurs in
growing their business through the application of technology and
the transfer of business expertise.
• Promoting a pro-competitive regulatory and policy environment to
enhance business competitiveness. The U.S. Department of
State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the
Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications
Commission, and other public and private sector organizations
will assist DFI countries in developing a pro-growth policy and
regulatory framework.
• Leveraging existing technology and communications
infrastructure in new ways to help entrepreneurs and small
businesses better compete in both regional and global markets.
Rather than creating new infrastructure, the DFI will build on
existing infrastructure investments to meet program objectives.
The Senegal pilot
The DFI Pilot will be launched in Senegal in July 2003. The
Government of Senegal already has identified several critical
opportunities to advance the overarching DFI objective of ICT-led
economic growth.
provide business opportunities for small businesses and
entrepreneurs.
The DFI also will provide policy and regulatory assistance to the
Senegalese telecommunications regulator as it plans for the
introduction of competition into the fixed-line telecommunications
market in 2004. The DFI also will work with a variety of Senegalese
stakeholders to help them identify and shape policies that will
promote the development of electronic commerce in Senegal.
Building partnerships and measuring results
The DFI is designed to be high impact but low cost and is
relying on the skills, creativity and expertise of U.S. and
Senegalese partners in the private sector and in civil society to
achieve its objectives.
The budget for the Senegal pilot is estimated at $6.5 million
over the next three years. Many of those resources will be in-kind
contributions of human capital, services and products from
private sectors partners.
At regular intervals, DFI projects will be evaluated based on
performance benchmarks that measure small business growth,
market efficiency gains, business integration with international
partners and markets, and job growth. ■

These identified priorities include placing over 100 volunteers to

assist entrepreneurs and small businesses in growing their
Further information on the program can be obtained at the DFI
businesses through ICT. The DFI will leverage nearly 200 cybercafes homepage: www.dfi.gov
and 10,000 telecenters to generate information and services that

76 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Digital Opportunities
I
n July 2001, G8 leaders endorsed the
Genoa Plan of Action, a product of the
work of the Digital Opportunity Task
Force. The DOT Force, which was formed
following the 2000 G8 Summit in Okinawa,
represented both a unique model of
international cooperation and a new way of
responding to the challenges of
development. It brought together committed
leaders from government, industry and civil
society, drawn from G8 member countries
and from the developing world, to conceive
a forward-looking action plan designed to
expand the use of digital technology and to
universalize its benefits. Its report, ‘Digital
Opportunities for All: Meeting the
Challenge’, contained a vision of global
development based on the power of
information technology to promote
sustainable growth, advance social justice
and strengthen democratic governance.
Participation in the DOT Force reached
well beyond its original membership to
include almost 100 stakeholder organizations
spanning more than 30 countries. Through
the work of its implementation teams, the
DOT Force generated more than 20 major
bilateral and multilateral initiatives, operating
across a broad range of areas crucial to
balanced development – access,
governance, entrepreneurship, health and
education. In designing and implementing
these initiatives, DOT Force members also
gave special attention to the needs of lesser
developed countries, and particularly to
Africa, responding directly to the
requirements articulated in the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD).
New tools and partnerships for
development
At the United Nations Millennium Summit
in September 2000, world leaders set a
series of targets for the reduction of poverty,
known as the Millennium Development
Goals. They pledged to eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger; to achieve universal
primary education; to promote gender
equality and empower women; to reduce
child mortality and improve maternal health;
to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other
diseases; to ensure environmental
sustainability; and to develop a global
partnership for development.
Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) provide a powerful tool
to help achieve the Millennium Development
Goals. Thus, the ‘mainstreaming’ of
information technology within project
planning and design, and even more
importantly, within development strategies,
is critically important, both nationally and
internationally. The value and legacy of the
DOT Force is clear – it has focussed global
attention on sustainable, ICT-enabled
development, and has encouraged the
international development community to
mainstream ICTs in their bilateral and
multilateral assistance programs.
Over the past two years, DOT Force
partners have worked with great passion
and dedication to broaden the
understanding that ICTs are a fundamental
tool for reducing poverty and for spurring
sustainable development. As stressed in its
first report to G8 leaders: “access to
knowledge and information is a prerequisite
for modern human development.” This
central premise underlies the continuing
work of the DOT Force and the commitment
of its members to expanding the
contribution of ICTs to all forms and levels
of development. Examples of the enabling
power of these technologies are now
emerging. Community radio stations in
Africa are providing vital information on
weather disaster warnings, health and
nutrition, and HIV/AIDS prevention. The
quality of life of many poor women in
Bangladesh has improved through the
innovative use of cellular phones. In Bolivia,
Internet centres have been set up to provide
farmers with timely information on crops,
transformation, production, as well as
policies and regulations.
The formula for success
The success of the DOT Force has
relied on the close cooperation among
representatives from G8 governments,
developing nations, international
organizations, and the non-profit and private
sectors. Each participated fully and equally
in its work. The multi-stakeholder approach
of the DOT Force now serves as the model
for other global ‘ICT for development’
initiatives that follow in its footsteps.
DOT Force achievements and future
agenda
Under the auspices of the G8, the DOT
Force has emerged as the primary
instrument for harnessing the potential of
information technology for global
development. Through its leadership and
sense of strategic purpose, it has
successfully mobilized the international
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 77
 community behind a common goal of
broadening the participation of countries
and peoples in the information age. As a
catalyst for action, its products and partners
have demonstrated conclusively the crucial
role of ICTs in addressing basic
development needs – in promoting good
governance and democratic values,
improving health care, education, and
government services, and supporting
industry and small business. The continuing
challenge is to sustain the energy and
creativity of the DOT Force and ensure the
full implementation of its future agenda.
The first and most essential task is to
maintain the sense of political leadership
and accountability that has characterized
the mandate and work of the DOT Force to
date. The mobilization of political leaders,
industry captains and civil society requires a
suitably high-level forum to provide strategic
direction to, and promote, the cause of ICTs
for development. Secondly, given the
numerous initiatives under way at the global
level, a focal point is required to provide
policy coherence and coordination in the
design and implementation of ICT-based
development initiatives. This focal point
should also act as a strong catalyst in the
formation of partnerships between countries
and organizations of all types, based on an
‘all-inclusive’ approach that involves
governments, private sector, civil society
and international organizations.
As a process conducted under the G8,
the DOT Force has formally sunset with its
2002 report card entitled ‘Digital
Opportunities for All: Leadership for
Change’. Its agenda, however, has now
become the business of a number of other
bodies that could carry on the leadership
role of the DOT Force within the
international community. The United Nations
ICT Task Force, established by the
Secretary-General in November 2001,
78 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
“
The continuing challenge is to sustain the
energy and creativity of the DOT Force
and ensure the full implementation of its
future agenda
shares the DOT Force vision and approach,
and provides a focal point for establishing
strategic direction, policy coherence, and
advocacy in relation to the global, ICT-
based development agenda. Through its
regional networks, the UN ICT Task Force
provides an effective means for broader
outreach and effective involvement of
developing countries in future
implementation work. In the private sector,
organizations such as the World Economic
Forum, the Global Business Dialogue on
Electronic Commerce, and the International
Chamber of Commerce have also accepted
the challenge of widening digital
opportunities within the developing world.
Above all, the DOT Force has created a
series of initiatives through its
implementation teams aimed at forming the
key building blocks of the information
society for developing nations in areas such
as strengthening readiness for e-
development; increasing access and
connectivity; supporting skills development;
as well as fostering local content and
promoting ICTs for healthcare. They include:
The Global ePolicy Resource Network –
ePol-NET (formerly the International e-
Development Resource Network – IeDRN),
is designed to marshal global efforts in
support of national e-strategies for
”
development. The Network will establish a
focal point for bringing together providers of
e-strategy information and expertise with
the individuals, organizations and
governments that can make effective use of
these resources.
E-Government for Development is a
comprehensive initiative to contribute
toward the implementation of e-government
in countries that have not – or have only
partially – exploited the use of ICTs to
transform public administrations into
efficient, transparent and enabling
instruments for social and economic
development. The project has begun its
work in five initial countries: Albania, Jordan,
Mozambique, Nigeria and Tunisia.
The Global Digital Opportunity Initiative
(GDOI) is committed to increasing the
impact of ICTs in the development and
implementation of national strategies that
are most likely to generate growth and
capacity. In addition to supporting the
achievement of each country’s development
targets, the GDOI will seek to create
demonstration models and analytical tools
for the benefit of all developing countries.
The project Enablis (formerly the DOT
Force Entrepreneurial Network) will focus
on supporting enterprises that are helping
to drive economic development in their
local community and maximizing the
business use and societal impact of ICT,
thereby encouraging the wider take-up of
digital opportunities.
Connectivity Africa will focus on
connectivity projects in Africa and
adaptation of expertise and models to the
needs of African countries, particularly in
education, health and economic
development. Connectivity Africa consists of
four components which are: innovation in
the use of ICTs, African regional ICT futures,
research and development in African ICTs,
partnership and convergence.
The Open Knowledge Network (OKN)
Will make local information widely
available through local, regional and
international access points by creating a
new network formed from existing
knowledge centres in developing countries.
The aim is to promote both the creation of
local content and the realization of its value
by facilitating its exchange as widely as
possible across the South.
ADEN
Will create a network of Internet
community access points in Africa. It will
focus on the training and capacity building
of managers and practitioners, North-South
and South-South experience sharing, and
the development of services responding to
local community needs.
Twinning Promotion and Facilitation
Through ICT
Uses ICTs to improve the
communication of best practices with
respect to AIDS programming and to
facilitate partnerships between AIDS service
organizations in Africa.
The CAR Project
Will implement Edu-Telecentres across
districts in Malawi, to be mirrored in Kenya,
Uganda and Zambia. Along with programs
on HIV/AIDS, the CAR Project will provide
programs to address women’s
empowerment, teacher training, distance
learning and skills development.
CATIA (Catalyzing Access to ICTs in Africa)
Will increase affordable access to ICTs
across the continent (both Internet and
radio); increase Africa’s influence in
international decision-making; and promote
the exchange of local African content.
The Telecentre Infomediary/Help Desk
Run by ‘digital pioneers’ in Africa and
other developing countries, it will provide
practical help and advice to technology
professionals and managers of community-
based telecommunications facilities. The
Help Desk will link existing expertise in the
South with locally-driven innovation and
provide a platform for telecentre practitioners
to influence the use of ICTs for development.
The Health InterNetwork
Will strengthen public health services by
providing public health workers, researchers
and policy makers, access to high quality,
relevant and timely information through an
Internet portal.
Building on success
These initiatives are important agents to
carry forward the work of the DOT Force
and to complete the implementation of the
Genoa Plan of Action. These initiatives
illustrate the key elements in the DOT Force
formula – they include innovative models of
development that are scalable and
replicable; they involve partners from
developing countries in all phases, from
design to delivery; they rely on public-
private partnerships; and they involve
minimal overhead, allowing for speedy
implementation. Their autonomy and
operational flexibility are key values to
nurture in the deployment of projects while
they also seek high-level support from
global organizations.
As part of their ongoing work, DOT
Force partners seek other additional
partners and are putting in place an informal
network to coordinate their work, facilitate
the exchange of information and combine
forces on ‘ICT for development’ advocacy.
They also invite G8 governments
individually to continue their involvement in
the implementation of the Genoa Plan of
Action, including support for specific
initiatives.
The World Summit on the Information
Society will provide a good opportunity to
take stock of progress achieved toward
fulfilling the Genoa Plan of Action’s vision of
an inclusive global information society. ■
“
These initiatives are
important agents to
carry forward the work
of the DOT Force
”
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 79
Canadian leadership in bridging the digital divide
Created at the G8 Okinawa Summit in July 2000,
the Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force)
brought together stakeholders from government,
private sector and civil society organizations, as well
as representatives from developing countries, to
identify ways of bridging the technological gap
between developed and developing nations.
A major achievement of the DOT Force, which
formally concluded its work with a final report
presented to G8 leaders at the 2002 Summit in
Kananaskis, is a new global vision on the importance
of mainstreaming ICTs in development assistance
“Now Mozambique wants to be known in the near
and distant future for its commitment to the mastery
and utilization of information and communications
technologies for sustainable national development.
Toward that end, my country has recently developed
its national ICT policy, because we clearly see that
ICTs have become an indispensable lever for a
country’s development.”
HIS EXCELLENCY DR PASCOAL MOCUMBI,
PRIME MINISTER OF MOZAMBIQUE
programs. This vision is being translated into specific
initiatives within the international community. For
example, the United Nations ICT Task Force,
established by the Secretary-General in November
2001, provides a focal point for establishing strategic
direction, policy coherence, and advocacy in
advancing the global, ICT-based development
agenda. The work of the DOT Force also carries on
through a series of initiatives aimed at forming the
key building blocks of the information society for
developing nations.
Canada continues to play a leadership role in
the DOT Force agenda by supporting three specific
initiatives to help African countries to: develop
national e-strategies and policy frameworks;
improve connectivity as well as access to local
content and applications; and foster ICT-related
enterprise and entrepreneurship. These initiatives
are described below.
National e-strategies and policy frameworks
One first step in creating digital opportunities for
all is the formation of clear national e-strategies to
manage the development of appropriate ICT
regulatory, legislative and policy frameworks. African
leaders have recognized the immense potential
offered by ICTs, making them a priority area in their
new vision called the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD).
In the DOT Force Plan of Action endorsed by G8
Leaders at the Genoa Summit (2001), a commitment
was made to establish a Global e-Policy Resource
Network – ePol-NET (formerly known as the
International e-Development Resource Network –
IeDRN), to provide developing countries with a
consolidated source of regulatory, policy and e-
strategy expertise. Championed by the government of
Canada, ePol-NET, is being established in partnership
with governments worldwide, international
organizations, the private sector, and the not-for-
profit community.
The planning of ePol-NET involved the full
membership of the DOT Force and, through
collaboration with the UN ICT Task Force, has
involved a broader constituency from several
developing countries and non-G8 countries. The
government of Ireland will host an ePol-NET
Secretariat and website that will serve as a central
hub for global knowledge and expertise on e-
strategies. Other key partners include the
governments of Italy and Japan, the UNDP, the UN
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization
(CTO), the ITU and the OECD, as well as private sector
(e.g. Accenture) and civil society organizations (e.g.
Markle Foundation.) Over time, new partners will be
actively recruited to ePol-NET, which will be officially
launched in December 2003 at the World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva.
Canada’s own contribution to ePol-NET is the
creation of a Canadian e-Policy Resource Centre
(CePRC) for Africa. The CePRC will serve as a focal
point for providing Canadian expertise in support of
national policy-makers in Africa across a wide range
of ICT policies and strategies. Expertise will be
provided in such areas as e-commerce legal and
policy frameworks, telecommunications policy and
regulation, Internet governance, e-government
strategies, e-health, distance learning and community
access. The government of Canada is also providing
financial assistance to the ECA toward the
establishment of an African regional ePol-NET node to
funnel demand from individuals (policy experts,
program managers, legislation drafters) and
institutions seeking expertise.
Connectivity and the use and development of
local content
Information and communication technologies
can be effective tools to empower people so they can
grasp economic opportunities, benefit from social
programs and participate in the democratic process.
However, most people in Africa are denied those
opportunities; for instance, only one in every 100
people even has access to a telephone. In support of
the work of the DOT Force, the government of
Canada is providing funding to the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC) for Connectivity
Africa, a new initiative that was launched at the
Networking Africa’s Future Conference held in South
Africa in April 2003.
Connectivity Africa will build on Canada’s
experience in connectivity projects in Africa and
adapt Canadian expertise to the needs of African
countries, especially in education, health, economic
and community development through increased
connectivity and local content. Connectivity Africa will
“Ten years ago – before ‘digital divide’ had become
a commonplace expression, when the Internet was
still a remote frontier to most people – the prospect
of applying the most advanced ICTs to development
could be dismissed by many as a fantasy. What we
know now is that ICT for development is not a
fantasy but an imperative.”
MAUREEN O’NEIL, PRESIDENT,
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTRE (CANADA)
operate as a network developed from the ground up
– based on local demand from African partners – to
support research, development and innovative uses
of ICTs. Connectivity Africa staff will engage African
institutions to develop and fund projects under the
following four program areas:
• Innovation in the Use of ICTs will focus on
emerging information and communication
technologies that may have application in the
African context, in particular, innovations for low-
cost, robust ICT access in rural and urban areas;
• African Regional ICT Futures will consist of projects
designed to help connect national strategies with
regional infrastructure priorities and seek to
support the development of intra-regional
connectivity throughout the African continent;
• R&D in African ICTs will focus on projects that build
capacity in African institutions for innovation and
research in the area of ICTs. In particular, it will
support the development of an African observatory
on the diffusion and use of ICTs in Africa;
• Partnership and Convergence will promote
electronic networking and information sharing
among existing and new programs, practitioners,
researchers and participants involved with ICTs for
development in Africa. It will also develop co-
ordination mechanisms with all donors involved
with African ICT for development
The generation of local content and applications
allows developing countries to adapt information
technologies to their own social and economic
situations. Linked to Connectivity Africa is another
DOT Force initiative, the Open Knowledge Network
(OKN), which is being developed under the
chairmanship of OneWorld International, with initial
support from the UK government and the government
of Canada. The OKN will make local information
widely available through local, regional and
international access points by creating a new
network formed from existing knowledge centres in
developing countries. The aim is to promote both the
creation of local content and the realization of its
value by facilitating its exchange as widely as
possible across the South. Canada’s contribution to
the OKN project will be applied to the development of
local content and applications in African countries.
Enterprise and entrepreneurship
Enablis (formerly the DOT Force Entrepreneurial
Network) consists of a coalition of public, private and
civil society organizations co-led by Telesystem Ltd.
(Canada), Accenture (UK) and Hewlett-Packard (US)
aimed at helping small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in developing
countries to leverage the power of ICTs for social
and economic development. Enablis will encourage
governments and Entrepreneur Support
Organisations (ESOs), to take up the advantages of
ICT-related entrepreneurship in pursuing sustainable
social and economic development. It will also serve
as a point of reference and expertise in the
ICT/entrepreneurship area.
Enablis will focus primarily on entrepreneurial
users of ICT with a high potential transformational
“The creation of Enablis represents a call to action
to all those who can contribute towards creating
digital opportunities. This is our chance to achieve
a collective impact far beyond our individual
capabilities.”
CHARLES SIROIS, CHAIRMAN AND CEO,
ENABLIS/CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF TELESYSTEM LTD. (CANADA)
impact in African and other developing countries.
Examples include those that promote better
functioning of a local market, better access to local
and global markets, set an example of how best to
use ICTs to improve their internal efficiency and
effectiveness, reduce costs of ownership of ICTs or
the development of fulfilment infrastructure for ICT-
enabled businesses.
Enablis will aim to support projects through a
combination of funding assistance and in-kind
support through business support products and
services. Its range of services will include:
• Advice to governments and policy makers on
effective policies for ICTs, small businesses,
trade, etc;
• Loan financing for start-ups and SMEs;
• Guidance, mentoring, and networking to facilitate
strategic partnerships with global corporations and
other SMEs; and,
• A variety of hardware and software products
donated by large corporations.
Enablis was officially launched at the World
Economic Forum in January 2003 and will begin
operating in Africa through funding by the
government of Canada.
Conclusion
These initiatives are part of Canada’s overall
commitment to support Africa’s development and
respond to priorities formulated in the NEPAD.
Canada strongly believes that ICTs enable social and
economic development and that the international
community needs to streamline ICTs in the
development assistance process. This belief has
guided our actions in the G8 DOT Force, the UN ICT
Task Force and in other international fora. The World
Summit on the Information Society now offers us
collectively an ideal platform to promote the ‘ICT for
Development’ agenda.
 FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION TO
THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.
Challenges and partnerships
T
he International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) is the United Nations’
specialised agency within which
governments and the private sector work
together to coordinate the operation of
telecommunication networks and services
and to advance the development of
communications technology. Founded in
1865, ITU is based on a unique
public/private partnership, with 189
member states and over 660 sector
members. Every time someone,
somewhere, picks up a telephone and dials
a number, answers a call on a mobile
phone, sends a fax or receives an e-mail,
takes a plane or a ship, listens to the radio,
watches a favourite television programme
or helps a small child to master the latest
radio-controlled toy, they are benefiting
from the work of ITU. The role of ITU is thus
central to the creation of the information
society and the goals of the UN ICT Task
Force, of which ITU was a founder member.
One of the major current undertakings
is the organisation of a World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS), to be held
in two phases, in Geneva (December 2003)
and in Tunis (2005). In line with UN General
Assembly Resolution 56/183, ITU has
assumed the leading managerial role in the
executive secretariat of the Summit and its
preparatory process.
The work of the Union is implemented
through three Sectors:
The Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R),
Telecommunication Standardisation Sector
(ITU-T) and Telecommunication
82 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
Development Sector (ITU-D). The mission of
the latter is to achieve its objectives, based
on the right to communicate of all the
inhabitants of the world, through access to
infrastructure and information and
communications services. The major
programmes of ITU-D are the six strands of
the Istanbul Action Plan (see side bar),
which charts a course for developing
countries to transform the digital divide into
digital opportunities.
In addition, there are a number of other
ITU activities that are directly relevant to the
work of the UN ICT Task Force. These
include:
• The ITU New Initiatives Programme,
launched in 1999, which provides high-
quality research and strategic workshops
on issues of high current policy and
regulatory relevance for ITU members.
Recent topics covered include
competition policy, creating trust in critical
network infrastructures, Internet diffusion,
multilingual domain names, 3G licensing,
broadband, etc.
• A programme of information-sharing,
notably through the publication of the
World Telecommunication Development
Report, Trends in Telecom Reform, and
other publications and databases.
• A proposal, taken up by Working Group 5
of the UN ICT Task Force, on enhancing IP
connectivity in the least developed
countries using low-cost VSATs (very small
aperture terminals), which provide access
to remote and rural areas by satellite.
The Istanbul Action Plan
Bridging the digital divide means providing
access to telecommunications and ICT and
promoting their use so that all segments of
society can harness the opportunities of the
information society. Digital opportunities not
only serve as an engine for economic growth,
they enable social, educational and medical
progress. These goals hinge upon the rollout of
ICT networks and services.
The Istanbul Action Plan is a
comprehensive package that will enable
developing countries to promote the equitable
and sustainable deployment of affordable ICT
networks and services. The core of the plan is
a series of six programmes:
• Regulatory reform
• Technologies and telecommunication
network development
• E-strategies and e-services/applications
• Economics and finance
• Human capacity building
• Special programme for the least developed
countries
The unique structure of ITU, as a
public/private partnership, provides
valuable experience in bringing together the
different stakeholders to work together
towards common goals. ITU is not just
talking about creating the information
society, it is doing it. ■
For more information, visit: www.itu.int
The rationale for shared access
Since 1998, the International Telecommunication
Union has been developing multipurpose community
telecentre (MCT) projects to bring telephone, fax,
Internet, e-mail and, in some cases, distance learning
and telemedicine to remote villages around the world.
Timbuktu (Mali), with its legendary past, is home to the
first major multipurpose community telecentre in
Africa. Located East of Lake Faguibine and near the
Niger River, Timbuktu remains an important trade
centre on the Saharan camel caravan routes. But like
most isolated areas, the once prosperous commercial
and cultural town needs a helping hand to join the
digital economy and participate in an increasingly
knowledge-based society.
Multipurpose community telecentres make it
possible for people of a village to learn how to use
computers and the Internet. Students and teachers can
run educational software on personal computers in
telecentres or obtain access to world leading online
libraries and distance instructors through the Internet.
Local administrators and society leaders can access
information on basic social services such as water
supply or infrastructure. Farmers can form joint buying
and selling groups and monitor market prices. Small
entrepreneurs can find larger markets, secure
business and use the telecentre for basic office
services such as fax, e-mail or document production.
Facilities providing access to ICTs, and the
applications they support, vary considerably. In their
simplest form, they may be limited to providing public
telephone and fax services and be run, for example, by
a local shopkeeper. Telecentres of this type, sometimes
referred to as ‘telekiosks’, tend to be located in more
densely populated areas and have an important social
and economic role.
At the other end of the scale are telecentres with
(shared) offices open to small local businesses and
‘teleworkers’, which are equipped with computers,
printers and photocopiers. Centres of this type generally
provide access to data networks (e.g. Internet) for e-
mail and file transfer, to electronic libraries and
databases, government and community information
systems, market and price information databases,
environmental monitoring systems and so on. They may
also offer facilities and equipment for distance learning
and telemedicine, and some may provide the facilities,
equipment and training needed to produce (and
receive) local radio and television programmes.
Typically, MCTs are a collaborative effort of
multilateral agencies and national partners, including
non-governmental organisations, who pool expertise in
different areas to serve communities. The expertise
could range from basic health to small-scale industry.
The focus is on the development and adaptation to the
local context of applications and ‘content’ relevant to
their field of activity, and in the training of support staff
and end-users.
In Latin America, telecentre pilot projects at Valle
de Angeles and Santa Lucía in Honduras offer a good
example of appropriate technologies and institutional
arrangements at work. The Valle de Angeles MCT
recently became a rural Internet service provider. Both
the Santa Lucía and Valle de Angeles telecentres link
five other ‘mini’ telecentres each with narrow-band
packet radio and spread spectrum technologies. These
low cost, low maintenance telecentres are located in
the neighbouring villages.
In Asia, Bhutan Telecom established a telecentre
at Jakar in central Bhutan with ITU assistance in 1998.
The telecentre has been particularly successful in
providing basic information technology training to over
450 people. As part of the next phase of operations,
UNESCO is assisting Bhutan to convert the Jakar
telecentre into a community multimedia centre in
which access to the Internet and the broadcasting
programme production are integrated to maximise the
information services accessible to the local
community.
The media production centre will take advantage
of telecommunication facilities available at the MCT to
deliver locally produced content for daily radio and
television broadcast offered by the Bhutan
Broadcasting Service (BBS). Combining the media
production centre and the MCT would enable BBS to
offer more participatory programmes, besides using
content based on the regular field visits conducted in
central Bhutan. The media production centre is
expected to eventually introduce local broadcasts
through its own transmitter. Such broadcasts would
include regular ‘Radio Browsing’ programmes to
promote rural access to the Internet through the Jakar
multipurpose community telecentre.
Another pilot project in Tanzania addresses the
needs of the refugee community, relief workers and the
local community. The project is implemented in
collaboration with the Tanzanian government, UNESCO,
UNHCR, WorldSpace Corporation and VITASAT.
According to the business plan, telecentres are to be
sustainable enterprises. The project responds to an ITU
resolution titled ‘Training of Refugees’ which calls on
The ITU to continue its efforts towards the application
of the United Nations’ resolutions relevant to assistance
to refugees. ITU is also to collaborate fully with the
organisations concerned with the training of refugees,
both within and outside the United Nations system.
Furthermore, the resolution invites ITU Members ‘to do
even more to receive certain selected refugees and to
arrange for their training in telecommunications in
professional centres and schools’.
The project comprises a network of three
telecentres:
• The first telecentre is located in the district
headquarters town of Ngara, which houses the
local administration as well as UNHCR and
UNICEF offices;
• The second is at ‘K9’, about 17 kilometres from
Ngara, where seven relief organisations and a
secondary school for girls are based;
• The third is some 8 km from K9 where two
refugee camps are located: Lukole A and B, which
currently have no telecommunication facilities.
VITA will provide satellite support and
information services through its VITA-Connect
network, including the contribution of a ground
station, antenna and software for basic electronic
mail-based connectivity. WorldSpace Corporation has
committed to providing, at each site, a container
incorporating radio equipment, satellite receiver and
data terminal to download web-based multimedia
educational and entertainment content in Kiswahili
(the local language). The centre, planned as an
educational centre for refugee children and for
teacher training, will also provide medical information
and will be run by refugees.
Projects currently in an advanced stage of
planning include: in Niger, establishment of four
telecentres around the capital Niamey, to be run by
women’s cooperatives and in the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, establishing a telecentre
in Hyangsan County.
All MCT pilot projects are subject to continuous
assessment by the partners involved in their
implementation. Current assessments point to the fact
that the projects have considerable social impact.
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 83
 FROM MIT TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON
THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Media Lab Asia:
Innovating for the next Five Billion
F
or the first time in human history your
location no longer limits your ability to
communicate. From anywhere in the
world – mountain, jungle or city – you can
now telephone, e-mail and browse the
Internet using a pocket-sized, battery-
powered wireless communicator. The UN
ICT Task Force has been established to
better understand and utilise these
revolutionary new possibilities.
However, current information and
communication products are engineered for
developed nations and are often too
expensive or inappropriate for developing
nations. Only by focusing research and
development efforts on making the technology
affordable, useful and universally accessible,
will we be able to provide every family on
earth with access to first-class educational
material, medical advice, business
communications and entertainment. Media
Lab Asia’s role within the UN ICT Task Force is
to coordinate Asian industry and academia to
achieve this goal.
With core participation from MIT’s
renowned Media Laboratory, seed-funding
from the government of India, and
industrial funding from corporations such
as Tata Consulting Services and Microsoft,
Media Lab Asia is inventing technologies
that respond to the needs of the vast
number of individuals living in Asia, Africa
and Latin America.
Media Lab Asia’s research and
development efforts facilitate the invention,
refinement and dissemination of innovations
that benefit the greatest number of people.
Working though our industrial partners,
NGOs and governments, we are bringing
84 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
innovation to villages throughout the world,
combining the creativity of entrepreneurs
with the technical know-how of universities.
Particular challenges in cultivating these
solutions will include the need to operate in
many different languages and to support
local culture and tradition.
Media Lab Asia’s research programme
Our research projects may be divided
into three technical initiatives:
Bits for All – focusing on viral,
terrestrial wireless systems for rural
connectivity. We are exploring new, cost-
effective methods of connecting every
person on earth.
Tomorrow’s Tools – connecting the
disembodied world of bits to the real world
through novel sensors, effectors and
fabrication tools. Translating the vision of
fine-grain, pervasive computing to rural
communities.
World Computer – a computer for the
illiterate, for communities, for everyone. We
are creating computers that transcend these
barriers to bring digital services to everyone.
The design goal of the world computer is a
localised, grassroots interface.
These three technical themes come
together in a fourth initiative that seeks to
find a synergetic combination of technology
with societal need:
Digital Village – realising Gandhi’s vision
of a sustainable village through culturally
appropriate use of new technologies. Our
goal is to create a sustainable digital
ecology that maintains traditional values and
community while opening economic and
expressive opportunities.
These ideas are developed in two ways:
through research laboratories that generate
and prototype new concepts, and through
field projects that develop, test and evaluate
these laboratory prototypes.
Example research projects
Sustainable access in rural India (SARI)
Working with some 50 villages in the
Madurai district in south-eastern India,
Media Lab Asia is collaborating with the
Harvard Centre for International
Development, IIT-Madras and the I-Gyan
Foundation to help villagers obtain economic
self-sustainability throughout the region. They
are doing this by providing villages with
Internet-ready telekiosks that provide much-
needed communication and information
services. Each kiosk is equipped with a PC
(whose interfaces are in the local language,
Tamil), battery-backup power supply,
telephone and wireless Internet connection.
After just four months of operation, the
kiosks have already been used for
telemedicine and have helped villagers
process hundreds of e-government
applications. But perhaps the most dramatic
result was the rescue of a key crop for the
village of Ulagapichanpatti, when a picture of
the diseased crop, sent to the agricultural
centre, immediately identified the problem
and provided the formula for a remedy.

DakNet
DakNet provides a creative, low-cost
‘drive-by’ solution for distributing the
bandwidth necessary to make connectivity
possible even in the poorest countries. A
hand-held PDA, equipped with a wireless
card, is attached to the back of any vehicle
that travels through rural villages. Villagers
queue their Internet messages at local kiosks
and when the vehicle gets within range
(approximately 500 meters) it automatically
senses a wireless radio link – picking up the
queued messages and dropping off files
addressed to users of that kiosk.
DakNet is a hybrid of physical and
digital wireless transport. Using long-
distance wireless links would be more
expensive to maintain and using physical
Although the data transport provided by
DakNet is not real-time, a large amount of
data can be moved at once and, as a result, it
provides a higher data throughput than other
low-bandwidth technologies. DakNet also
provides a seamless method of upgrading to
universal broadband connectivity.
Kaash
Focused on improving health care in
rural India, Kaash is a pilot project
conducted in collaboration with the All-
India Institute of Medical Sciences. It
introduces the use of handheld PDAs into
the public health system, providing them
care. To ensure that the handhelds would be
used, we worked with the ANMs to design a
system that incorporates the local
terminology. Each PDA has a pull-down
menu, so you just have to recognise terms
rather than write them.
The system can also provide feedback
on diagnoses and treatment to the ANMs in
the field, and reminders that particular
patients are due for inoculation. In the long
term, the PDA will not only be a useful tool
for collecting and storing health data, but
also for helping public health officials see
trends, leading to improved health care for
the Indian population as a whole. ■

transportation alone would be too labour to some of the approximately 350,000

intensive. The short-distance wireless link
also has the advantage of being able to run
on batteries. DakNet is scalable and, most
auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANMs) now
working throughout India.
Kaash’s goal is to make the ANMs more
For more information, contact:
Prof. Alex (Sandy) Pentland,
Founding Director, Media Lab Asia
E-mail: pentland@media.mit.edu

importantly, sustainable. efficient and to allow them to provide better

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 85
p86-87 UNCTAD 21/11/03 11:19 am Page 86
FROM THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON
TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
UNCTAD and e-commerce
strategies for development
T
he main initiative undertaken by
UNCTAD in 2002 with regard to the
activities of the Task Force
concerns the organisation of a series of
meetings, held at both the expert and the
policy-making levels, on the issue of e-
commerce strategies for development. The
purpose of these events was, firstly, to
raise awareness about the key role of e-
commerce in ICT-enabled strategies to fight
poverty and social exclusion. Secondly, the
events aimed to identify policy areas and
specific measures (national and
international) that can be conducive to the
creation of an enabling environment for e-
commerce in developing countries. The
third purpose of the events was to support
national capacity building in e-strategy
making, and lastly, the events aimed to
exchange information about national and
regional experiences and to provide
opportunities for networking among e-
commerce experts of developing countries.
The Expert Meeting on E-commerce
Strategies for Development (Geneva, 10-12
July) brought together experts from 59
countries and 19 international organisations
and NGOs, including representatives of the
UN ICT Task Force. The experts discussed
the links and interactions between e-
commerce strategies and other aspects of
national development strategies.
Specific policy areas that were
addressed included human resources
development, gender aspects of e-
commerce, access and infrastructure and
the legal and regulatory aspects of e-
commerce strategies. Experts from all of the
developing regions presented a number of
86 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
national e-commerce national strategies.
Particular attention was paid to the issue of
The Trade Point Programme
developing a participatory approach to
The Trade Point Programme was created by
national e-commerce strategy making, as
UNCTAD in 1992, as part of its Trade Efficiency
well as to regional and global initiatives in
Initiative. Its objectives are to increase the
support of developing countries interested
participation of small and medium-sized
in putting in place their own national e-
enterprises (SMEs), in particular those located in
commerce strategies. The participation of
developing countries, in international trade;
representatives of both the G-8’s DOT Force
reduce transaction costs; and provide them with
and of the UN ICT Task Force was
access to the latest information technologies.
particularly relevant in this regard.
In 2000, UNCTAD launched the
The work of the experts and policy-
establishment of the World Trade Point
makers participating in the events organised
Federation (WTPF), which has taken over the
by UNCTAD was supported by an analysis
management of the programme. Through a
undertaken by the UNCTAD secretariat of
network of 122 trade information and
the experience available so far of national e-
facilitation centres, known as Trade Points, the
commerce strategies. The issues paper that
WTPF assists SMEs in 80 countries worldwide
summarises the findings of this work, as
to trade internationally through the use of
well as a number of presentations by the
electronic commerce technologies.
participating experts, is available online at
The Federation’s website (www.wtpfed.org)
UNCTAD’s e-commerce website.
offers well-known services, for example the
Two regional level events have been
Electronic Trading Opportunities system,
held in 2002 and another two are scheduled
including its Electronic Investment
for 2003. The 2002 events were the High-
Opportunities and a world company directory.
level Regional Workshop on E-commerce
These services are offered by the Federation
and ICT for Central America and the
and its Trade Points, or through strategic
Caribbean (Curaçao, 25-27 June) and the
partnerships with international organisations
High-level Regional Meeting on E-
and the civil society.
commerce Strategies for Development, in
WTPF is an ideal physical and virtual
cooperation with UN/ESCAP (Bangkok, 20-
platform that is complementary to the work
22 November). Both events also provided
undertaken by intergovernmental organisations
the opportunity for informal meetings among
dealing with e-commerce, trade and
members of the respective regional
development. It has a direct access to the local
networks of the UN ICT Task Force.
business communities and works closely with,
The conclusions of both meetings
among others UNCTAD, ITC, UN/ECE, the World
concerning the priority objectives for the
Bank and WTO, as well as leading ICT firms in
promotion of e-commerce in these countries
the international market through partnerships.
and the instruments to be used to attain
them are available online. Also available
p86-87 UNCTAD 21/11/03 11:20 am Page 87

“Experts from all of the

developing regions
presented a number
of national e-
commerce national
strategies

online is the Bangkok Declaration on E-

”
commerce for Development, which was
adopted as an expression of the political
will of the participating governments to
promote e-commerce as an instrument for
development in the Asia Pacific region.
In a separate effort, UNCTAD’s other
major undertaking in this area was the
preparation of the annual E-commerce and
Development Report, which was released
on 18 November. The report provides
factual information and analysis about the
implications of e-commerce for developing
countries, identifies policy and business
options available to developing countries in
several sectors, and makes some practical
proposals for maximising the contribution of
e-commerce to economic and social
development. Both the 2002 and the 2001
reports are available online. ■

For more information, visit: www.unctad.org

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 87
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC
COMMISSION FOR EUROPE TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The Information Society
in Europe and North America
2
003 is the year of the Geneva session of the WSIS. Work at
the UNECE has focused, therefore, on the follow-up to the
Bucharest Pan-European Regional Conference, held in
November 2002, and on preparations for the December Summit.
The Bucharest Conference has provided substantive inputs to the
WSIS preparatory process. The UNECE played a key role in the
preparation for Bucharest and will continue supporting the
preparation for the WSIS in Geneva and Tunis, both in terms of
intergovernmental processes and substantive contributions.
The Bucharest declaration
The Member States of the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe met in Bucharest at the Pan-European Conference on the
Information Society (7-9 November 2002) and agreed on the following
set of principles and priorities:
Principle 1. Securing access to information and knowledge
Individuals and organisations should benefit from access to
information, knowledge and ideas. Notably, information in the public
domain should be easily accessible. Information is the basis of a well-
functioning and transparent decision-making process and a prerequisite
for any democracy. Knowledge is the key agent for transforming both
our global society and local communities. Public policy should broaden
opportunities in providing information for all, including disabled, inter
alia by creating content, and thereby redressing inequalities.
ICTs have the potential not only to strengthen the effectiveness of
public service delivery, but also to involve individuals in shaping
government policies. Moreover, communications technology is not an
end in itself, but a means of supplying quality content in the information
society. In this regard, mass media – in their various forms – are
recognised as important means of fostering public information, societal
development and social cohesion.
Principle 2. Promoting universal access at affordable cost
An adequately developed infrastructure is the precondition for
secure, reliable and affordable access to information by all stakeholders,
and for the upgrading of relevant services. Improving connectivity is of
special importance in this respect, and should be undertaken by the
public and private sectors, acting in partnership. Community-led
development is a critical element in the strategy for achieving universal
access to information and knowledge. Community access centres and
public services (such as post offices, libraries, schools) can provide an
effective means for promoting universal access, in particular in remote
areas, as an important factor of their development. Moreover, in order to
88 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
ensure greater affordability, policy action should aim at setting up an
appropriate open and competitive environment
Principle 3. Promoting linguistic diversity and cultural identity
The information society is founded on respect for, and enjoyment of,
cultural expression. New ICTs should stimulate cultural diversity and
plurilinguism and enhance the capacity of governments to develop
active policies to that end. Access and contribution to knowledge and
information broaden the contents of the public domain and foster
mutual understanding and respect for diversity
Principle 4. Developing human capacity through education,
training and skills
It is important for governments to develop comprehensive and
forward-looking education strategies. People should be enabled to
acquire the necessary skills in order to actively participate in and
understand the information society and fully benefit from the
possibilities it offers. Individuals should be engaged in defining their own
needs and in the development of programmes to meet those needs.
These skills integrate ICT-related specific notions with broader
knowledge, and are generally obtained through primary, secondary
and higher education, on-the-job training, but also increasingly
through distance learning. Technological change will progressively
require life-long learning and continuous training by all. Public policy
should take into account inequalities in access to quality education
and training, particularly in the case of vulnerable groups and
underserved or remote areas. Specific attention has to be paid to the
training of trainers. ICTs open completely new opportunities for e-
learning. New forms of partnership between public and private sectors
are needed in this field.
Principle 5. Setting up an enabling environment, including legal,
regulatory and policy frameworks
To maximise the economic and social benefits of the information
society, governments need to create a trustworthy, transparent, and
non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy environment, capable of
promoting technological innovation and competition, thus favouring the
necessary investments, mainly from the private sector, in the
deployment of infrastructures and development of new services.
The information society is, by nature, a global phenomenon and
issues such as privacy protection, consumer trust, management of
domain names, facilitation of e-commerce, protection of intellectual
property rights, open source solutions, etc. should be addressed with
the active participation of all stakeholders.
Principle 6. Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs
To realise fully the benefits of ICTs, networks and information
systems should be sufficiently robust to prevent, detect and respond
appropriately to security incidents. However, effective security of
information systems is not merely a matter of government and law
enforcement practices, nor of technology. A global culture of cyber-
security needs to be developed – security must be addressed through
prevention and supported throughout society, and be consistent with
the need to preserve free flow of information.
ICTs can potentially be used for purposes that are inconsistent with
the objectives of maintaining international stability and security and may
adversely affect the integrity of the infrastructure within States, to the
detriment of their security in both civil and military fields, as well as in
relation to the functioning of their economies. It is also necessary to
prevent the use of information resources or technologies for criminal or
terrorist purposes.
In order to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs,
governments should promote awareness in their societies of cyber
security risks and seek to strengthen international cooperation,
including the private sector.
Principle 7. Addressing global issues
International policy dialogue on the Information Society at global,
regional and sub-regional levels should promote the exchange of
experience, the identification and application of compatible norms and
standards, the transfer of know-how and the provision of technical
assistance with a view to bridging capacity gaps and setting up
international cooperation programmes, in particular in the field of creation
of content. Sharing success stories and best practice experiences will
also pave the way for new forms of international cooperation.
Priority Theme. E-government: More efficient and accountable
ICT tools will make policies more accountable and transparent and
will enable better monitoring, evaluation and control of public services
and allow for greater efficiency in their delivery. Public administration
can make use of ICT tools to enhance transparency, accountability and
efficiency in the delivery of public services to citizens (education, health,
transportation, etc.) and to enterprises. ■
Did you know that…?
Estonia’s internet host penetration is the highest amongst Baltic, Central and
Eastern European Countries.
90 percent of children between the ages of 5-17 now use computers in the United
States, and the rate of growth of internet use is currently two million new internet users
per month.
Information technology is a formidable tool to achieve sustainable
development as it produces huge environmental benefits through use of video
conferencing and e-mail. However, experts estimate that in Canada alone, 351
million computers will become obsolete by 2044.
Global standards for the global information society
UNECE, IEC, ISO, ITU-T side event at the Pan-European Preparatory
Ministerial Conference for the World Summit on the Information Society
How can international standards foster the global policy dialogue on the
Information Society and the development of a harmonised and stable framework
of technologies, best practices and agreements, recognised worldwide? This was
the crux of the question tackled by Mr Ollie Smoot, ISO President elect, and Mr U.
Hartmann, Director, Information/Communications, Siemens, at the World Summit
on the Information Society (WSIS) Pan-European Regional Conference in
Bucharest on 8 November 2002.
The World Summit on the Information Society has set out, as its objective, to
address the broad range of questions concerning the information society and to
draw up an action plan to layout a roadmap to bridge the digital divide.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union
– Standardization Department (ITU-T), and the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE), will work together to ensure that WSIS will raise
awareness on the contribution that international standards can make in
addressing global issues in the information society. The four organisations have
committed themselves through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
avoiding divergent and competitive approaches, to eliminating duplication of
efforts, to providing a clear roadmap for users and to ensuring coherence.
By highlighting the role that international standards can play to foster this
international policy dialogue on the Information Society, the four organisations
hope to promote the development of an inclusive information society that
provides access and participation for all, bypassing all borders, gender
considerations and social distinctions.
International standards have an ever-greater place in helping to maximise
the benefits of information and communication technologies for developing
countries. Standards simplify the use of existing and new technologies; focus on
interfaces and interoperability; reduce costs and complexity; open markets and
foster broader access to products and services; and favour the emergence of
rules and agreements on best practices.
Intelligent transport systems promise safer roads and lower emissions
Only a third of the EU countries’ workforce has ever had computer training for
professional use. Half of this workforce uses computers at their workplace.
The Hungarian Government has created a consortium of public and private
actors to help provide PCs and internet at a discounted rate to 1400
underprivileged families. The programme began in September 2000 and is funded
by Compaq, Matav and Postabank.
Only 37 percent of small companies in September 2002 declared plans to buy
either an office computer or a laptop within the next 12 months.
Spain plans to increase the present 5 percent rate of hotels using the internet,
to 75 percent by 2058.
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 89
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SERVICE TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON
THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
UNITeS:
In partnership with universities
T
he United Nations Information Technology
Service (UNITeS) is working to build a Global
Network of Universities in support of UNITeS
and ICT4D (Information Communication Technologies
for Development). The creation of this network
provides expanded volunteer human resources and
knowledge resources for developing countries.
In December 2002, UNITeS received a Global
Junior Challenge 2002 award for its University
Volunteer Network. In addition, item 10 of the UN ICT
Task Force action plan focuses on the need for
partnerships between leading training institutions and
universities and community-level ICT4D programmes,
and cites UNITeS as a key avenue for involvement of
university volunteers by such organisations.
The common thread among all UNITeS
collaborating universities is that they are interested in
taking action to narrow the digital divide. Collectively,
and using the UNITeS mechanism, they endeavour to
allow the maximum possible number of qualified
volunteers – students, faculty and staff – to be
productive in serving ICT capacity-building needs
expressed in developing countries, under a well-
managed initiative.
University ICT volunteers, through UNITeS, have
already served in Botswana, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
Ecuador, Honduras, India, Jordan and Kosovo on a
variety of capacity-building ICT projects. Read more
about their activities on the UNITeS web site
(http://www.unites.org/html/projects/completed.htm).
The partnership with universities through UNITeS
involves:
• The partnering universities launching or having
already created credit-bearing service learning
courses for students involved in UNITeS ICT4D
initiatives.
• The partnering universities creating or having
already created a sabbatical programme for
90 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
professors and researchers to undertake
assignments in developing countries through
UNITeS related to thematic applications of ICT.
• The generation and identification of volunteering
opportunities by UN Volunteers Programme Officers
(in more than 70 countries and more than 140
UNDP Country Offices), as well as other partners in
the field, that could involve students, professors,
researchers and faculty from partnering
Universities, to be coordinated by UNITeS.
• The creation of an online environment for delivery
of the online training/learning packages for ICT
volunteers offered by the universities, in
coordination with UNITeS. The delivery of these
packages can take place within the Spanish
network of universities within Universitat Oberta de
Catalunya (UOC), one of the leading online
universities and a collaborating institute with
UNITeS.
• The development and contribution of course
material in ICT4D (Information Communication
Technologies for Development).
Students, faculty and staff at partnering
universities are also encouraged to engage in online
volunteering activities to support organisations
working in and for developing countries, as part of the
NetAid Online Volunteering service managed by UN
Volunteers.
University volunteers through UNITeS should:
• Be engaged in the last year of undergraduate
degree, or engaged in post graduate and/or PhD in
any field of study, or have completed such.
• Have strong ICT-related skills, particularly in
applying these skills to project management,
capacity building, health, education, agriculture,
community support, HIV/AIDS, or another area of
human development.
• Have a strong commitment to see tasks completed
and documented, and to report regularly on
progress and activities.
• Have an excellent written and spoken command of
English, as well as Spanish and/or French.
• Have experience working in a multi-cultural
environment, and have excellent interpersonal
communication and presentation skills, with cultural
sensitivity and tact.
• Have volunteer experience at any level, particularly
with high-poverty or low-literacy populations, and a

“
strong belief in volunteer ideals and volunteerism as
a fundamental element of community projects.
• Possess maturity to face sometimes difficult
situations during field assignments in developing
countries.
In December 2002, UNITeS
received a Global Junior
No university volunteer should apply directly to
Challenge 2002 award for
UNITeS. To be a volunteer within the University
framework, UNITeS must already partner with the its University Volunteer
University where the candidate is based. We Network
encourage students, faculty and staff at universities,
particularly those in developing countries, to let their
offices of international studies or career development
know about the UNITeS initiative, and to view the
UNITeS partnerships and collaboration guidelines
(visit http://www.unites.org/html/unites/partner.htm).
Universities partnering (or in the process of):
”
• George Mason University
(Pioneer university in this innovative initiative)
• Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain
(with 19 Spanish universities, members of the
Spanish network of universities in support of UNITeS)
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain
(advanced process)
• Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
(advanced process)
• Universitat Bonn (advanced process)
• Kwansei Gakuin University of Japan
(advanced process)
• University of Benin, Nigeria (first contact) ■

For more information, visit:

http://www.unites.org/html/projects/Universities.htm

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 91
 FROM UNESCO TO THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY

UNESCO’s international initiative

for community multimedia centres

U
NESCO’s international initiative for community
multimedia centres (CMCs) promotes
community empowerment and addresses the
digital divide by combining community broadcasting
with the Internet and related technologies.
The CMC programme offers a global strategy for
addressing the digital divide in the poorest
communities of the developing world and also
among countries in transition. The CMC opens a
gateway to active membership of the global
knowledge society by making information and
communication the basic tools of the poor in
improving their own lives.
In order to avoid the trap of seeking a
technological fix that overlooks the need for well-
adapted implementation, community radio can be an
invaluable relay for ongoing efforts to ensure that
ICT provision is responsive to local needs, such as At its most basic, the CMC offers the simplest
education and health. portable radio station, a single computer for Internet
The current development paradigm, which has a browsing wherever possible, e-mail and basic office,
framework of reference that is built on the concepts library and learning applications. At its most
of sustainable, endogenous and human developed, the CMC is a major infrastructure, offering
development, has been emphasising the importance a full range of multimedia facilities, functioning as a
of community-driven development programmes. The distance learning, training and informal education
community multimedia centre can be used as a centre, linking up to the local hospital for telemedicine
vehicle for taking this process one step further, by applications, downloading and printing national
enabling the members of a community to become newspapers for local circulation, and so forth.
recognised actors in the process of developing A CMC gives radio listeners access to online
knowledge. The metaphor of ‘giving the poor a information by the use of:
voice’ becomes a concrete reality when the poor
have a public voice quite literally, on-air and online. Radio browsing of the Internet
This participation in both medium and message, A programme in which the radio presenters gather
pivotal to both individual and community information in response to listeners’ needs and
empowerment, fills a link often missing in the queries from reliable sites on the Internet, and put it
development process. The combination of a on CD-ROMs or other digital resources. During the
grassroots public platform with access to programme, the presenter visits these pages of
information highways promotes the public debate information on the Internet with a local expert (for
and public accountability that are essential for example, a doctor for a health question). Together,
strengthening democracy and good governance. they describe, explain and discuss the information

92 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
directly in the languages used by the community.
Radio browsing is already used in Sri Lanka, Bhutan
and Nepal. It has demonstrated radio’s potential for
overcoming language barriers to access, discuss,
select and assimilate information available in a limited
number of languages on the Internet. Moreover, being
a participatory radio programme, ‘Radio browsing of
the Internet’ has taken into account the desires of
“
The CMC programme
offers a global strategy
for addressing the digital
rural communities to assimilate knowledge divide in the poorest
collectively, as opposed to the prevailing modality of communities of the
individual access to Internet.
developing world and
Community databases for development also among countries
These utilise the capacity of the community in transition

”
collectively to produce knowledge and to package
and disseminate it in an appropriate manner to meet
the immediate needs and priorities of the community.
The first CMC project was the pioneering
Kothmale Internet Project in Sri Lanka. Its pilot radio
browsing programmes have been replicated in Nepal
and Bhutan. CMC projects are now also being
developed in the Caribbean and Africa (for example,
Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Niger, Mali, Burkina
Faso, Benin, Senegal). A network of CMCs is now
being developed in Sri Lanka and two more CMCs
are planned in Bhutan.
UNESCO is the designated champion agency for
the worldwide global knowledge partnership (GKP)
component in this area, which involves UN agencies
such as ECA, FAO, the ITU, UNDP, UNFPA and the
World Bank as well as bilateral development agencies
and international NGOs. ■

For more information, contact:

Stella Hughes, UNESCO
The Communication Development Division,
Communication and Information Sector
E-mail: s.hughes@unesco.org

C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 93
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS FUND FOR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (UNFIP) TO THE
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

UNFIP:
Facilitating the Millennium Development Goals

A
cting as a facilitator between the
UN system and corporate and
foundation partners, UNFIP assists
in the development of innovative
programmes and projects to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals, with
special attention to Target 18, which
states: “In cooperation with the private
sector, to make available the benefits of
new technologies, especially information
and communication technologies.”
UNFIP has played a facilitating role in
bringing Cisco Systems Inc. into a strategic
partnership with the United Nations. Since
the announcement of the partnership, Cisco
Systems, UNDP, the United Nations
Volunteer programme (UNV), the United
Nations Information Technology Service
(UNITeS) and the United States Agency for Part of a government-supported project to teach women non-traditional skills, a woman learns to operate a computer in
a secretarial training programme in Nouakchott.
International Development have been
Rapid desertification and continuing drought has exacerbated the rural exodus of nomads and peasants in Mauritania.
working together to train students for the
The result, ‘kebbas’ or shanty towns with inadequate health, school and water-supply infrastructures and infant
Internet economy. This has been achieved mortality rates as high as 257/1000 live births, twice the national average. UNICEF cooperation includes programmes to
reduce infant, child and maternal mortality, improve health and nutrition, and promote family food production, education
by establishing the Cisco Networking and the advancement of women.
Academy Programme in countries that
suffer from poverty as well as from weak

“
human resources and economic
institutions. The Cisco Networking
Academies Programme has expanded to
33 of the 49 least developed countries UNFIP has also served as a close partner to
and has established 100 academies. In
UNIFEM for the development of the Global
2002, 5500 students – 25 percent of
which were female – had access to the Advisory Committee, which is comprised
cutting-edge IT curriculum. mainly of African IT entrepreneurs who advise
UNFIP also facilitated the Digital Bridge
to Africa meeting that was organised with
on strategic partnerships to bridge the gender
the UN ICT Task Force, Digital Partners, digital divide

”
Gruppo Cerfe and UNIFEM on 12 July 2002
at the United Nations. Over 100 participants
attended including leading members of the

94 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S

African diaspora and representatives from
technology corporations, foundations and
non-profit organisations. The meeting
explored ways in which the combined
knowledge, experiences and resources of
the public and private sectors could be
harnessed to effect positive and sustainable
change in Africa. Results included the
official launch of the Digital Diaspora
Network – Africa (DDN-A), a non-profit
organisation that seeks to promote
development in Africa. In addition,
AfricShare was established as a resource
and knowledge-sharing facility to match
innovative projects with mentors from the
DDN-A network, and the Social Fund for
Africa was inaugurated to provide financial
support for ICT entrepreneurial activities in
the region.
UNFIP is currently facilitating a similar
meeting for the Caribbean diaspora in order
to contribute to the promotion of digital
opportunities in the region. Led by the ICT
Task Force and UNDP, the meeting on
‘Bridging the Digital Divide for the
Caribbean’ will be held at the United
Nations on 24 January 2003. The meeting
has been organised with the support of the
CARICOM Permanent Missions to the
United Nations and the CARICOM
Secretariat, and facilitated by the Caribbean
American Chamber of Commerce.
UNFIP has also served as a close
partner to UNIFEM for the development of
the Global Advisory Committee, which is
comprised mainly of African IT
entrepreneurs who advise on strategic
partnerships to bridge the gender digital
divide. The programme seeks to empower
“
UNFIP has been instrumental in raising
awareness about the role of Wi-Fi as an
avenue for bridging the digital divide
”
African women through innovative uses of
information and communications
technologies. The partnerships build on
existing experiences and successful IT
ventures undertaken in Africa by African
women from the diaspora.
The next meeting of the UNIFEM Global
Advisory Committee will include the ICT
Task Force, UNFIP and UNDP
representatives. It will convene in Kampala,
Uganda in March 2003 with the
representation of Ugandan government
officials and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs).
In addition, UNFIP has been
instrumental in raising awareness about the
role of Wi-Fi as an avenue for bridging the
digital divide. UNFIP’s contribution has
included articles and speeches, developed
in cooperation with the Office of the
Secretary-General, to provide a better
understanding and appreciation of how Wi-
Fi could be used to provide fast, and maybe
free, access to the Internet. ■
For more information, visit: www.un.org/unfip
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 95
 FROM THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TASK FORCE
WORKING GROUPS 3 AND 5 TO THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Capturing the promise of a Global e-Schools
and Communities Initiative
T
he Working Groups of the United Nations ICT Task Force on
Human Capacity Building and on Low Cost Access and
Connectivity have decided to address one of the major
global challenges existing today: education.
Literally hundreds of millions of children are missing basic
educational opportunities – and doing so in a world that becomes
more complicated, competitive and demanding almost by the hour.
Fortunately, the smart use of information and communications
technologies (ICTs) in support of education can make this global
problem significantly less intractable. Deploying ICTs in schools can
also have significant benefits for the communities in which the
schools are located. Successful efforts in this direction in
developing countries will, however, require hard work and
cooperation from many players. In order to have real impact, it is
essential to move beyond the pilot programs that are typical of most
activity today and create coordinated initiatives that address all
aspects of deploying and using ICTs successfully in schools.
In order to capture this potential, the United Nations ICT Task
Force has created the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative
(GeSCI) that will work in partnership with local governments, private
sector companies and civil society organizations to create effective
end-to-end systems that have all the functions needed to deliver,
operate and support the solution identified by the partners. The
system is designed around end-user demand; each function is a
properly sized and capable unit and the functions are coordinated
and aligned via a number of mechanisms. Leveraging tested
technologies, new operating models, national/regional partnerships
and global coordination, such end-to-end systems could deliver ICT
solutions at costs that are potentially 5 to 10 times less expensive
than current approaches.
The essence of the challenge is to transform today’s
fragmented, supply-driven, largely uncoordinated pilot efforts for
ICT in education into efficient, demand driven, coordinated end-to-
end systems implemented by strong partnerships involving all key
players. The distinctive feature of GeSCI is that it does not limit its
intended impact to improving education through the use of ICT. It
goes further and aims to use the strengthened education
infrastructure for empowering local communities by facilitating their
access to global and local and global information and knowledge
96 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
flows. This will significantly strengthen their capacity to benefit from
e-health, e-commerce, e-government, e-democracy and all other
empowerment tools that ICTs bring about.
We believe that GeSCI as a new global, independent
mechanism is needed to catalyze and support national and regional
e-schools initiatives that bring together the relevant players to
create such end-to-end systems.
GeSCI will play five major roles:
• Convene all the required players, especially global players who
can’t find a good way to play a useful role on their own, to
address the barriers that they face in contributing to national and
regional eSchools efforts;
• Facilitate the national/regional planning process, by serving as a
neutral facilitator and by contributing needed expertise and
knowledge of best practices;
• Help to raise required resources, including garnering
commitments of funding from national/regional government
sources (e.g., education budget, telecom universal service funds),
devising appropriate approaches to facilitating contributions by
the local communities, and connecting the national/regional e-
schools efforts with development agencies, global foundations
and private companies interested in assisting;
• Provide specific global services, e.g., a global education portal or
coordinated bulk purchasing of equipment or software among
multiple countries, usually through outsourcing and;
• Arrange for independent monitoring and evaluation, which can
help attract donors and private companies concerned about their
resources being well spent or used.
GeSCI will bring together existing fragmented efforts, and help
implement national and regional initiatives. It will work closely with
other groups (e.g., NEPAD’s e-schools initiative) that have
complementary objectives.
GeSCI will be launched at the first phase of the World Summit on
the Information Society in December 2003. The first wave of countries
using the GeSCI model and organization to achieve its education
goals will be the state of Andhra Pradesh (India), Bolivia, Ghana and
Namibia. The GeSCI secretariat will be located in Dublin, Ireland. ■
Closing comments
Capturing digital opportunities
Mr Sarbuland Khan
Acting Executive Coordinator, Information &
Communication Technologies Task Force
T
here is an emerging sense that the international
community is at a crossroads in the
development process. Despite real progress on
some fronts, there remain dramatic disparities in levels
of human development worldwide. The current debate
on the importance of access to ICT and its value in
addressing global development disparities is part of
the wider discussion on the potential benefits and
risks of globalization. This is because ICT is itself a
key enabler of globalization: the level and pace of
global flows in physical and intangible assets have
been dramatically boosted by the ability to connect
vast networks of individuals across geographic
boundaries, at negligible marginal cost.
The unprecedented pace and scale of global
flows in information, products, capital, and ideas, if
properly harnessed, offers the potential to create
new opportunities for those who have thus far been
excluded from gains in human development. But the
same forces could also actually widen the gap and
trap developing countries, especially least-
developed countries, in a perpetual spiral of poverty
and exclusion.
There is growing international awareness of the
urgent need to employ ICT toward the achievement
of development goals. Efforts to harness the
potential of ICT in the development context are
significant, not only because they seek to develop
strategies and initiate innovative and effective action
on the ground, but also because they represent and
encourage new forms of collaborative interaction
among government, private sector, multilateral, and
non-profit organizations.
The value of access to information and
communications technologies in addressing global
development disparities is at the heart of the first
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in
Geneva. WSIS provides a significant forum for the
global community to establish a mutually agreed
upon set of coherent policies and standards for ICT,
and to mobilize the utilization of ICT in the context
of development.
The United Nations Information and
Communication Technologies (UN ICT) Task Force
was created in November 2001 to deal with the issue
of the ever-widening ‘Digital Divide’, and reports
directly to the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. The
Task Force is a public/private partnership providing a
forum for partners with multiple levels of expertise
and influence. The Task Force organizes both regional
and functional working groups to examine the issues
that underlie and perpetuate the Digital Divide, and it
provides results-oriented, quantifiable strategies. A
multi-stakeholder platform has been created that
includes government representatives, private sector,
as well as non-governmental and international
organizations. These stakeholders work together to
develop an integrated, unified and innovative strategy
for tackling the development divide and accelerating
efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
ICT can be a powerful tool for development, both
because of its inherent characteristics and the
mounting empirical evidence that suggests it can, in
fact, contribute a great deal to development goals. It
can do so at both the micro and national level by
increasing the effectiveness and reach of
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 97
 “ Given the scale and complexity of the challenge
and the need for a multi-pronged response that
can fill gaps and address market failures, few
developing countries can be expected to succeed
on their own in bridging the digital divide
development interventions, enhancing good
governance and lowering the costs of service delivery.
Moreover, the right complement of targeted ICT
interventions has the potential to play an even more
substantial role in accelerating a sustainable dynamic
of social and economic development in developing
countries.
While ICT is not a panacea for the developing
world’s problems, the integration of ICT into overall
national development strategies can help facilitate
implementation, expand the scope and coverage, and
increase the results for factors such as political
stability, macroeconomic governance, transparence
and accountability of national and local
administrations, the rule of law, physical infrastructure
and basic literacy.
Given the scale and complexity of the challenge
and the need for a multi-pronged response that can
fill gaps and address market failures, few developing
countries can be expected to succeed on their own in
bridging the digital divide. There is a need for
strategic partnerships at the local, regional and global
levels that can bring together all stakeholders around
well coordinated actions to stimulate a new
development dynamic using ICT as an enabling tool
to empower the poor so that they can participate
productively in the new global economy. Strategic
partnerships are required to aggregate the capabilities
and resources to address the pervasive market
failures in developing countries and to create win-win
98 C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S
”
situations for the various sectors and stakeholders
involved. The government and the private sector are
complementary to achieve this objective – each is
dependent on the cooperation of others to
accomplish its goals.
A new form of collaboration and coordinated
action between public, private, civil society and
international organizations is needed. There is an
urgent need to build upon, and go beyond, existing
partnerships to redefine roles and responsibilities at
the global, national and local level. A multi-
stakeholder taskforce can work to align the goals,
incentives, roles and responsibilities of diverse
stakeholders and provide win-win opportunities.
Without this sort of alignment, partnerships will not be
sustainable and results will fall short of expectations
for all involved.
Through sharing best practices, promoting
dialogue, highlighting success stories and building
consensus on the new agenda, national and
international strategic collaborations are crucial
ingredients to help countries harness the benefits of
ICT as a development enabler.
ICT interventions focusing on development goals
must address a variety of interrelated dimensions to
secure an enduring impact. Firstly, ICT solutions must
be built to last. Initiatives that are planned and
managed using a business model are likely to be
more sustainable and have a more substantial impact.
Initiatives need to include mechanisms for growth and
replication into their operating models from the outset
so as to offer scalable and sustainable solutions.
Initiatives must also be driven by user demands,
identified and realized through direct participation and
ownership. Technology imposed on a community of
users who have not independently identified a need
for it is unlikely to flourish. Initiatives must also be
sensitive to local conditions and limitations. Initiatives
demonstrating a capacity to embrace adaptive and
flexible solutions are more likely to be sustainable.
Finally, ICT initiatives should be explicit about their
development goals and how they will directly impact
the target population.
While grassroots entrepreneurial activity is to be
universally encouraged, the potential impact of ICT
interventions would be far greater if conceived in
conjunction with private sector companies. Indeed,
there are many examples where private sector has
partnered with multilateral institutions to launch ICT
initiatives in developing countries. Among them are
initiatives by Task Force member companies such as
Nokia, HP, Cisco, Cisneros, Siemens, TAGI and ST
Microelectronics. These are just a few of the many
examples demonstrating that pursuing ICT
interventions in conjunction with private sector
companies enables the creation of synergies that
stand-alone initiatives cannot achieve by themselves.
More recently, Mckinsey has partnered with the ICT
Task Force Global e-School and Community project
to catalyze a broad-based initiative to improve
education systems in all secondary schools in
developing countries.
The UN ICT Task Force facilitates the objectives
of the World Summit on the Information Society on a
number of levels. To meet the needs of local
empowerment, the Task Force will work to develop a
shared global vision of an inclusive global information
society, endorsing the rights of all people to create,
share and utilize information toward promotion of
social and economic development, cultural diversity
and freedom of expression.
The Task Force will work as an innovative
instrument with balanced representation to forge new
alliances and solidify existing partnerships and
funding mechanisms.
The Task Force will maintain the regional and
functional nodes that serve as the mechanisms for
implementation of strategy.
The Task Force works to create and continually
improve and upgrade conceptual and policy
frameworks for harnessing the power of information
and communication technologies to advance the
Millennium Development Goals. It provides a platform
for building innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships
such as the Global e-School and Community initiative.
The Task Force understands that the most effective
way of attaining its goals is by empowering developing
nations to establish their own national e-strategies,
improving existing national capacities and exploring
new ways of addressing development issues.
The Task Force is working to integrate ICT into
development programs and to facilitate the effective
participation of all stakeholders to advance
development goals with ICT applications.
The World Summit on the Information Society will
also serve as a strategic occasion to come to
international consensus on some clear and tangible
goals relating to the information society, with
operational standards and timeframes by which to
measure progress towards them. The summit process
can help to promote broad agreement on the shape
of the future of the Information Society, and the role of
ICT in the service of development.
The Summit should serve as a unique platform to
galvanize the international community, working
effectively together with national governments, the
private sector and civil society in order to prevent
relegating already marginalized societies to a more
isolated position in an increasingly globalized and
interconnected world, and lay the foundations of a
truly inclusive global Information Society.
The principal focus of the Summit is on the use of
ICT in promoting development and on the
achievement of the internationally agreed
development goals. In order to ensure a sustainable
and tangible development impact of the Summit, an
effective follow up and implementation of its
decisions will require concerted and focused actions
of all stakeholders. This makes it necessary to agree
on modalities for coordination and monitoring during
the inter-phase period.
With this in view, the UN ICT Task Force may
provide its already existing multi-stakeholder platform
for immediate action in specific areas (such as, for
example, benchmarking the process of
implementation during the inter-phase period, forging
multi-stakeholder partnerships, and launching of
informal discussions on Internet governance including
on-line forums through the WSIS website) to help in
the Summit follow-up. ■
C H A L L E N G E S A N D PA RT N E R S H I P S 99
p96 Kofi quote 21/11/03 11:32 am Page 1

“Information technology... is a
powerful force that can and must be
harnessed to our global mission of
peace and development. This is a
matter of both ethics and
economics; over the long term, the
new economy can only be productive
and sustainable if it spreads
worldwide and responds to the
needs and demands of all people. I
urge everyone in a position to
make a difference to add his or her
energies to this effort.”
Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations