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Q and A with Mr. Sarbuland Khan about the UN ICT Task Force
[Mr Sarbuland Khan is Director, Division for ECOSOC Support and
Coordination, United Nations]
<...>
Q: What kind of a link exists between ICT and development? How can
countries use ICT to overcome traditional barriers to development and
strengthen economic growth and social development?
A: The debate on the importance of access to ICT and its value in
addressing global development disparities is a part of a wider
discussion on the potential benefits and risks of globalization. ICT
has enabled vast networks of individuals to connect across geographic
boundaries at marginal cost. Of course social and economic
development are dependent on various factors -political stability,
macroeconomic governance, transparency, education and health care
systems, infrastructure etc. These factors should be addressed
through an overall development strategy. ICT is by no means a panacea
for the developing world's problems. However, the integration of ICT
can help to facilitate implementation, expand the scope and coverage,
and increase the results of an overall national development plan. ICT
has the potential of bringing unprecedented economic and social
development to the world's poorest nations. These technologies are
helping to integrate the world and create a new context for
development. Foremost, ICT should not be seen as a goal but as a tool
for development. We must turn the digital divide into a digital
opportunity for more rapid development.
Q: What is the essential role of the Task Force and what does the UN
hope to achieve with this initiative?
A: Given the scale and complexity of the challenge and the need for
bridging the digital divide, few developing countries can be expected
to succeed on their own. There are already many initiatives and
activities at local, regional and global levels. However, in order to
obtain effective and successful results, "strategic partnerships"
such as bringing together all stakeholders for well coordinated
actions is crucial. This is what the Task Force is doing. Within the
framework of the United Nations, the Task Force works as a focal
point and global platform of cooperation and networking. Its priority
is to strengthen synergies, ensure complementarities, and promote
mutual awareness among all relevant parties including public and
private sectors, civil society, multinational organizations and
academia. The objective of the Task Force is to facilitate the
partnership between key stakeholders based on UN approved Millennium
Development Goals.
Q: What is the role of the private sector in providing ICT to
developing countries and how can the UN Task Force apply principles
from the private sector into ICT for development?
A: Development goals are often seen as something belonging only to
the public sector. However, they cannot be achieved by government
efforts alone. The involvement and commitment of civil society and
the private sector are crucial. The engine for change must to be
specifically the private sector and public-private partnerships. ICT
solutions should be built to last. Initiatives which are planned and
managed using a business model are likely to be more sustainable and
have a more substantial impact. Initiatives should also be driven by
user demands, identified and realized through direct participation
and ownership. Further, initiatives should be both sensitive to local
conditions and limitations, as well as directly impact the target
population. All these factors constitute key competencies that
private sector companies use in their day-to-day operating lives. The
essential fact is that different sectors should complement and learn
from each other. Private sector engagement and effort certainly can
stimulate the governments of developing countries to further their
commitments to ICT.
Q: What challenges does the UN Task Force face in bridging the
Digital Divide?
A: Addressing this issue is very important to us. The possibility
that Internet technology may actually be widening the gap not only
between developing nations and the developed world, but also between
the rich and poor in the developing regions is a very real concern.
We need to make sure that effective strategies are implemented.
Nations must commit both financially and politically to creating
conditions that ensure that everyone has the opportunity to
participate and benefit from the growth and opportunities of the new
economy. Easy solutions do not exist. Strategies must vary according
to specific needs and conditions. However, despite their differences,
all developing nations share three basic needs: connectivity,
capacity and content. Our priorities include affordable and equitable
access, development and training of human capacity, and the creation
of relevant solutions thorough "local" content. In a larger scale,
the UN strives to contribute to the creation of a fair, open, and
competitive marketplace. We are in a unique position to assist the
international community in the accomplishment of this endeavor.
Q: How has the Task Force succeeded so far in its mission? Has the
Task Force been able to act in an effective manner?
A: In the months following its launch, the Task Force moved rapidly
to create the foundation and mechanisms for carrying out its mandate
and worked to provide a response to issues and challenges of global
concern. Apart from the creation of an increasingly functional and
informative website, stakeholder networks have been set up in all
regions and a number of policy and awareness-raising initiatives have
been implemented. Most of our working groups have developed and are
in the process of implementing their own work programs, in close
collaboration with other institutions. Likewise, regional nodes are
operating in active partnership with the regional commissions and
regional development banks. Governments and many private sector
representatives have decided to commit their own resources in
providing technical and secretariat support for these networks. A
number of partnership initiatives have also been undertaken in
support of developing ICT programs with the Development Gateway
Foundation of the World Bank; the launching of a Digital Diaspora
Network of African Entrepreneurs in North America and Europe in
partnership with Digital Partners, UNFIP, UNIFEM, and CERFE institute
of Italy (a similar network is planned for the Caribbean); and the
Digital Opportunity Initiative of UNDP and Markle Foundation.
National e-strategy seminars have been held in Jordan and Mali, and
similar events are planned in other regions. The Task Force Bureau
has undertaken a major effort to develop synergy and close
cooperation with the G-8 Dot Force and its follow-up process, the
preparatory process of WSIS, the WEF Digital Task Force, the World
Bank, GDOI of UNDP and Markle Foundation, ITU, UNESCO, HealthInternet
of WHO, UNITes of UNV, UNITAR, as well as other global initiatives
(ICANN, ICC,GKP,GBDe). We are confident that in the months to come
that the Task Force will be able to build upon these initiatives and
partnerships towards achieving clear and well-identified results.
Q: How do you see the future work of the ICT Task Force? Will it
continue along the same lines of action or do you expect some
changes?
A: The first meeting of the Task Force concluded that achieving
synergies with other initiatives and programmes in the implementation
of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is necessary, as is
focusing on a clearly defined set of priority tasks and objectives.
This is still valid. The Task Force members have identified, from the
start, some of the key ingredients of success: a well-focused
strategy linked to MDGs and human development, a global inventory of
best practices and lessons learned, and creative mainstreaming of ICT
into development programmes. As the Task Force prepares to enter its
second year of work, there is a need to move rapidly to build on this
strategic approach towards the next phase of producing clear results.
We now concentrate on drawing the necessary lessons from the obtained
experience and on filling the gaps. We are taking into account the
current environment, the potentials of its stakeholders and partners,
its comparative advantages and value-added, as well as its
limitations.
September 23, 2002
source:
http://www.developmentgateway.org/node/133831/sdm/docview?docid=338944
