Transcript Document
ICT For Economic Development A View from the CTO By Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah CEO, CTO Presentation To British Computer Society London, 12th July 2007 Overview • • • • • • • • • • • The CTO and Why I am here What We Mean By ICTs Definitions of “Development”—MDGs The WSIS and CAPDD/CC What Are ICT Priorities of Governments How Regulators Support ICT Growth Roles of Operators in ICT Growth Actions of Some Other ICT Stakeholders How the CTO Helps In ICT Growth Possible Collaboration with BCS Conclusion The CTO and Why I Am Here • 106-year old London-based ICT organisation • Since 2002, inter-governmental • Partnership of governments, regulators, operating companies, suppliers, and others • Facilitates Knowledge Sharing/Exchange • Training and Capacity Building • Research and Studies • Advisory and Consultancy Services • Information, Conferences and Workshops • Came to Learn, Share and Collaborate What Is “ICT” and What is “Development” • • • • • • • • • • 4-Pillars: Telecoms, Broadcasting, IT, Internet Global Development Agenda: MDGs/PRSPs Various Definitions of “Development” International Accords: WSIS-GAID/CAPDD-CC Decisions of ITU, CTO and similar bodies: WTDC, Plenipot, WRC, WTPC, Regional bodies Priorities of Funding Agencies Political Campaign Commitments National Development Plans National ICT Plans/Projects/e-Strategies Industry/Private Sector Roles Examples of WSIS Action Plan/Agenda • Achieve WSIS “Connectivity” Targets (villages, etc) • Governments to develop and implement sustainable national e-strategies • Promote communications infrastructure and media • Develop multi-stakeholder partnerships • Promote Access, Affordability, Availability • Develop guidelines for Cyber-crime, cyber-security and misuse of ICTs • Promote ICT Applications: the various “e-s” • Set up of Internet Governance Forum • Mobilise Funding, e.g. Digital Solidarity Fund CAPDD/Commonwealth Connects • • • • Mandate from Heads of State - 2003 Malta Declaration on ICTs - 2005 Support from 5 Commonwealth Agencies Five Thematic Areas of Focus – – – – – Policy Development and Regulatory Capacity Modernising Education and Skills Development Entrepreneurship for Poverty Reduction Promoting Local Access and Connectivity Regional Networks, Local Content and Knowledge • Project Identification/Implementation • Reports to CHOGM and ICT Ministers Overarching Role of MDGs: 2015 • • • • • • • • Eradicate Poverty and Hunger Achieve Universal Primary Education Promote Gender Equality and Empowerment Reduce Child Mortality Improve Maternal Health Combat HIV/AIDs/Malaria and Others Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop Global Partnership - using ICTs Some ICT Priorities of Governments: National e-Strategies • • • • • • • • • • • Governments seek global best practices Want PPPPs in policy planning Regulatory functions/USFs Private sector, technology and know-how Managing/Monitoring national e-strategies Include local, regional and national needs Target Access, Inclusion, sustainability Mobilising financial resources for e-projects Human Capacity Building/Skills Training e-Government/nance, e-applications Rural Access, Disaster Management, etc Concerns of Policy-Makers and Regulators • • • • • • • • • • • • • Competition Policy, SNOs, TNOs, etc Licensing: How many operators per market? Privatisation of incumbents: implications Spectrum/Frequency Crunch/Migration USOs, USFs, Rural Access and Connectivity Infrastructure ownership/Layered Structures Convergence issues, Open Access Networks Dispute Resolution Quality of Service/Consumer Complaints Costs, Prices, Tariffs, Taxation Human Capacity, Skills Development Internet Governance, IXPs, Internet Costs Technological innovation/Content Issues (3Gs vrs 3Es) Drivers of Regulatory Issues • • • • • • • • • • Global Technological innovation - 3G, 4Gg, Local Industry Priorities/Interconnection/Tariffs/… Foreign Investor Needs - Licensing/Spectrum/… Government Priorities - USF/e-applications/… Need to Uphold Legislation/Regulations Consumer Power/Complaints/Enforcement/Media International Trends - Internet Gov/Standards Regional cooperation/Harmonization Desire for Resources/Capacity to Keep Up Interest in benchmarking best practices Issues for Regulators 2007-10 Regulatory Governance/ Independence/ Best Practices/GSR • • • • • Harmonisation of Activities Mandates from ITU Sector Events WRC Issues WTSA, WTDC WTPC Licensing • • • • • • • License Terms Interconnection Tariffing Numbering Plan Roaming NGNs/Conergence Type Approvals Spectrum Policy and Frequency Allocations Capacity Building/ Skills Development • • • • Organisational effectiveness Recruitment/Training Digital Broadcasting & Migration Issues Frequency Trading/Auctioning Civil/Military/Marine Frequencies Unlicensed/exempt band Impact of ICTs On Development • Global Transition from Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions to Information/Knowledge Economies • Impact of Mobile Telephony on Economic Growth • Impact of Radio, TV and IT • Reductions in Transaction Costs Using ICTs—in e.g. rural communications, ICT4DM, e-applications, e-services, mservices, terrorism • Efforts to Promote low-cost handsets, lower cost roaming, number portability, lower ARPUs • Importance of training and capacity building programmes for governments and regulators. BCS Exec Volunteers? • Need To Promote local e-content in 3Es not 3Gs • Need to avoid dependence on imports for some countries • ICT Risks in Privacy, Fraud and Security of Transactions • Possible Health and Environmental Risks/Issues in ICTs---possible effect on sight, hearing, waste, etc ICT4D – Telemedicine Application in Rural Community • HIV/AIDS, TB • Administering of drugs in rural community • Monitoring and recording of patients data sent to Central database held at Ministry of Health ICT4D – Rural Telcoop in Sri Lanka • Working through Community • • • • based organisation – Samurdi Implemented 3 community based ICT hubs in different rural locations Each facilitated with Computers, Phone, Fax, Printers, etc Least cost solution to serve local community with ICT Trained staff to serve and train locals on the use of Web / Communications facilities for private & commercial use Role of Operators/Suppliers • Mobilise human, financial, techno resources, develop business models • Invest resources, take risks • Transfer knowledge/technology • Compete, lower prices, satisfy consumers • Produce desirable goods and services • Support “development” in various ways • Corporate Social responsibility roles How CTO Helps Development through ICTs • • • • • • • • • • • Jointly help to develop national e-strategies Ensure success of USFs, rural comms Help mobilise wider resources to assist Help build human capacity and ICT skills Hold workshops and conferences on key issues, including fraud prevention Work in aspects of rural communications Promote mobile’s role in ICT4D & ICT4DM Raise awareness of taxation/health/environment Assist in “path-to market” strategic planning Joint studies on licensing, intercon/tariff, spectrum and frequency migration, etc Help promote new mobile use/services/3G/mainstream Vodafone issues CTO Value Addition • Ability to develop strong multi-stakeholder partnerships • Potential to forge common interests amongst its members • Political weight and lobbying capacity in global/regional ICT issues • Facilitation of understanding amongst different ICT stakeholders • Repository of ICT Knowledge for sharing • Platform for exchanges on best practices and benchmarks • Ability to pool scarce resources of its members to save costs • Capacity to assist some members with their “path-tomarket” strategies Conclusion • ICTs Are Proven Facilitators of Development • All Stakeholders Recognise Power and Risks • Governments Are Using ICTs to Meet MDGs Regulators/Operators Assisting in Various Ways • There R Global, Regional and National Factors • Politics, economics, technology and social evolution amongst variables • Key objective is to achieve Information Societies • Resource mobilisation critically needed • Next priority is developing skills/capacities • CTO can work with BCS and other stakeholders to achieve mutual objectives, especially for benchmarking & sharing best practices. THANK YOU Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah CEO, CTO 26 – 28 Hammersmith Grove London, W6 7BA Tel.: +44 (0) 208 834-1566 Fax: +44 (0) 870-0345 626 E-mail: [email protected]