ICT For Economic Development A View From The CTO 12-07-07
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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)
10. 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
11. Issues for Regulators 2007-10
Regulatory Governance/ Licensing
• License Terms
Independence/
• Interconnection
Best Practices/GSR • Tariffing
• Harmonisation of Activities • Numbering Plan
• Mandates from ITU Sector Events • Roaming
• WRC Issues • NGNs/Conergence
• WTSA, WTDC • Type Approvals
• WTPC
Spectrum Policy and Capacity Building/
Frequency Allocations Skills Development
• Digital Broadcasting & Migration Issues Organisational effectiveness
• Frequency Trading/Auctioning Recruitment/Training
• Civil/Military/Marine Frequencies
• Unlicensed/exempt band
12. 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, m-
services, 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
13. 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
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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-to-
market‖ strategies
18. 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.
19. THANK YOU
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
CEO, CTO
64-66 Glenthorne Road
London W6 0LR
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 (0) 208 600 3800
Fax:44 (0) 208 600 3819
E-mail: e.spio-garbrah@cto.int