Purpose of this Meeting

1. Purpose of this Meeting • Update and exchange of views and experiences • Provide inputs to global agendas that reflect pacific needs and special conditions  • AND to provide guidance to the leaders in preparing the Pacific Plan

2. CONSULTATION • Collected views before the meeting, during the meeting to ensure the sentiments of this meeting and essential requirements of a Digital Strategy are placed before the task Force. • Draft Recommendation from the meeting

3. Pacific Plan FOR STRENGTHENING REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION

4. Pacific Plan • The Pacific Plan = Leaders’ Pacific Vision  • Stronger and deeper links in the region sharing resources of governance and aligning policies • Real benefits for the people of the Pacific • A springboard for stimulating debate • A new historical era for the Pacific requiring different responses

5. Regional Cooperation • Regional Cooperation in the Pacific has had it successes • But Leaders’ Vision for the pacific Plan- a strong directive to move beyond present boundaries • To find new and creative ways of harnessing collective capacities

6. ACTION PLAN • Vital sector by sector cooperation - harmonising processes and procedures • Developing priority programs/policies - early practical benefits (‘early wins’) and in the medium and longer term • A more general framework and proposals for how we might take matters further • Pacific Plan for Leaders’ consideration at the 2005 Forum meeting

7. OUTLINEOF THE PACIFIC PLAN • Introduction • Guiding Principles and Criteria • Regional Cooperation Priorities - Early Practical Benefits - Medium Term Priorities - Longer Term Priorities • Implementation Strategies and Mechanisms - Stakeholder Strategy - Operational Strategy - Communications Strategy • Forward Looking Mechanism • Attachments – including an Implementation Plan and the Digital Strategy

8. GUIDING PRINCIPLES • Increasing the levels of sustainable returns • Ensuring the successful implementation of regional cooperation at the national level to take advantage of economies of scale and harnessing limited resources • Meeting common responsibilities and providing services cost-effectively (d) Developing processes and mechanisms for partnerships

9. CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZATION Likely Impact: • outcomes produced in at least one of the four goals of economic growth, sustainable development, governance and security • the number of countries or people benefiting Potential for Successful Implementation:(a) level of commitment by Member states(b) level of support from partners (c) effectiveness of relevant institutions and policies (d) support for similar initiatives already endorsed by Leaders (e) contribution to the strengthening or rationalizing of existing regional networks, mechanisms or agreements

10. ‘EARLY WINS’ ‘Early wins’ are strategic or policy objectives, programs, projects or activities that: • are achieved, completed or initiated within the first three years of the Pacific Plan • meet the Guiding Principles and Criteria for Cooperation • build or enhance confidence in and support for the Pacific Plan and for regionalism

11. Economic Growth • Implementation of the Regional Trade Facilitation Program (RTFP) to produce specific improvements in quarantine and customs • Early inclusion of services, including temporary movement of labour in PICTA and in the EPA negotiation (with fisheries and other priority issues) • Implementation of the Forum Principles on Regional Transport Services (FPRTS), including in relation to PIASA and PASO, to provide adequate and efficient transport services • Action to progress the concept of regional bulk purchasing and centralised storage of petroleum and basic imported food items, to improve cost-effective access • Development of a regional Pacific Tourism Marketing Plan to improve links with and access to tourism markets • Action in the context of the FBEA and PRIDE to improve vocational training and linkages to the labour market and to economic growth – e.g. regional maritime training school and standardization of maritime training across the region • Development and implementation of a digital strategy for the region to enhance access to and benefits from information and communications technology

12. Sustainable Development • Improvements in country-specific and regional information/statistics bases to support national economic and resource management • Maximize benefits from regional health initiatives by development of a more Pacific-led harmonized approach to the health sector, including in: (i) promoting national action consistent with the HIV/AIDS and STI Strategy, and (ii) strategy promoting surveillance and early warning of epidemics • Implementation ofregional plans and policies to improve environment and natural resource management - particularly with natural disasters, waste management, biodiversity, conservation, climate change, sustainable water management and fisheries • Enhancement of the developmental role of sports through improvements in sporting networks and physical education at schools

13. Good Governance • Regional action to strengthen justice systems by supporting establishment of national human rights mechanismsand regional judicial training and education • Regional support to strengthen key national integrity institutions such as audit, the Ombudsman, leadership codes, anti-corruption institutions and Attorneys General • Regional support for full adherence to the Forum Eight Principles of Accountability

14. Security • Development and implementation of a regional strategy for maritime security, including ensuring compliance with the IMO International Shipping and Port Security (ISPS) Code • Strengthening regional security through the implementation of the Forum Secretariat’s Pacific Islands Regional Security Technical Cooperation Strategy (PIRSTCS), including support for national implementation of the Biketawa, Nasonini and Honiara declarations (e.g. support for sustainable development in Solomon Islands under RAMSI and the proposed Pacific Regional Assistance for Nauru) • Increasing the effectiveness of national police forces through regional training (e.g. the Pacific Regional Policing Initiative and the Pacific Trans-national Crime Coordination Centre) and short-term attachments

15. NEXT STEPS • Implementation of ‘early wins’ – driven by Secretariat • Finalisation of working draft of Pacific Plan • Country Consultations – January – March • Finalisation of draft Plan for Core Group in May • Final draft of Plan to Leaders in June • Endorsement by Leaders at the Forum in September • Full implementation of the Pacific Plan

16. Digital Strategy • EPG Specifically Identified a Digital Strategy -urgent and concerted • ICT Infrastructure is limited in the region access, prices and concern about an increasing digital divide • Potential to increase integration regionally and globally • Potential to contribute to socio economic development

17. EPG Identified Barriers • Limited and costly access • Low bandwidth limited options for service • Outdated and incomplete regulatory regimes • Low levels of capital investment

18. EPG Recommendation • Should be based on the urgent progressing of the Communications Action Plan (CAP) • Investigate how regional cooperation might further the process • A Digital Strategy be a high priority element of the Pacific Plan

19. Communications Action Plan • Preamble – trends, environment • Vision • National vision and supporting policies • Encourage regional cooperation • Objectives and Strategies • Construction of infrastructure, cooperation, flow of information, HRD and Policy Regulatory frameworks • Principles • Competition, private sector, cooperation, access, local content, privacy security etc

20. Vision • Processes enhanced by ICT • HRD • Investment • Universal and equitable access to ICTs • Contribute to preservation of culture and growing economies

21. Universal Access • Separation of roles • Rational competition • Market environment certainties • USO should • Encourage Private sector • Deliver govt service • Minimize costs without compromise on service • Equitable sharing of USO costs and not affecting competitiveness

22. APEC and other “Good Practice” • Competitive entry • Interconnectivity • Obligations, numbering etc • Anticompetitive behaviour, transparency etc

23. Major Issues • Access • Costs • Thin pipes • HRD • Policies • Regulation • Technological and commercial dynamics • Heterogeneity

24. Multiple players • Governments, Operators, customers • CROP (Forum, SPCF, SOPAC, USP, etc) • Global (UN, NGO, foundation, donors) • NGOs and civil society • Vendors and network operators

25. Pacific Plan- Digital Strategy • Will be only 10-15 pages • Must have programs, projects, modalities and mechanisms to back up • Should have accountabilities and responsibilities clearly spelled out • Should build on core strengths and capacities, mandates

26. Pacific Islands Information and Communications technologies Policies and Strategic Plan(PIIPP) • Human resources • Infrastructure Development • Cooperation between stakeholders • Appropriate policy and legislation

27. Human Resources • Promote awareness while safeguarding existing social and cultural values • Develop and retain knowledgeable ICT workforce that can develop and maintain • Facilitate general HRD that reduces isolation particularly in rural and remote communities • Equality access in gender and disadvantaged • Contribute to the global community through promotion of Pacific identity and diversity

28. Infrastructure • Reliable, fast, secure, cost effective, and adaptive • Private sector and competitive supply where appropriate • Regional approach to global standards • Universal access • Lessen burden on Governments

29. Co-operation • All will expand use- • Develop community access to local content • Monitor action plans • Introduction of MISs • Acquisition of resources • Integration of ICT policies in other sectors

30. Policy and regulation • Consistent with international laws, regulations, standards and obligations • Appropriate to the cultures, customs and economies of the Pacific • Address socially undesirable activities • Open and non discriminatory access • Protect community and individual interests- including privacy • Proactive advocacy to resource the development

31. Has the CAP and PIIPP succeeded? • General agreement on “what” • More or less in line with EPG • But appears not have succeeded so far– why? • “when” was optimistic • Limited “who” and “how”? • Lack of commitment of resources? • Lack of “leadership”? Lack of coordination?

32. Implications for Digital Strategy • Try “anything else” • More direct involvement? –country level • More proactive cooperation ? • Between countries • Between agencies • More efficient working methods? • More directed at critical bottlenecks and impediments? • More leverage? Wider involvement?

33. Two tier approach • Regional • Templates, awareness, synergistic, (training, shared resources) “regional standards”, harmonization • Supporting regional satellites, cables, regulatory resources etc • Promoting ICT in Intergovernmental activities eg VPN, use of ICT in International Government eg GIS • Country specific • Stock-takes, E-readiness assessments, survey, benchmarking, country analyses • Direct TA • Mobilizing donors • South South cooperation • Catalytic • Trial, pilot

34. Next steps • “The meeting invites the Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat and the Pacific Plan Task Force to consider these issue when formulating the Digital Strategy for the Pacific Plan” • Countries during Jan- March will input directly to the Task Force. • CROP will integrate the “what” into “who”, “how” and “when” • Leaders will endorse in August 2005 • But we can start now! – “Early wins”