National ICT Strategies: Empowering Development with Telecom & ICT Regulation

1. National ICT strategies for Development Workshop on Telecom & ICT regulation 1-7 December 2004 Geneva Dr. Susanne Teltscher United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

2. Presentation Outline • What are national ICT strategies? • ICT strategies for trade and enterprise development • ICT policies – legal and regulatory issues, education, economic environment, e-government • ICT monitoring and evaluation • Design and implemention of ICT strategies • Conclusions and UNCTAD’s work

3. What is a national ICT strategy? Beyond Telecom: cross-sectoral approach to creating an enabling environment for ICTs Mainstreaming ICTs into national development policies National ICT plans cover all sectors: telecom, trade, finance, investment, education, government, health, media etc.

4. National ICT strategies and WSIS Geneva Plan of Action Paragraph 8 Development of national e-strategies, including the necessary human capacity building, should be encouraged by all countries by 2005, taking into account different national circumstances. Paragraph 13 To maximize the social, economic and environmental benefits of the Information Society, governments need to create a trustworthy, transparent and non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy environment.

5. ICT strategies for trade and enterprise development • Covers a range of national policies: • Telecommunciations • Education and training • Legal framework • Economic environment (trade, finance, investment) • E-government • Monitoring and evaluation

6. ICT policy model framework

7. E-strategy divide Basic telecommunications Universal access Human capacity building Affordable technology and appropriate software Financing ICTs Local languageand local content E-government Standards in manufacturing, safety and health ICT-laws (e-signatures, cyber crime) Security – information, system, network Authentification and certification Broadband access (corporate, home) Deregulation and liberalization ICT investments E-paymentinfrastructure Consumer protection and privacy, spam Taxation IPR protection Concerns of less developed countries Concerns of more developed countries

8. ICT strategy and national policies (1) • Telecommunications • Key area: no telecommunications infrastructure = little use of ICT • Liberalization and reform: balanced with the needs of national public operators • Protection ofconsumer interests • Cost of infrastructure - role ofFDI

9. ICT strategy and national policies (2) • Telecommunications • Universal accessis critical for bridging the digital divide – role for government intervention • Universal Service Obligations • Shared accessrather than households • Role ofcompetitionto promote choice and competitive prices

10. ICT strategy and national policies (3) • Education and training • Access not enough: need to know how and why use ICTs (ICT literacy) • Importance of good quality basic education for development to benefit from ICT • Need for ICT-competent workforce • Management and organizational skills to take advantage of e-business opportunities

11. ICT strategy and national policies (4) • Legal framework • Need for legal infrastructure supportive of and conducive to e-business • Legal infrastructure to enable security and trust • Adaptation of national legal frameworks to consider the global nature of ICT and e-commerce • E-signatures, privacy and data protection, IPR protection, cybercrime, spam, taxation

12. ICT strategy and national policies (5) • Economic and business environment • Trade and investment • Open standards and technologies, FOSS • Finance and e-payments • Role of SMEs in e-business and creation of local content • Promotion of the ICT industry

13. ICT strategy and national policies (6) • E-Government • Three key roles of government at national level: • Producers: delivering ICT goods, services and infrastructure • Facilitators: creating an enabling environment • Leaders: implementing e-government (e.g. online services to citizens, e-procurement)

14. ICT strategy and national policies (7) • Monitoring and evaluation • Tomeasure developmentsin ICT readiness, usage and impact at the national level • To evaluate the impactof national ICT strategies • Totake strategic ICT policy decisions • To benchmark national information societies vis-à-vis those of other countries

15. ICT strategy and national policies (7) • Measuring ICT • National statistical offices and sector ministries: • Produce statistical ICT indicators on • basic telecom access • household and business access and usage • ICT in schools, government etc.

16. Global Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development Partners: ITU, OECD, UNCTAD, UIS, UN Regional Commissions, UN ICT Task Force, World Bank Objectives: (i) common set of core ICT indicators harmonized internationally; (ii) enhanced ICT statistical capacity of NSOs in developing countries; (iii) global database on ICT indicators http://measuring-ict.unctad.org

17. Measuring-ict Website

18. Designing and implementing national ICT strategies • Key questions • How will the implementation of the strategy be organized and coordinated? • Who are the main partners and stakeholders involved in the implementation process? • Which poliy areas should be given priority over others re: resources? • What institutional aspects need to be taken into consideration?

19. Key stakeholders • Business associations • IT industry • Telecom Regulators • Banks • Lawyers • Development org. • Consumers • Donors • Industry represent. • Ministries (trade, S&T, customs, education etc.) • NGOs • Universities • Other public institutions

20. Conclusions • Successful ICT strategies need: • Leadership from the top (head of state) • Involve all stakeholders in implementation • A holistic approach covering all sectors • A liberalized economic environment • Monitoring of ICT developments • Tailoring towards countries’ reqirements • Mainstreaming ICT into national economic and social development plan

21. UNCTAD E-Commerce and Development Reports Free downloads: www.unctad.org 2003:Chapter 3 ICT strategies 2004:launch 15 December 2004

22. Thank you Workshop on Telecom & ICT regulation 1-7 December 2004 Geneva www.unctad.org/ecommerce measuring-ict.unctad.org susan.teltscher@unctad.org