Ms. Scarlett Fondeur Gil UNCTAD

1. A global perspective on core ICT indicators: Partnership, stocktaking, harmonization Capacity-building Workshop on Information Society Measurements Beirut, 7-10 June 2005 Ms. Scarlett Fondeur Gil UNCTAD

2. Presentation outline • Global Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development • Global ICT indicators stocktaking • WSIS Thematic Meeting (February 2005) • WSIS Tunis (November 2005) • Development of core indicators

3. Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development ITU OECD UNCTAD UNESCO Institute for Statistics UN ICT Task Force World Bank Eurostat ECA ECLAC ESCAP ESCWA • Launched at UNCTAD XI, Brazil, June 2004 • Three main objectives: • Core list of ICT indicators • Capacity building in developing countries • Global ICT database

4. International data collection • ITU: ICT infrastructure data for all countries • OECD: ICT household and business data for OECD member countries • UNCTAD: ICT business data for developing countries • Others (WB, UIS, regional bodies, private providers)

5. Global ICT Indicators Stocktaking “Status of Information Society Statistics in National Statistical Offices” Survey on availability of ICT statistics in developing countries (household and business) July/August 2004 Metadata requested: • Types of collection/survey vehicles • Year of collection • Level of demand for ICT indicators • Types of indicators collected/planned (list of 20 each for household and business surveys)

6. ICT Indicators Stocktaking

7. ICT indicators stocktaking – demand business Median: “high”

8. ICT indicators stocktaking – available business

9. ICT indicators stocktaking – planned business Developing Countries/CEE

10. ICT indicators stocktaking – planned business OECD Countries

11. ICT indicators stocktaking – main findings • Only small number of developing countries currently collect ICT indicators • Most countries collect basic access indicators (availability of telephone, computer or Internet) • More advanced indicators are collected through specific ICT surveys • Those which have started to collect some indicators actively plan to collect more in the near future – high demand

12. ICT indicators stocktaking – main findings (cont.) • OECD countries: - collect most of the indicators (except radio, computer presence, barriers et al.) - either collect or do not plan to collect at all • Highest number of indicators collected: Asia-Pacific and Central Asia/CEE • Most active in planning future collections: Western Asia • LDCs collect least indicators: need for capacity building and resources key objective of Partnership

13. WSIS Plan of Action (paragraph 28) “A realistic international performance evaluation and benchmarking (both qualitative and quantitative), through comparable statistical indicators and research results, should be developed to follow up the implementation of the objectives, goals and targets in the Plan of Action …” “All countries and regions should develop tools so as to provide statistical information on the Information Society, with basic indicators and analysis of its key dimensions. Priority should be given to setting up coherent and internationally comparable indicator systems,taking into account different levels of development.”

14. WSIS Thematic Meeting: Measuring the Information Society • Geneva, 7-9 February 2005 • 270 participants from 85 countries • Agenda: • - Global ICT indicators stocktaking results • - Core list of ICT indicators and methodological issues • - Capacity building needs of NSOs in developing countries • - ICT impact indicators and MDGs – benchmarking and monitoring Key outcome: adoption of core list of indicators

15. Follow-up Partnership • WSIS PrepCom2 (February 2005), Draft Final Document for Tunis (Chapter 1) • UN Statistical Commission (March 2005) • Core indicators: methodological annex, expansion of list • Publication on global stocktaking

16. WSIS Tunis parallel event on ICT indicators • 15 November 2005 (1-day event) • Target audience: ICT policy makers • Present core list of indicators • Present possible additional indicators • Thematic sessions (government, health, education) • Impact measurement and MDGs

17. http://measuring-ict.unctad.org • Launched in November 2003 • Intended as online source of information on ICT indicators, methodologies and statistics and an expert discussion forum. • Currently an informal window for the Partnership • Plans to evolve into a more functional website • Initial posting of statistical data gathered from NSOs on ICT usage in businesses

18. Core list of ICT indicators - development • Results of stocktaking and of regional workshops (regional core lists) Beirut (ESCWA) October 2004 Gaborone (ECA/ITU) November 2004 Santiago de Chile (ECLAC) November 2004 • First proposal sent to all NSOs (Dec. 2004) • Final proposal based on feedback (NSOs, Partners, experts), as an input to WSIS Thematic Meeting

19. Core list of ICT indicators

20. Core list of ICT indicators • Provides useful guidance for countries planning to collect ICT indicators • Constitutes the basis for developing internationally comparable ICT statistics • Should be amended as experience is gained, for growing harmonization • Possible future and supplementary indicators: education, government, health, language impact

21. Thank You Scarlett.Fondeur.Gil@unctad.org or Susan.Teltscher@unctad.org Electronic Commerce Branch, SITE UNCTAD Tel. +41 22 907 4895 or 5509