EAP ICT Initiative

1. EAP ICT Initiative Overview for Quickstart Program Michael Kubzansky, EAPVP September 8th 2005

2. Agenda • Objective of the Initiative • Context • ICT in EAP Countries • Past uses of ICT in Bank projects • EAP’s Approach • Near Term Priorities and Next Steps 2

3. Objective • In 2004, VP asked region to develop an approach that ensured we weren’t missing opportunities to use technology to have a greater development impact • Relatively ICT-savvy region (albeit with still poor regulatory frameworks) • All countries have own ICT strategies and plans • How can we ensure that we are bringing the best applications of technology to our clients? • Result: extensive study on current deployment of ICT in EAP • Strategic options paper • Strategic choice to pursue sectoral approach 3

4. Context: ICT in EAP Countries • All EAP countries have explicitly made ICT development a national priority • All countries surveyed featured ICT in national development plans • Most countries (with exception of LDCs) had national ICT strategies • Regional organizations such as ASEAN and APEC include ICT subcommittees • At UN Summit on Information Society II meeting, November 2005, all countries will arrive with a national strategy in place 4

5. Lending Few current projects in which ICT is a primary sector (Vietnam ICT Development, Indonesia GDLN, and Samoa Telecom and Postal Reform)… But several where ICT is a component Governance: Indonesia Treasury Systems, Cambodia Public Financial Management, Vietnam Public Financial Management Reform, Philippines Judicial and Legal Reform, etc. Competitiveness: Vietnam Customs Modernization, Cambodia Trade Facilitation, etc. Skills/Education/Technology: Indonesia Farmer Empowerment through Ag Tech and Information, Vietnam Higher Education, etc. Infrastructure: Cambodia Roads, China Roads, China Pearl River Delta Urban Environment, etc. Analytic Work EAP is one of the most active regions on ICT in AAA AAA work covers broad range, e.g., Cambodia Telecom Regulation, Philippines Rural ICT strategy, and Indonesia Social Security Management Improvement Past Uses of ICT in EAP Operations In EAP, ICT in project lending has been distributed broadly, but a few clusters within sectors emerge. AAA has been very active. 5

6. Example: Cambodia Transport GIS • Experimental application of GIS to transport project (funded by EAP’s innovation fund) to map bridges, roads, and traffic in Cambodia, explore uses of GIS in operations • Similar to existing GIS applications already in use in Cambodia, China for road maintenance http://infvp.worldbank.org/wms/index5.htm 6

7. Sporadic use – why not more? What obstacles? External: High failure rates (and consequent skepticism) Capacity issues at different layers of government Access - in some countries Internal: TTL capacity, awareness, specialist skills Internal knowledge function widely dispersed Lack of evaluation Complex procurement Focus on technology at expense of people and process issues Centralized “e-gov” approach vs. sectoral approach? How to structure? Where to find expertise? What adjacent issues? ICT in EAP Projects: Issues to Address 7

8. EAP’s Approach • Build on Bank’s sectoral strengths, organization, and client relationships by integrating most high-impact uses of ICT at the sectoral level, rather than top-down approaches. • Empower three groups: • EAP Sectoral TTLs with knowledge, organization and resources to pursue innovative uses of ICT in any EAP project where appropriate (and to know where not to use it) • EAP management to recognize and allocate resources to those uses of ICT that have impact • EAP country teams to recognize relevant trends and intermediate demand signals • Approach does not identify specific opportunities, but focuses on relevant capabilities. • EAP does not focus on e-development per se. Where national e-development opportunities emerge, EAP will be in position to deliver. • Continue infrastructure build-out where appropriate with GICT • Focus on building capacity and getting better organized to deliver more consistent, rapid ICT-enabled reform 8

9. How We Have Organized EASSD EASHD EASRD 3 3 2 • EAP ICT • Core Group • identify needs • identify common opportunities • set training programs • build capacity EASIN EASPR 3 4 COSU (procurement) 1 Other EAP Units 1 • Focal Point • (EAPVP) • training, coordination Other relevant Bank Group Units (ISG, GICT, thematic groups, network anchors, etc.) 9

10. The EAP Program Near Term Longer Term TTL Training/Cap. Building Network Support Rapid Delivery Tools Product Development Results Mgmt • Decentralized leadership team • Familiarize with internal processes • Familiarize with technologies and sectoral apps • Familiarize with key regulatory issues • Familiarize with adjacent process and people issues • Familiarize with internal sectoral and anchor “champions” • Find opportunities by sector • Knowledge and best practice function • - by sector • - By technology/ application • Build surrounding base of resources to borrow/use capacity as needed • - internal (ISG, GICT, network anchors, TGs) • - external (e.g., SIs, vendors, etc.) • Procurement tools • - BP outsourcing models? • - Turnkey contracts (e.g., Vietnam) • - Work with SIs • EAP Innovation Fund • Diagnostic Toolkits (e.g., Treasury model) • - select promising sectors and sub-sectors • Cross-cutting areas for focus (e.g., GIS?) • Ability to evaluate by sector is critical • - consistency with existing log frames • Need to demonstrate efficacy of a given approach to clients, internally • - what are the ICT-specific issues to address? 10

11. TTL Training/ Cap. Building Phase I TTL process issues and case studies Basic ICT concepts/ cross- cutting technologies Custom case studies or study tours The EAP Program: Near Term Training and building sectoral TTL capacity is key to the entire program • Not sufficient to have sector staff who depend entirely on ICT specialists and consultants, or ICT specialists doing sector projects. • Need a hybrid: sectoral TTLs with capacity to recognize and design ICT solutions to sector problems: • Understand client strategic goals within sector • Help clients capture and understand information relevant to goals • Help clients understand training, process, and organizational changes needed • Help design ICT projects to implement technologies to enable reform • But few TTLs in core group have direct experience of ICT in projects (about 5 - 6 out of 17) • Replicate learning process of successful TTLs with ICT interest and experience • Understand internal processes and resources to use ICT in work, project preparation, client solutions • Enable them to scan the sector for opportunities, build pipelines We are here 11

12. The EAP Program: Near Term (2) Network support will be essential to getting the knowledge of which applications are promising (and which fail) to the TTLs. The multi-sectoral nature of the group will make this harder to do. • A scaled-up EAP role in ICT requires four types of support: • Cross-support for ICT components of sector-driven projects, and especially access to sectoral “champions” across regions/networks • Role in ongoing capacity building, including access to non-Bank specialists • Product development (sectoral diagnostic design, solution design) • Technical quality control through understanding of international lessons from Bank and non-Bank financed projects and AAA • ….. but who is best placed to pull all these lessons, case studies, experts together by sector? Networks? TGs? GICT? ISG? • Need organized knowledge support to make the effort work for EAP and SAR 12

13. Next Steps …with SAR: • Ramp up sectoral TTL capacity building and training • Identify sectoral and technological knowledge resources around WBG, catalog, distribute • Find areas of cross-sectoral interest and applications • Look for opportunities, starting in FY07 pipeline 13