ICT For Economic Development A View from the CTO

By Dr Ekwow Spio-GarbrahCEO, CTO

Presentation To British Computer Society London, 12th July 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

Issues for Regulators 2007-10

Regulatory Governance/

Independence/

Best Practices/GSR• Harmonisation of Activities• Mandates from ITU Sector Events• WRC Issues • WTSA, WTDC• WTPC

Spectrum Policy and

Frequency Allocations• Digital Broadcasting & Migration Issues

• Frequency Trading/Auctioning

• Civil/Military/Marine Frequencies

• Unlicensed/exempt band

Licensing• License Terms

• Interconnection

• Tariffing

• Numbering Plan

• Roaming

• NGNs/Conergence

• Type Approvals

Capacity Building/

Skills DevelopmentOrganisational effectiveness

Recruitment/Training

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

THANK YOU

Dr Ekwow Spio-GarbrahCEO, CTO

26 – 28 Hammersmith GroveLondon, W6 7BATel.: +44 (0) 208 834-1566Fax: +44 (0) 870-0345 626E-mail: e.spio-garbrah@cto.int