Creating Enabling Environment Regional Forum to be held Incheon, Republic of Korea

on E-Government

Gopi Pradhan, Mr.

Agenda

- About Enabling Environment

- WSIS – E-Government

- MD/MDGs and role of ICT

- Role of Governments for ICTD and E-Strategies

- E-Strategies

- The Way Forward

- E-Government systems should rest on clear social, economic and political foundations

- Government is the principle stakeholder in an E-Government systems, therefore its role is critical

- E-Government systems should lead to good governance and ultimately bring impact on citizens’ lives

- E-Government should be nationally owned and driven

- E-Government is an expensive investment

- E-Government should be aligned to address national development plans and goals

- E-Government in isolation is doomed to fail from the beginning

Key Messages

Role of ICT towards MDGs(can include PRSP)

Millennium Summit (2001) Millennium Declaration MDGs

189 Countries endorsed

8 Goals

• Eradicate Extreme Poverty

• Achieve Universal Primary Education

• Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

• Reduce Child Mortality

• Improve Maternal Health

• Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

• Ensure Environment Sustainability

• Global Partnership for Development

18 Targets

48 Indicators

HOW CAN ICT

ADDRESS THE MDGs

!!!

Role of ICTfor MDGs and PRSP

(1) Eradicate Extreme Poverty

Provides economic opportunities (increases employment)

Cuts transaction costs (increases savings)

Increases farming time (higher productivity)

Facilitates informed decision making (family or community)

Effective absorption of public services (citizenry and greater participation)

(2) Achieve Universal Primary Education

Addresses barriers to universal education (reaches marginalized populations)

Enables significantly low investments in educational infrastructures

Opportunity for life-long learning (self learning)

Cuts delivery costs through networking of institutions (increasing efficiency and harmonized learning)

Appropriate tool for the disabled and housewives

China’s FarmKnow (Beijing) agriculture information portal

Sri Lanka’s Kotmale Community radio broadcasts educational programmes

Role of ICTfor MDGs and PRSP

(3) Promote Gender Equality and Empower WomenEmpowers women through access to information at home (TV, radio, Internet)

Enables self learning and educational

Self employment opportunities

Networks women for common voice

Enables information sharing/learning (e.g. childcare, women’s health)

(4) Reduce Child Mortality

(5) Improve Maternal Health

(6) Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseasesPromotion of health related information

Monitoring children’s health (ideal weights, nutrition)

Localizing healthcare information for maximum impact

Efficient health information for policy making

Public awareness of communicable diseases, preventive actions, first-aid treatments

Mongolia’s Gobi Women’s project – >15,000 women availing NFE

Health related goals

Thailand’s successful ICT-led campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness that resulted in reversal of infections

Role of ICTfor MDGs and PRSP

(7) Ensure Environment SustainabilityEnables environment information collection and analysis resulting in informed policy makingAppropriate self monitoring tool for environmental hazardsEnabler of awareness creation and advocacyNetworking and collection stand against hazardous effectsGIS and RS critical to development planning

(8) Global Partnership for DevelopmentBrings efficiencies in government encouraging accountability and transparencyNetworks partners for knowledge sharing and lessons upscalingPartnership for research E-Commerce fosters increased trans-border tradeHelps SME and SMME by lowering overhead costsEnables cross-area/theme relationship

E-NVIRONMENT Malaysia promotes study, conservation and protection of environment

E-Strategies

What are E-Strategies? (that ultimately brings socio-economic impact)(1)E-Government

Online public services

Closing the Government to Citizen communication gap

Citizens’ participatory engagement in policies

Efficient and reliable bottom-up feedback

Reduced bureaucracy and cost saving

(2) E-BusinessEfficient internal processes in organizations (public/private)

Cost saving and effective

Risk management, security and trust building

Knowledge sharing and HR

E-Strategies

What are E-Strategies? (that ultimately brings socio-economic impact)(3) E-Commerce

Making trade and commerce online (B2B, B2C, C2C)

Should be part of organizational E-Business strategies

ERP and EDI are important aspects within E-Biz that support E-Commerce

Higher security and trust business trust building

Lower risks of failure than E-Business due to isolation and niche

(4) k-EconomyShift from manufacturing to service and finance oriented business (e.g. USA)

More information management activities – platform for service delivery

Manufacturing sector invests inR&D activities (software, e-commerce, e-retailing )

E-Strategies

What are E-Strategies? (that ultimately brings socio-economic impact)(5) E-Health, E-Education, E-Agriculture, E-Post, E-Environment

Sector specific E-Strategies

Efficiency in internal processes

Part and parcel of E-Government

Barriers

Barriers to E-StrategiesBandwidth barriers (telecom and networks)

ICT adoption and mindset barriers

Institutional barriers

Backstopping barriers (inadequate national capacities)

Financing and banking barriers (e-banking)

Enabling Environment should address these barriers

Enabling Environmentselect examples

(1)Japan

ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• E-Japan Priority Policy Programme

• Promoting the development of technology for the convergence of Broadcast and Telecommunication Act

• E-Japan II – launched in 2003 (strategic focus on 7 areas)

(2) KoreaENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• Korean Information Infrastructure Master Plan

• E-Korea Vision

• Broadband IT Korea Vision 2007

• Closing the Digital Divide Act

Enabling Environmentselect examples

(3) MalaysiaENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• Communications and Multimedia Act, 1998

• National IT Agenda (1996) – main policy instrument• Provided an orderly framework of ICT development to achieve k-based society by

2020

• Strategy – e.g. MSC

• NITC Strategic Agenda• 5 Thrust Areas (E-Community, E-Public Services, E-Learning, E-Economy, E-

Sovereignty)

Enabling Environmentselect examples

(4) PhilippinesENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• Public Telecommunications Policy Act, 1995

• National IT Plan (1998)

• Regulations on Wireless Internet Access

• Government Information Plan (2000)

• IT and E-Commerce Council (2003)

(1) E-Government (E-Government fund created in 2003)

(2) IT enabled workforce

(3) World class IT service provider

(4) Enabling legal and regulatory framework

(5) Make ICT affordable for all

• Commission on ICT (CICT) established in 2004

Enabling Environmentselect examples

(5) Sri Lanka

ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• Adoption of “e-Sri Lanka” vision – 7 Programmes• Re-engineering Government (E-Government)

• Building Information Infrastructure

• ICT human resource development

• ICT investment and private sector development

• E-Society (focus on MDGs)

• Technology architecture and Security standards

• E-Leadership and policy making

• ICT Agency

• National Communications Policy

Enabling Environmentselect examples

(6) Viet NamENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• Decree 58 CT/TW – Accelerating the use and development of IT for cause of industrialization and modernization of the Communist Party of Viet Nam

• ICT Master Plan (includes “The Government will create legal frameworks”

• National ICT Strategy

(7) Afghanistan

ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS

• ICT Policy

• Telecommunications Law

• Telecommunications Policy

• National Numbering Plan

Comparative Approaches

High Income Countries MIC and LIC

Focus Areas Broadband, K-sharing, E-Commerce

Basic Infrastructures, basic skills, e-business

E-Strategies Pro-Active government interventionOutcome and Impact driven

Private investment, Donor drivenOutput and targets driven

Policy frameworks Directly relevant Sector specific, and sometimes standalone

Regulatory frameworks

Participatory and informed endorsement of Bills and Acts

“by virtue of the fact it was tabled”

Key Issues

What are the key issues in ICT sector ???(1)Developmental

(2)Policy and regulatory

(3)Human capacities

(4)Resources and partnership

(5)Security and Trust

Creating EE should consider all Issues, and developmental, capacity and barrier factors

Key Issues

What are the key issues for the ICT sector ???(1) Developmental issues Rural development (severe challenges persist to rural developments – high ICT investments with “low” returns on investments)

Illiteracy (disparity in ICT skills and knowledge across society, age, skill levels, gender, and regions)

Unemployment (economic zones more ICT opportunities diminishing rural productivity)

ICT Infrastructures (need to rethink on face-saving ICT infrastructures in rural, lack of national strategies often changes with governments)

Uneven ICT capacities (ruralurban capacity flow, disadvantaged groups (women, disabled), still marginalized)

Key Issues

(2) Policy and regulatory issues Growth or outpacing of fixed line by mobile telephony needs attention

Should consider new last-mile technologies (WiFi, WLL, VOIP)

Official recognition of e-communications (many countries don’t)

Online Security (who manages the signatures, protocol etc)

“Grey areas” of public information (National security vs Public information)

Policies on “reverse empowerment” – more information sharing more power and recognition

Coordination within ICT sectors (as more outsourcing takes place, what is the boundary of network providers within an e-government system?)

E-Transactions (e-banking, e-commerce, e-retailing) laws

What are the key issues for the ICT sector ???

Key Issues

(3) Human capacity issues Awareness at highest policy levels (low IT literacy, resistance to learn, distinctive layered structures in developing countries)

IT professionals (young, energetic and skilled getting into public service) – inexperience may result in confrontations

Pyramidal capacity structure (mass foundations still weak – hurts absorption capacities)

Private sector comparatively at higher capacity level (results in mismatch between public service delivery and use)

Institutional void for capacity building skilled trainings more business oriented

What are the key issues for the ICT sector ???

Key Issues

(4) Resources and partnership issues Inadequate incentives to invest on the capital intensive ICT sector in developing countries – where there are markets, weak regulatory support (a country recently banned cable TV within a week’s notice – lack of synergy and coordination among government agencies)

FDI policies (tax holidays) is not adequate – Government needs to play more proactive role in investments (PPP)

ICT as seen as a profitable sector is NOT universally true

Mobilization of USF and other DD mechanisms

What are the key issues for the ICT sector ???

Key Issues

(5) Security and Trust Growing cyber threats: Spams, Viruses, Phishing, website hijack

Dilemma between need to have public e-services and risk of information manipulation

Security concern for online e-commerce transactions weakening consumer trust

B2C or C2B a serious challenge to online transactions

B2B increasingly preferred option (VPN, Intranets) – high cost factors

G2G – mindset challenge necessary than technology

What are the key issues for the ICT sector ???

Enabling environment – Government role 3 country examples

Japan Malaysia Viet Nam

Infrastructure E-Japan Priority Policy Programme

Communication and Multimedia Act

National ICT Strategy

Online Security Law on e-Signature and Certification

Digital Signature Act Electronic Transactions

Network Security

Unauthorized Computer Access Law

Computer Crimes Act Criminal Code of Viet Nam

Data Protection and Privacy

Law on Protection of Personal Information

Communication and Multimedia Act

ICT Law

Content Law on Regulation of Transmission of Specified Electronic Mail

Communication and Multimedia Act

Decree 55 – Provision and use of Internet Services

Intellectual Property

Unfair Competition Prevention Law

Copyright Act, 1997 Decree 76 – Copyrights on the Civil Code

Basic Principles

Enabling Environment FOR WHAT ???(1)Greater social impact (increased quality of lives)(2) Increased economic activities (pro-jobs investments)(3)Enhanced governance (better public service delivery)(4)Safeguard and security (increased confidence and trust)

Basic Principles• Encourage market-based approaches and ease of market entry• Promote business confidence and clarity• Enhance transactional enforceability• Ensure interoperability (systems, standards, networks)• Protect intellectual property and consumer rights

Basic framework

Digital Opportunity Framework

Policy Content & Applications

Infrastructure Enterprise

Capacity

Basic framework – cross relationship

Relational Matrix (Example)

Policy Content/ Application

Infrastructure Enterprise Capacity

Policy E-Gov Master plan FDI Certification

Content/ Application

Interoperability E-Business Outsourcing

Infrastructure PPP On-the-job

Enterprise E-Learning

Capacity

Challenges

Creating Enabling Environment covers diverse areas and portfolios:

Government relatedInvestment and private sector related

Globalization related

Infrastructure related

Content and application related

Capacity and skills related

DO NOT HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH GOVERNMENT

Our emphasis is mainly on the Role of Government in supportive policy

formulations

Role(s) of government

Role of Governments?

Regulatory instruments

SectoralPolicies InfrastructuresPartnerships Mobilize

CSO

AwarenessRaising

CapacityBuilding

NeedsAssessments

Align Developmentobjectives Coordination

Complicated Relationship !!

Role(s) of government - considerations

Regulatory instruments

SectoralPolicies

InfrastructuresPartnerships

MobilizeCSO

AwarenessRaising

CapacityBuilding

NeedsAssessmentsAlign Development

objectives

Coordination

Is it feasible for Government to interfere in all areas at the same time?

How should Governments prioritize itself?

What are the basis for prioritization of ICT interventions?

What are the unpredictable factors?

Who should be the key players in its actions?

What role do IO and RO have in the process?

Considerations

Role(s) of government – lessons

Government:

- is a leader of best practices

- is the key entity and enabler of ICT environment

- can play role of primary investor specially in weaker segments

- is only entity that can create enabling policy environment

- can ensure long-term commitment through predictable regulations

- can bring about closer national coordination among sectors

Expectations

Policy

Predictable

Outcome focused and sector specific

Resourceful institutions

Coordination

Infrastructures

Interconnectivity and speed (bandwidth)

Security and data integrity (standardization)

Applications and localization

Services (digitization)

Processes (seaming)

Expectations

Enterprise

A proactive and receptive private sector

Supportive investment environment (policies, tax holidays)

“Pro-private sector” Chamber of Commerce

Supportive financial institutions (access to capital)

Content/Applications

Online government systems

Official recognition of e-communications

Contained security and privacy

Minimum technical standards for interoperability

EE Development Phases

Phase 1 - Stocktaking and Consultation- Baseline research, data and analyses

- Overall policy and regulatory study

- Thematic discussions, stakeholder meetings, cross sector FGD

- Public dissemination and input mechanisms

Phase 2 - Planning and Process Development

- Documentation of Phase 1

- Conceptualization and planning

- Matching existing EE to perceived Needs

- Gap analysis and recommendations (national and sectoral)

EE Development Phases

Phase 3 - Coordination and Implementation- High Level Coordination Task Force (HLCTF) with clear TORs

- Implementation Technical Working Group

- Resource mobilization (human capital and financial)

Phase 4 - Monitoring and Feedbacks

- Outsource Neutral Monitoring maintaining oversight

- Establish feedback mechanism at national and sectoral levels

- Ensure feedback mechanism feeds into the HLCTF, which is

representative body of the Government

Interrelation of Processes

Phase 4Monitoring and Feedbacks

Phase 3Coordination and Implementation

Phase 2Planning and Process Development

Phase 1Stocktaking and Consultation

RecommendationsReports, Public inputs

Technical notes

Technical Plan, Resource

HR Plan, Process flows

Inter-Sectoral coordinationFeedback mechanism

Stocktaking

Evaluation, Monitoring and feedback

Way Forward

- Taking stock- Study country’s laws and policies and analyze the extent of their readiness

to support e-strategies (particularly e-Government and e-Commerce)

- Establish opportunities and specific changes necessary in available instruments to foster e-strategies

- Mobilization- Conduct research through a working group to discuss current national laws

and policies and their implications on e-strategies

- Prepare recommendations that will gain attention of the highest levels

- Identify prominent figures as “champions” and ensure their fullest contribution

Way Forward

- Implementation- Network policy makers physically and virtually through mail-groups and

discussion forums

- Establish informative website on all available legal frameworks and post developing laws and policies and enable public feedbacks

- Invite international expertise to draft legislations in specific areas (e.g. e-commerce, e-government, telemedicine, e-banking etc)

- Share and invite comments and inputs from sectors, civil society and the private sector

Discussions

THANK YOU !!!

Gopi Pradhan

gopi.pradhan@gmail.com