UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Programme of the Governments of Arab States

Project Document Project number: RAB/02/003/A/01/31 Project title: Information Communication Technologies for Development in Arab States (ICTD-AS) Estimated start date: 15 May 2002 Estimated end date: 14 May 2004 Management arrangement: Agency execution United Nations implementing agency: UNOPS Project site: Arab region Beneficiary countries: Arab States Classification information ACC sector and subsector: 09 Communications and Information ; 40 Development Support Communication Primary and secondary area of focus: Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Livelihoods Primary and secondary type of intervention: 01 Capacity-building; 02 Technology Adaptation Primary target beneficiaries: Poor people Secondary beneficiaries: Policy-makers; Managers, Small/Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Summary of UNDP and cost-sharing inputs in (US$)

INPUTS REV “A”

UNDP

01-UNDP-IPF / TRAC – (Trac 1.1.1)

US$

2,500,000

Cost- sharing

Government

Third Party

-

-

TOTAL

US$

2,500,000

Government inputs: (local currency) (in kind) - (in cash) -

_______________________________________________________________________________

Brief description: The programme will support participating Arab countries in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for human development. Activities aim to help reduce human poverty by fostering a more capable information-enabled society. The programme will apply a coordinated strategy leveraging education, knowledge exchanges and ICT applications, targeting poor people to accelerate poverty reduction through equitable growth and employment generation as well as information creation, distribution and usage. Partnerships with public and private institutions are cornerstones of this programme.

Approved on behalf of: Signature: Date: Name/Title: On behalf of Government: __________________ _________ _______________________________ Executing Agency (UNOPS) __________________ _________ _______________________________ UNDP: __________________ _________ _______________________________

Table of Contents

Part 1a. Situation Analysis................................................................................................. 1 Part 1b. Strategy.................................................................................................................. 3

Awareness raising, promotion and stakeholders campaigns........................................... 7 Capacity development and strategy implementation ...................................................... 8 Pro-poor growth and employment generation ................................................................ 8 Demand Driven and Dynamic Poverty Reduction Interventions ................................... 9

Part 2. Results Framework............................................................................................... 10 Part 3. Management Arrangements................................................................................... 15 Part 4. Legal Context ........................................................................................................ 18 Part 5. Budget ……………………………………………………………………………19 Part 6. Annex: Development areas to be addressed.......................................................... 27 A partial listing of individuals interviewed during the programme design phase ............ 28 Note: This document has been drafted using the new documentation format prepared by the UNDP Bureau for Development Policies, as set forward by UNDP’s Associate Administrator memo of 8/11/01.

Part 1a. Situation Analysis 1. Despite considerable progress in human development in the Arab States a backlog of

deprivation persists: about 65 million adults are illiterate, of which two thirds are women; 54 million people lack access to safe water and 29 million lack access to health services; and one out of every five people lives in poverty, on less than $2 per day. Human poverty throughout the Arab States is much more prevalent than income poverty. High population growth (2.8%) and unemployment (15%) challenge national capacities to sustain past gains.

2. Arab States are similar in some dimensions and diverse in others. They are largely

homogenous in terms of language and culture. By contrast, development levels vary considerably. On one hand there are the Gulf countries with high levels of human development and income per capita. At the opposite extreme, there are the least developed Arab countries. In between, there are the middle-income and medium human development countries extending over most of North Africa and the Levant. Use of ICT roughly parallels this general configuration.

3. Lack of human resources, disabling environments and lagging infra-structural

development impede the ability of Arab countries to capitalize on the revolution in Information Communications Technology (ICT). Arab societies and economies are challenged to adapt to a rapidly changing ICT milieu and to exploit the new tools for competitive advantage while respecting cultural integrity.

4. Information and technology development, adoption and access are far from adequate.

Large scale illiteracy and disabling environments, including uncompetitive markets restrict opportunities to harness ICTs. Only 0.6% of the population use the Internet and the penetration rate of the personal computer is only 1.2%. The digital divide cuts within rather than among countries. Information chasms follow socio-economic divisions, particularly income and education disparities, to separate across each country the well-connected elites from the less privileged who remain detached from information access and use.

5. Under-developed telecommunications infrastructure remains an important

impediment to the expansion of ICT use in most countries. In most of the region, infrastructure restricts access and keeps it expensive. While computer prices have declined closer to international standards, telecommunications continue to be both costly and of limited availability. Prevalence of telephone mainlines is less than one-fifth the level in industrial countries and international phone calls cost twice as much. Cellular telephony is probably the most deregulated telecom sector though in many countries its markets are still uncompetitive.

6. As for Internet infrastructure, the situation is quite varied from countries with a solid

national backbone, multiple gateways and a deregulated environments, to countries which still prohibit private ISPs and restrict access, to those which subject ISPs to use

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one common gateway and even need to lease their own dedicated line to an overseas access provider. A hub-and-spoke configuration pervades Internet infrastructure. Most Arab countries do not interconnect directly with each other, but rather lease connectivity to and from Europe or the US, and connect back to their neighbours through that route. Pressures on telecommunications arise from rising domestic demand, increasing prospects for de-monopolisation as well as the challenges of the explosive expansion of communications earlier met with mass media and now expected with household access to the Internet.

7. A number of initiatives are taking place to facilitate the use of ICTs in the Arabic

language. They have not yet, however, accrued a substantial critical mass in order to mainstream Arabic language and culture through the Internet in a more pervasive fashion. Lack of standardisation, limits the use of the Arabic language.

8. Human resources are lacking not only with respect to technical capacity to develop

and use ICTs but also in terms of the capacity to use information for the purpose of socio-economic development. Several Arab countries have, in the past years, re-adjusted their education curricula to include learning programmes tailored directly, at secondary level, to ICT knowledge and, at tertiary level, to the ICT market segment. However, a vision that facilitates an education model responsive to the market demands of ICT is mostly lacking. Plans and predictions are based more on past or present requirements than on dynamic strategies.

9. In several countries the major obstacle to the diffusion of ICTs is often not

technology per se, but the culture surrounding the use of information in general. In some countries, the benefits of an open information culture, including direct exchanges among citizens, between citizens and government and internationally, has not percolated yet to a critical mass capable of creating substantial upstream changes. De-learning old habits is probably needed before embracing new ICTs.

10. In international development, Information and Communication Technologies have

been recognized as a cross-cutting means to promote sustainable human development and solve real-life problems. ICT has the potential to help the Arab world accelerate its economic and social development decrease poverty, and foster knowledge and trade. Through the appropriate enabling environment, this can be achieved in a matrixed fashion: • Vertically, through the creation of services, products, applications and

employment gravitating around the Internet, data processing and telephony; and, • Horizontally, as an enabler, through the use of ICTs in a range of areas including

public sector development, increase in private sector growth opportunities, market reach and management efficiency, and creation and delivery of information related to health, education and social services.

11. Vertical development of ICTs is lagging despite significant regional and external

market prospects. Last year about US $ 2.1 billion in information technology hardware, software and support services was sold in the Arab States. Nearly two-

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thirds of this demand comes from only three countries. Several Arab countries are vying to become regional communications and IT hubs. Coordination, or at least systematic exchange of information, of national plans and efforts can help synchronise investments, avoid overlap and duplication as well as facilitate deeper specialisation for each country.

12. Horizontally, e-government, e-commerce and decision support systems are either

non-existent or at their infancy. Government and business operations and information delivery to citizens do not take advantage of modern technologies, including to access rural areas.

13. The problems that the programme addresses are related to the low uptake and

efficient use of new ICTs, compounded by illiteracy, a weak enabling environment, and the predominantly low awareness at many decision-making levels of the opportunities that ICT offers for human development and its requirements. The programme addresses these problems by creating an enabling environment and by implementing, through partnerships, a coordinated series of replicable and scalable projects and exchanges to support and increase the use of ICTs across the region for poverty reduction.

14. The key areas of intervention highlighted below are the result of an extensive

dialogue with a large cross-section of stakeholder engaged in the region. More than one hundred individuals from Government, private sector, donors, academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and civil society organisations (CSOs) were consulted between the months of August and October 2001. A partial list is annexed. Their priorities, requirements, aspirations and concerns were noted, summarised and further validated and/or refined through dialogue with a group of expert advisors. Furthermore existing projects in the same area were examined, alongside goals set forward by international conferences and resolutions, including those from the Millennium Summit, ECOSOC and the Development Summits and Conferences of the 1990s.

Part 1b. Strategy 15. UNDP's experience in ICT and Development has now matured to a second generation

of tools and interventions honed to enhance ICT impact on human development. Years of experience with programme implementation in the developing world strategically positions UNDP in the development cooperation universe. Embracing new information technologies, programme countries have made it clear that they expect UNDP to assist them in harnessing IT to reduce poverty and improve both public administration performance and private sector hold and expansion. This is essential especially at a time when globalisation is stretching developing countries capacities to the limit in the context of political and economic uncertainty. Many need new means to survive this pace and to avoid the newly created divides.

16. Besides the widely recognised comparative advantages of UNDP as a trusted and

impartial partner of Governments with presence in 135 countries, UNDP also brings

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strengths and expertise particularly relevant to the ICT domain, including: • A holistic conceptual framework for development and poverty that underscores

the links between economic, social and political dimensions and stresses the value of multi-sectoral approaches to address deprivation, including deprivation in information.

• Use of new and innovative tools for poverty reduction interventions, through the delivery and usage of information and appropriate content creation, especially in rural areas and in local language;

• Better flexibility facing increased globalisation, including choices of directions and opportunities achieved through ICT-enabled education;

• Growth and employment opportunities, leveraged by information on market niches, retraining of managers and by connecting local business to global markets. Additional opportunities in vertical ICT markets, with requests for services, engineering, infrastructure development, content creation, etc.;

• Improved public administration and social service delivery. Knowledge and information management with special emphasis on the provision of information to citizens;

• More efficient management of complex emergencies. UNDP’s experience has proven ICTs to be a primary catalyst in speeding up rehabilitation and assisting in the transition between emergency and development activities.

• Appropriate partnerships with a number of corporate and public entities, committed to assist in the fight against poverty.

17. Synergy with UNDP's global approach will be a priority for this regional programme.

This should be facilitated by the fact that the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States is the UNDP Champion for the thematic area of ICT for Development. Given the complementarity between the Global and Regional Programme in Arab States an introduction to main aspects of UNDP's global ICTD approach and efforts is warranted below.

18. Capitalising on ICT for poverty reduction has been central to UNDP's corporate

mandate. UNDP's approach recognises that a comprehensive policy and achievable targets are critical for ensuring that ICT becomes an effective catalyst for socio-economic development. Such a policy promises to utilise the full potential of ICT as it provides a framework for planning, a template for evaluation, a context for assessing the degree of achievement for a range of targets and a vehicle for advocacy. A comprehensive policy also helps build investors' confidence by publicising government intentions. Transparency helps provide equal opportunity. The process of formulating and implementing such a policy is as much political as technical.

19. UNDP's global efforts support the formulation and implementation of comprehensive

ICT policies through five main areas of focus:

1. National ICT strategies based on a comprehensive ‘e-readiness’ assessment. 2. Policy and regulatory frameworks to promote ICT diffusion access and use.

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3. Technical and end-user capacity to use and apply ICTs, including women’s access, financial services, e-commerce and knowledge networks.

4. E-competitiveness through small and medium size enterprises and development of ICT-based products services.

5. E-government and e-governance (e-democracy).

20. UNDP is also engaged at the global level in three separate but related initiatives: co-hosting the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force known as the (DOTforce); the Digital Opportunity Initiative (DOI), a public-private partnership; and the United Nations ICT Taskforce.

21 In the context of mutually reinforcing complementarity with global efforts, the

regional programme will adopt a strategy to address sustainable human development issues from the following principal angles:

• Direct poverty reduction interventions, enhancing poor people's access and use of relevant information especially in rural areas;

• Growth and employment generation activities, tackling the retooling of entrepreneurs and the exposure to new markets and niches, which benefits the poor indirectly, through the social texture;

• Public administration-level interventions, with the aim to provide urban and rural citizen with a more responsive and efficient public sector.

22 The programme will actively promote regional partnerships with specific institutions

and corporations including those in the IT and retail sector, telecommunications, media and NGOs. In line with UNDP's approach at the global and national levels, the programme will promote multi-stakeholders dialogue on ICT for development. It will provide seed funding and technical and development expertise while seeking financial support and, if applicable, technical assistance in order to deliver quality and cost-effective ICT related and result-oriented projects.

23 In applying the UNDP mandate at the regional level, the ICT programme will help to

provide regional public goods, secure positive inter-country externalities and learning, harness common interests and capitalise on the economies of scale inherent in concerted efforts to address shared problems. Synergy and linkages will be strengthened with other dimensions of UNDP regional activities in the Arab States dealing with globalisation, governance, knowledge as well as advocacy, monitoring and coordination related to the Millennium Development Goals. Recognising that ICT is cross-cutting, other UNDP regional projects and programmes in Arab States also support horizontal ICT development and applications. This is evident in UNDP support to governance (e.g. legislative bodies, judiciary), trade (e.g. access to export markets, customs), education (assessment of computer programmes in universities), etc. This regional programme will develop synergy with other UNDP-supported interventions related to ICTs at both the upstream (policy) and downstream (direct interventions) levels.

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24 Rather than encompassing the gamut of regional ICT for development concerns, the selection of programme areas, were identified through a consultative discussion of priorities where UNDP can offer value added through a regional approach. Strategic selectivity aims to secure a critical mass of support to the identified foci rather than scattering scarce resources thinly over a large spectrum of activities. Other important priorities such as policy and regulatory frameworks will be addressed through other UNDP resources such as national and global programmes and the Regional ICT Policy Advisor.

25 Significant similarities and differences among the Arab States (see para. 2 above)

pose both opportunities and challenges for this regional programme. Similarities, such as the shared Arabic language, invite activities that support coordination and exploit economies of scale to address common challenges through a regional approach (e.g. activities 3.3.1 and 2). Differences such as the varying stages of ICT development and use, require a differentiated approach that targets clusters of countries facing similar problems and challenges. Countries in each cluster may well be in different sub-regions. Varying stages of ICT development and use also offer opportunities for countries that are more advanced in certain aspects to offer best practices and act as champions. The programme will explore these opportunities for countries to act as regional technology anchors or knowledge centres to promote attidunal change and human resource development.

26 In general, not all the regional programme's activities will apply to all countries.

Programme activities are devised to be flexibly combined together as needed in order to increase service delivery efficiency and impact.

27 To summarise, UNDP's support through the regional programme will be geared

towards exploiting ICT for sustainable reduction of poverty, directly and indirectly. Attention to poverty is elaborated in specific interventions as well as in emphasising poverty reduction indicators as critical outcome indicators for the programme as a whole (see Part 2). UNDP’s concern with human poverty rather than just income poverty is particularly critical in the Arab region, because poverty and inequalities of capabilities (e.g. in terms of illiteracy) are much more pronounced than deprivation or maldistribution of income. Emphasis will hence be given to the use of information to bridge human capacity differences which, as said before, follow income, education and linguistic divides.

28 The following programme lines were identified both through the analysis of the

information provided by stakeholders and through the examination of work conducted by other actors, available niches, and experiences in this and other regions. The regional programme is aligned with UNDP's corporate policy. A dynamic element to accommodate for future changes in the regional development agenda must be factored in across all lines. The overall strategy encourages catalytic activities that have the highest chances to create a ripple and multiplier effects; that are replicable/scalable or that can create high impact while operating within the capacity and budget of the

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programme. These activities will address national priorities and will support and complement UNDP Global, Regional and National Cooperation Frameworks.

Main programme service lines

Awareness raising, promotion and stakeholders campaigns

29 In some Arab countries, there is little awareness about the opportunities and risks associated with ICT development and use. In other countries, political commitment to exploiting ICT exists at the highest policy-making levels. Yet it has not trickled-down to the middle policy-implementing cadres. The latter might rightly or wrongly perceive the ICT-related transformations as detrimental to their interests or standing. Highly publicised national objectives often contrast with ambiguity about strategies and means to meet these objectives. The programme will apply a differentiated approach to respond to the differentiated needs of various groups of Arab countries.

30 The great majority of decisions relative to information are taken today by a

generation very often uneasy about the implication if ICTs. Vision and strategies are often woven across traditional lines that, albeit important to respect, do not always reflect the needs and aspiration of younger generations and do not often address gender issues.

31 Unless substantial changes take place in the way information and its underlying

technologies are perceived and applied, the effectiveness of ICT interventions will remain somewhat limited. Awareness raising, promotion and constituency building is needed to address the institutional and political economy obstacles to the development and use of ICT. The programme recognises that exposure to modern tools and technologies are an essential precondition to ensure efficiency in public sector management, extension of social services, etc. Activities under this heading will emphasize building awareness, sharing best practices and changing people's thinking on the potential and means for using information, not only for development in general, but more particularly for human development and the empowerment of the underprivileged.

32 Additionally, the programme will seek opportunities to move the human development

agenda forward in dynamic and responsive ways by offering tailored solutions to specific information technology related problems including:

• Project packaging and brokering, to engage partners in programme activities and extend the programme’s technical capacity, outreach and financial capacity;

• Expert technical assistance, to provide fast solution to specific ICT problems; • Information systems in support of peace-building initiatives, to make available

connectivity and the Internet wherever needed to ameliorate conditions in crisis countries; and

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• Media outreach to further extend awareness of ICTs and poverty reduction solutions amongst programme countries.

Capacity development and strategy implementation

33 Overall, human resources needed for the vertical and horizontal development and use

of ICT are lacking in the region. This applies to both the private and public sectors. It also applies to countries that are both advanced and lagging in this field. The former suffer a shortage of national skills needed to reap potential benefits. In these cases, skill shortage is sometimes addressed by relying on foreign labour as in the Gulf. Less endowed countries that have managed to develop substantial national capacity see it falling far short of demand or being eroded by brain drain.

34 For these reasons, the programme will offer several activities to build capacity from the bottom up, including the support of ICTs in school curricula, support of development of core curricula of regional relevance, national school nets, teacher and corporate training, the extension of ICT training to remote areas, gender inclusion, etc. The programme will emphasize learning through exchange and cross-fertilization of experiences within the Arab region and from other regions.

35 The Programme, wherever applicable, will encourage the formation of National

Information Technology Councils (NITC) to advise on strategies to expand the national and regional use of ICTs.

36 The use of Arabic language and its incorporation in ICT tools and content will be an

important component under this output. Rather than only supporting the creation of Arabic content, the programme will focus on fostering an enabling environment. This will encourage the market itself to address the lack of Arabic information on the Internet which today caters mostly to the more affluent markets of anglo and francophone elites.

Pro-poor growth and employment generation

37. The shifting balance of international employment in the vertical ICT sector on the one

hand, and growing national needs and requirements on the other, create new employment and market opportunities which should be encouraged. Horizontally, ICT can be applied to new and existing private initiatives to enhance competitiveness and extend their reach and efficiency.

38. Activities under this heading will focus on exploiting ICT for promoting equitable growth that generates jobs. For this reason, SMEs will be a primary target for interventions that aim at retooling of existing business practices with added ICT emphasis for efficiency, markets outreach, the cross-fertilisation of information related to market creation, innovation and technology adoption. Overall the

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Programme will tend to promote, support and complement large scale and replicable employment generation initiatives.

Digital initiatives: Demand driven and dynamic poverty reduction interventions

39. There are excellent examples already of ICTs benefits in connecting citizens to information. New initiatives are regularly added. This includes information on: prices relevant to low-income buyers and sellers (e.g. commodity prices), food security, financial services, health and education, employment opportunities, poverty reduction schemes and social funds activities among others. Technologies include the internet, cellular telephony, satellite access digital packet radio and analogue radio and television. Delivery mechanisms include citizen access centres, tele-centers, mobile units, etc. The Programme will build on UNDP experiences, and will bring innovation to the Region.

40. Other poverty reduction activities may be initiated as: • specific demands arise; • development environments change; • delivery in previously unfeasible areas becomes more cost-effective; and • opportunities emerge in crisis countries for quick information ICT

interventions that can create high impact. 41. Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks (SWOT) will be conducted

early on to identify specific areas of intervention under this pillar of the regional ICT programme. These interventions will have to meet the following criteria:

have direct impact on poor people; target poor communities; demonstrate monitorable results in terms of poverty reduction; and be replicable across the region.

42. Synergy among the various pillars of the regional programme will be nurtured. For

example: awareness raising will be pursued as a means to shift mind sets as a pre-requisite for skill development; expanding Arabic content will be pursued, inter alia, to pave the ground for generating jobs for poor people who are often unfamiliar with other languages; etc.

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Part 2. Results Framework Intended outcome: Contribute to the reduction of human poverty by fostering, through ICTs and targeted activities, a more capable information-enabled society. A coordinated strategy will be implemented around four main themes:

1. ICT Awareness raising; 2. Growth and employment generation; 3. Human Capital Creation; 4. Dynamic Poverty Reduction Interventions.

General outcome indicators. Enabling environment: Use and uptake of ICTs, increase of Internet penetration in rural and urban areas. Distribution of development information via ICTs. Quality, quantity and diversity of Arabic language sites. Growth and employment: Number of SMEs engaged. Type and quality of information delivered. Education: Quality and quantity of Regional and National Seminars and information sharing processes. Number of target constituencies reached. Poverty reduction: Number of poor beneficiaries reached. Quality and quantity of information delivered. Baseline indicators will be recorded at the outset of activities. Advisory Board members and independent evaluation will be consulted for qualitative assessment whenever needed. The programme will carry out appropriate monitoring to examine results beyond the immediate outputs highlighted below and to ensure that sustainable human development targets are achieved. Partnership Strategy: Engagement of Governments; Private sector corporations and companies; Multinational and Regional enterprises and organisations, Chambers of Commerce, Private Sector Associations, NGOs, CSOs and the donor community, through well designed high-impact development activities, as highlighted below. Project title and number: Arab States Programme on Information -ASPI RBAS x/2002

Outputs 1) ICT Awareness Intended Outputs:

1.1. Horizontal exchanges at regional and international level

1.2. Exchanges at

Output Targets for 24 months

Within the intended time span of the programme participating countries* needs in this area will be assessed. Region will be offered at minimum: 1) One Seminar for High Level Decision Makers per country; 2) Electronic means to exchange ICT for Development-related information

Activities

1.1.1 Regional SWOT assessment of ICT for poverty reduction best practices;

1.1.2 Regional exchanges through electronic and physical means to cross-fertilise experiences;

1.2.1 National level SWOT assessments of ICT development state of public administration;

1.2.2 National exchanges through electronic and physical means to cross-fertilise positive

SectioInputs (see input-output table)

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National level

1.3. Exchanges across existing donor-driven ICT projects

1.4. High-level Seminars for Decision Makers

1.5. Workshops for public sector Managers

1.6. Establishment of National Information Technology Advisory (NITA) Bodies

1.7. Participate and engage in regional and international conferences and forums

1.8. Monitor progress of participants post event

on video-conferencing, online, nationally and regionally; 3) A series, coordinated with other donors, of national exchanges; 4) Two workshops for public sector managers; 5) Assistance with the formation of National Information Technology Councils (NITC). South-South exchanges across countries with NITC experiences. At least three such exchanges. 6) Programme's participation in three conferences per year. * Budget assumes 50% (eight) countries will be benefiting from one or more of these outputs, unless otherwise specified.

national experiences and align ICT efforts across public sector;

1.3.1 Synchronise with other donors initiatives, provide assistance and expertise were needed;

1.3.2 Identification of ICT for development niches not covered by others in an effort to design “catalytic” activities to support and complement high-impact projects already on the ground;

1.3.3 Internally within UNDP through mechanisms such as the SURF, liaise, collaborate and exchange best practices, and information with UNDP global programmes, regional programmes and nationally-driven projects;

1.4.1 Demand driven short, modular, full immersion seminars to public-sector decision makers on topics related to the application of ICTs in government, administrative reform, development issues, social services, education (including informal education), etc.;

1.5.1 Through service providers, offer cost-effective workshops, conducted through multi-purpose mobile units, to train existing managers in basic electronic management techniques;

1.6.1 Foster the process of ICT public-private sector exchanges with the aim to establish advisory bodies comprising a cross-section of government, private sector, NGOs, and civil society to further the development of ICTs at national and regional level;

1.7.1 Bring the programme experiences and cross fertilise initiatives at major regional and

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international conferences & electronic for a. 2. Pro-poor growth and

employment generation 2.1. Small and Medium

ICT-related Enterprises (SMEs) creation

2.2. Retooling of managers

2.3 Impact and best practices information

1) Three sub-regional strategies to foster the creation of ICT-related, or ICT-supported SMEs.

2) Three specific sub-regional projects, in cooperation with partners to provide incentives to existing incubators to foster ICT-related development activities (portals, applications, etc.)

3) One workshop per participating country, or sub-regional, to foster the adoption of ICT tools in the business environment.

4) An Internet Portal to serve as Gateway with substantive and useful information and tools (like a toolbox) on ICT for development and specific SME best practices.

2.1.1 Foster the creation of SMEs, the drafting and execution of business plans and the commencement of activities related to ICT for development;

2.1.2 Encourage ICT-related SMEs development incentives through appropriate partnerships;

2.1.3 Research and offer information on available market niches and ways to establish new activities;

2.2.1 Offer specific “Technology Exposure, Innovation and Solution workshops” tailored to entrepreneurs and private sector managers;

2.3.1 Provide information relative to the impact of SMEs activities. The programme will keep a tally of success stories and analyse failures;

Sectio

3. Capacity development and strategy implementation 3.1. Support in the

inclusion of ICTs in the school curricula.

1) One Min. of Education Seminars on e-education per country, providing strategic advice and exposure to common practices;

2) Implementation of Mobile Internet units, in partnership with Ministry of Education

3.1.1 Encourage and support efforts for the inclusion of ICT in the school curricula in the following areas: existing curricula, productivity applications, Internet tools;

3.1.2 Teacher training; 3.2.1 Collaboration with Ministry of Education for

establishing school nets; 3.3.1 Seek and foster best practices and incentives to

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3.2. Support to establishment of national school nets

3.3. Create demand for Arabic language

3.4. Extension of ICT training to remote areas

3.5. Organisation of Corporate training

and funded by private sector; 3) Three national school nets

established 4) Regional corporate training

support for training in four countries. In partnership with corporate sponsor.

5) Help double Arabic websites in 24 months.

facilitate the use and adoption and demand of Arabic Language in Internet content;

3.3.2 As a convenor, support standardisation of Arabic characters for software; 3.4.1 Assistance to the education system (including

informal education) in extending its reach to rural areas, underprivileged urban areas and in addressing gender issues. Initiatives in this field may be conducted through the use of mobile units or fixed installations;

3.5.1 Through the support of UNDP’s corporate partners assist, wherever necessary, with the establishment of ICT corporate training programmes;

4. Demand Driven and

Dynamic Poverty Reduction Interventions

4.1. Information Technology for Poverty Reduction

4.2. Project Packaging and Partnerships

4.3. Expert Technical Assistance

4.4. Information for peace and stability

1. Implementation of six high-impact projects using ICTs for poverty reduction, in partnership with donors and government. These projects will meet the following criteria: have direct impact on poor people; target poor communities; demonstrate monitorable results in terms of poverty reduction; and be replicable across the region having a high multiplier effect. 2. An increase of Internet penetration of 100% in rural areas is expected. 2. Packaging of above for donor

support. 3. At least six instances of demand

4.1.1 Support the development of specific applications for the delivery of information tending to the reduction of poverty through sustainable initiatives;

4.2.1 Set up innovative and impact-driven public-private partnerships. The programme will identify ICT-related projects that can be packaged on behalf of counterparts and submitted to the donor community for funding and implementation;

4.3.1 Assistance with quick-fix and specific solutions to technical and information-related problems;

4.4.1 Foster the use of Internet and other systems to support exchange of information for reconciliation, openness and transparency wherever needed;

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4.5. Media engagement driven assistance to regional and national counterpart on technical issues.

4. Significant visibility in media for efforts to tap ICT for development including UNDP efforts.

4.5.1 Extend the reach of the programme’s concept and goals through public media;

4.5.2 Make extensive use of digital technology to ensure that each activity is properly documented and knowledge from it publicized/disemminated.

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Part 3. Management Arrangements Executing Arrangements 43. The Programme will be executed by the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) and implemented through a number

of mechanisms, including national counterparts, NGOs and CSOs. The program will promote private public partnership whenever possible. It is envisioned that the Programme will be based in a suitable country within the Region. The Programme will commence operations in June 2002 and it will initially last 24 months. An evaluation will be performed in late 2004. Initial funding will be approximately USD 2.5 million. It is envisaged that a trust fund will be set-up at inception to receive extra-budgetary funds from partners and donors.

44. In order to receive the assistance described hereby, participating countries will be required, as it is customary for Regional

Programmes, to approve and sign this programme document. Programme Staff . 45 The programme will be staffed as follows: Chief Technical Advisor/Regional Coordinator. S\he will be responsible for the overall conduction of the programme and for the

relation with counterparts, donors and partners. The Regional Programme Coordinator (RPC) will manage the programme and provide strategic guidance, while establish an effective strategy for project implementation and resource mobilisation. Additionally, the RPC will be responsible for reporting and accountability tasks, including ROAR and executing agency reports and budgets, as appropriate. The RPC will represent the programme at International fora and conferences. The RPC will report to the Chief, Regional Programme Division;

Deputy Coordinator. The DC will be responsible for the daily management of the Programme and for input to strategy and project implementation. The DC will report to the Coordinator. The DC will additionally assist in the preparation of budgets and reports;

National Programme Officer. The NPO will work under the supervision of the DC and will be responsible for the management of specific areas of activity;

Project Assistant. The PA will provide administrative support to the Programme and will perform a number of additional secretarial duties. The PA will be responsible for ensuring that all documentation including financial reporting, travel authorisations are properly prepared and logistics arranged; and,

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Programme Advisor. The Advisor will provide strategic guidance and support as needed. 46.

47

48

44.

49.

All staff will have technical expertise to contribute substantively to the achievement of the programme's outputs and to meeting its objectives.

Monitoring . The Programme will collect and research baseline data and develop additional benchmarks against which to measure its progress and the impact of its assistance delivery. The programme will monitor its activities and will make extensive use of computer applications to do so. Each activity as highlighted above and expected targets entered in a database at the commencement of the Programme. The programme will establish baseline data and benchmark criteria against which to evaluate its activities. The system will keep track of the progress of the Programme and will make this information available on line. A complete package of on-line tools (a toolbox) will further complement the activities and will be made available to stakeholders. This will facilitate the sharing of experiences and cross-fertilisation of solutions provided to counterparts.

Reporting . As per UNDP guidelines, the programme will prepare the following: 1. Annual report; 2. Terminal report; 3. Biannual work plans, highlighting activities in progress, activities in pipeline and relative expenditure sheet; 4. Annual budget with a semi annual budget review; and, 5. Programme review at the end of the 24 months period.

The Programme will ensure that sufficient funds have been set aside for monitoring and reporting. Partnerships and resource mobilisation

The Programme will make full use of the traditional avenues for partnerships and resource mobilisation, drawing from successful experience with ICT partners. Parallel funding will be the modality of preference, but a special trust fund will be setup for direct

16

contributions as well. Although specific contributions are difficult to pinpoint before the commencement of the Programme, resource mobilisation and partnerships could be possible through:

Type of

Partner/Donor

Name Type of contribution

Governments Gov. from participating countries Link with policy making, in kind, matching contributions

Bi-lateral Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia, USAID, France, Germany, Japan and Italy

Technical Cooperation, Funds

Multilateral World Bank, Africa Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank,

Technical cooperation, project partnerships, funding

UN System: UNESCO, UNIDO, UNESCWA

Technical cooperation, joint funding

UNDP ICT Global Trust Fund, Bureau for Development Policy

Technical and Policy Advice, Funds

EU Project partnerships, jointfunding

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Technical cooperation, project partnerships, financial resources

Private Sector Multinational Corp. (e.g. HP, Cisco, Microsoft)

Technical, Equipment, Support

National and Regional Banks Technical cooperation, Funds

IT Associations Advocacy, in kind resources, constituency building

17

Accenture Professional supportCSOs Chambers of Commerce, Regional

Information Technology and Software Engineering Centre (RITSEC), Regional Education Software Centre (REDSOFT) Regional Arab IT Network (RAINET), National IT Council, think tanks

Joint advocacy, technical cooperation, implementers, matching contributions, in kind

Academia Universities Research Grants 50.

1.

2.

3.

Within UNDP the Programme will rely on close partnership with expertise available at the Bureau for Development Policy both at headquarters and in the region. As mentioned above priorities such as policy and regulatory frameworks will be addressed through other UNDP resources such as national and global programmes and the Regional ICT Policy Advisor. The network of UNDP's Sub-regional Resource Facilities (SURF) will be used to tap into regional and inter-regional expertise.

Part 4. Legal Context 5 This programme document shall be the instrument referred to as such in Article I of the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement

between the Governments and Territories participating and the United Nations Development Programme and refers to the government co-operating agency described in that Agreement.

5 For each participating country that has not signed the SBAA, the following standard text and Standard Legal Text for non-SBAA

countries, attached as an annex to the programme document, both apply. 5 This programme document shall be the instrument envisaged in the Supplemental Provision to the Programme Document, attached

hereto. The host country implementing agency shall, for the purpose of the Supplementary Provisions to the Programme Document refer to the Government co-operating agent described in the supplemental Provisions.

18

Arab States

Programme on Information Input-Output Budget (24

Months)

Regional Bureau for Arab States, Regional Programme Division

Legend: Staff=S • International

Consultant = IC • National Consultant

NC • Travel = T • International

procurement = IP • Local Procurement

LP

Note: Administrative and Staff cost

accounted separately in section b): Programme

Staff and Administration)

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION INPUTS DESCRIPTION

BUDGET LINE

BUDGET USD

a) Programme Activities

1.1.1 Regional SWOT assessment of ICT for poverty reduction best practices S

-

1.1.2 Regional exchanges through electronic and physical means to cross-fertilise positive experiences S

-

-

IC 1151 20,000.00 T 1601 40,000.00 Training Material 3201 30,000.00 1.2.1 1.2.1 National level SWOT assessments of ICT development state of public administration S NC 1161 32,000.00

19

1.2.2 National exchanges through electronic and physical means to cross-fertilise positive national experiences and align ICT efforts across public sector S

-

-

-

-

-

-

NC 1161 16,000.00 1.3.1 Synchronise with other donors initiatives, provide assistance and expertise were needed. S IC 1151 20,000.00 1.3.2 Identification of ICT for development niches not covered by others in an effort to design “catalytic” activities to support and complement high-impact projects already on the ground. S NC 1161 10,000.00 1.3.3 Internally within UNDP through mechanisms such as the SURF, liaise, collaborate and exchange best practices, and information with UNDP global programmes, regional programmes and nationally-driven projects S1.4.1 Demand driven short, modular, full immersion Seminars to public-sector decision makers on topics related to the application of ICTs in government, administrative reform, development issues, social services, education, etc. S IC 1151 40,000.00 NC 1161 20,000.00 T 1601 40,000.00

Subcontract Technical 16,000.002101 Training Material 3201 20,000.00 Misc. Exp, Seminars 3401 10,000.00 1.5.1 Through service providers offer cost-effective workshops, conducted through multi-purpose mobile units, to train existing managers in basic electronic management techniques. S NC 1161 24,000.00 T 1601 8,000.00

Subcontract Technical 30,000.002101

20

-

-

-

-

-

Subcontract Training 24,000.002102 Training Material 3201 16,000.00 1.6.1 Foster the process of ICT public-private sector exchanges with the aim to establish advisory bodies comprising a cross-section of government, private sector, NGOs, and civil society to further the development of ICTs at national and regional level. S IC 1151 5,000.00 NC 1161 15,000.00 T 1601 20,000.00 1.7.1 Bring the programme experiences and cross fertilise initiatives at major regional and international conferences STotal for outputs 1-1 to 1-7 456,000.00 2.1.1 Foster the creation of SMEs, the drafting and execution of business plans and employment-related initiatives activities using ICT for development S IC 1151 24,000.00 NC 1161 16,000.00 T 1601 24,000.00 Miscellaneous

expenses2103 32,000.00

2.1.2 Encourage ICT-related SMEs development incentives through appropriate partnerships. S2.1.3 Research and offer information on available market niches and ways to establish new activities S2.2.1 Offer specific “Technology Exposure, Innovation and Solution workshops” tailored to entrepreneurs and private sector managers. S NC 1161 24,000.00 T 1601 8,000.00

Subcontract Training 24,000.002102

21

Training Material 3201 16,000.00 2.3.1 Provide information relative to the impact of SMEs activities. The programme will keep a tally of success stories and analyse failures. S

-

-

-

-

Total for outputs 2.1 - 2.3 168,000.00 3.1.1 Encourage and support efforts for the inclusion of ICT in

the school curricula in the following areas: Support to existing curricula, productivity application, Internet tools

3.1.2 Teacher training S NC 1151 16,000.00 T 1601 8,000.00

Subcontract Training 24,000.002102 Training Material 3201 16,000.00 3.1.3 Seek and foster best practices and incentives to facilitate

the use and adoption of Arabic Language in Internet content;

3.1.4 As a convenor support the standardization of Arabic characters in software S

NC 1151 22,000.00 T 1601 10,000.00 3.2.1 Assistance to the education system in extending its reach

to rural areas and underprivileged urban areas. Initiatives in this field may be conducted through the use of mobile units or fixed installations.

3.2.2 Collaboration with Ministries of Education to establish school nets. S

T 1601 8,000.00 NC 1161 24,000.00

Subcontract Training 24,000.002102Subcontract Technical 30,000.002101

Training Material 3201 16,000.00

22

-

-

-

-

3.3.1 Through the support of UNDP’s corporate partners assist, wherever necessary, with the establishment of ICT corporate training programmes. STotal for outputs 3.1 - 3.3 198,000.00 4.1.1 Support the research, development and implementation of specific applications for the delivery of information tending to the reduction of poverty through sustainable initiatives. S IC 1151 40,000.00 NC 1161 60,000.00

Subcontract Technical 60,000.002101 Miscellaneous

expenses2103 30,000.00

T 1601 20,000.00 LP 4502 100,000.00 IP 4701

100,000.00

4.2.1 Set up innovative and impact-driven public-private partnerships for poverty reduction. The programme will identify ICT-related projects that can be packaged on behalf of counterparts and submitted to the donor community for funding and implementation S IC 1151 40,000.00 T 1601 30,000.00 4.3.1 Assistance with quick-fix and specific solutions to technical and information-related problems S NC 1161 24,000.00

Subcontract Technical 24,000.002101 LP 4502 50,000.00

23

4.4.1 Foster the use of Internet and other systems to support exchange of information for reconciliation, openness and transparency wherever needed S

-

-

IC 1151 30,000.00 NC 1161 30,000.00

Subcontract Technical 30,000.0021014.5.1 Extend the reach of the programme’s concept and goals through public media. S4.5.2 Make extensive use of digital technology to ensure that each activity is properly documented

S -

Subcontract Technical

20,000.002101Total for outputs 4.1 - 4.5 688,000.00

Total Programme Delivery, 24 Months

1,510,000.00

b) Programme Staff and Administration Budget Line Budget Programme Staff

Regional Programme Coordinator (L6-ALD) 1101 160,000.00

Deputy RPC (L3-ALD) 1103 80,000.00 Admin. Support

Programme Assistant 1301 20,000.00 NPPP

Programme Officer 1702 25,000.00 Component Total per year 295,000.00

Mission CostsMission Costs 1601 40,000.00

Comp. Total per year 40,000.00

Subcontracts

24

Technical 2101

15,000.00Comp. Total per year 15,000.00

OperationOperation and Maintenance 4501 60,000.00

Local Procurement 4502 30,000.00 PR & Promotion 4503 5,000.00

Media Production 4504 10,000.00 International Procurement 4701 10,000.00

Comp. Total per year 115,000.00

MiscellaneousReporting Costs 5201 20,000.00

Sundries 5301 10,000.00Comp. Total per year 30,000.00

Administrative costs, per year 495,000.00

c) Operation by budget lines

International Consultants 1151 257000National Consultants 1161 295000

Travel and Mission costs 1601 216000Subcontract technical 2101 210000

Subcontract training 2102 96000Misc. Expenses 2103 62000

Training Material 3201 114000Seminars, Misc. 3401 10000

Local Procurement 4502 150000International Procurement 4701 100000

25

Total

1,510,000.00

d) Total input

Total administrative costs, 24 months 990,000.00 Total operation input, 24 months 1,510,000.00

Total UNDP input 2,500,000.00

26

Part 6. Annex Development areas to be addressed This cross-cutting programme may address a combination of the following SAS/SRF development areas: Enabling Environment Sub-Goal 1: National, regional and global dialogue and cooperation that widens development choices for sustainable and equitable growth.

Management of globalisation to support the poor. Policy, legal and regulatory reform to support private sector development. Regional and sub-regional cooperation, including ECDC/TCDC.

Sub-Goal 2: Strengthened capacity of key governance institutions. Institutional capacity of parliamentary structures, systems and processes. Administration of, and access to, justice. Promotion of human rights.

Sub-Goal 3: Increased social cohesion based on participatory local governance and stronger local communities and institutions.

Social cohesion through development planning and other decision-making processes at the sub-national level. Self-organisation and development of alliances by the poor.

Sub-Goal 4: An efficient and accountable public sector. Efficiency and accountability in the civil service. Efficiency of public sector financial management. Aid coordination and management

Poverty reduction Sub-Goal 2: The asset base of the poor expanded and protected (human, physical and financial).

Access to productive resources and assets. Access to basic social services and systems for risk management Access to, and utilisation of, ICTs.

Special Development Situations Sub-Goal 1: Reduced risk of disasters in programme countries

Policy development and advocacy on risk reduction

Additionally, the programme will meet the requirements of the Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) by: (a). learning from the results and lessons of past experiences; (b). demonstrating a contribution to poverty reduction; (c). tackling shared development priorities in the region as evident in several national development plans or Country Cooperation Frameworks; (d). adding value to national efforts; and (e). bringing to bear a

27

critical mass of resources (knowledge, partnerships, financial, etc.) commensurate with a critical mass of results. A partial listing of individuals interviewed during the programme design phase Countries visited during programme design phase: Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Yemen. A. Majied Qasem One World Software, Amman Abdellatif Meskine Chef Division Exploitation des Services Post, Morocco Adel Maqboub Manager, new products, Post, Morocco Adel Mokhtari Fusion Engineering, Morocco Adib Nehmeh United Nations Adnane Benchakroun Centre National de Documentation, Morocco

Ahmed El Hattab, Ph. D Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur, de la Formation, Morocco

Ahmed M.El Sobky Ritsec, Cairo Ahmed S. Abutaleb Ministry of Communications, Egypt Akram E. Farag Lucent Ali El Moselhi Ph, D. Senior Advisor Min. Of Telecom, Egypt Amin El Sharkawi UNDP, Egypt

Amine Mounir Alaoui Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunicati, Rabat

Ammar AI Atiat Ritsec, Cairo Antonio Vigilante Resident Representative, UNDP, Cairo Anwar M. Haddad Assistant Resident Representative Operation Manager Unit Arar Armanazi, D.E.Sc. Head, Scientific Studies & Research Centre, Damascus Aziz Rabbait ISM, Ministry of Industry. Trade, Energy and Mining Barry Carin UNIVERSITY of Victoria Basil Qubain One World Software, Amman

Bassem Awadallah The Royal Hashemite Court, Amman, (now Min. of Planning)

Costante Muzio UNDP, Amman Dana Khatib Arab Advisors, Amman Dawod Al_Hidabi President , University of Science and Technology Effat EI-Shooky Ritsec, Cairo Elie Khoury Parliament Development Project, Beirut Lebanon Emile Najib Cubeisy Ministry of Post and Communications, Morocco Eng. Ashraf M. Fathy Affordable PC Project, Cairo Eng. Mouhamed Al Syrian Telecommunication Establishment Ewan McPhie Spanning the international digital divide Florence Eid Professor, School of Business American University of BeirutHassan AL-Nouri Syrian Government Hassan Hamwi Arab Quality Makers, Amman Hassan Kabbani CEO, Sabafon Hassan Risheh Minister, Syrian Government Heather E. Hudson, Ph.D Professor and Director Telecommunications Management,

28

Georgetown Hisham Sharaf Abdalla Deputy Minister for International Co-operation, Yemen Hisham A. Fahmy American Chamber Of Commerce In Egypt Hisham El-Sherif Head, IT Ventures/Ritsec, Cairo Hussein M.El Gammal Managing Director ICT, Government of Egypt Ibrahim Al-Haifi MIS Manager, Social Fund for Development, Yemen I. Raffat Radwan Chairman - IDSC, Cairo Issam EL-Zaim Minister of Planning, Syrian Arab Republic Jacques J. Sarraf Association of Lebanese Industrialists Jalal Fawaz Automation & Computer Technologies James Rawley Resident Representative, UNDP, Sana'a Jamal Eddine EL Jamali Ministry of Industry, Trade Energy and Mining Kamil Benjelloun Federation of Industries, Casablanca Karim Kawar Int@j, Amman Khaldoon Tabaza Entrepreneur, Cairo, founder Arabia Online Khaled Toukan Minister of Education, Amman . Jordan Khalid EL HARIRY Apebi - Association of IT professionals Khalid Laraichi Director ICT, e-government - Ministere de la Justice, Rabat Laila Darwish UNDP Cairo M. Abdel Fattah Elazab, Ph.D. Chairman, Higher Tech. Institute, Cairo M. Abdelghani AMINE Charge de Mission, Maison de Jeune, Morocco Radwan Said Support Center (IDSC) Cairo Magdi Abdel Sayed General Manager, NCR, Giza Egypt Mahmoud Abou Sedera Ritsec, Cairo Maroun Asmar, Beritech, Beirut Mervat Tawfik Usaid, Cairo Michel Diab Partner, araChnea Technology, Beirut Michèle Boisselier Head Data systems, Maroc Telecom Mohamed Abouhanifa Batid AI Maghrib Mohamed Cherif Sadeh Ambassador, Cairo Mohamed H. Al Gaifi Information System Project , Presidential Office, Yemen Mohamed Hesham TACC, Egypt Mohamed Mamdouh Awny Government of Egypt Mohamed Moukhlis Informatique - Orbit S.A.

Mohammad Halaiqa Deputy Prime Minister Ministry of State for Economic Affair, Jordan

Mohammad Thneibat Minister of state for Administrative Development, Jordan Mohammed H. Magued, Ph.D. Egptyan Banks Co, For Technological Fund Monica Carco UNIDO - Investment Promotion Unit, Amman Mouslime Kabbaj MITC

Mustafa A. Nasereddin Audit (consultaucy Intellectual property Project Development

Mustafa A. Nasereddin Talal Abu-Ghazaleh 8 Co. International Mustapha Amri Societe Central de Reassurance

29

Mustapha El-Zaatari Hariri Foundation, Beirut

Nabil Sukkar The Syrian Consulting Bureau for Development & Investmen

Najat Rochdi Director, Ministry of Post and IT, Rabat Nasser Saidi Vice Chairman, Banque du Liban Nazem Bahsa Syrian Telecommunication Establishment Nazih Borghol Ernst & Young. Amman Nesreen Barakat Director competitiveness unit, Ministry of Planning, AmmanNida' M. Maani Economic Advisor Prime Ministry, Jordan

O. F. Bizri Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

Omar M. Shdeifat Secretary General Council of Higher Education, Jordan Ove Bjerregaard Deputy Resident Representative UNDP, Amman Paul Charbel President, Equipbureau, Lebanon Paul Gasparini CTA, Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria – Roma

Pr. Taïeb Bennani Secrétariat d'Elat chargé de la Poste el des Teclmologie Moroc

Prof. Dr. Dureid Azzouz Director, Higher Institute of Scitech HIAST Damascus Ra'ed A. Bi!bessi CEO Int@j, Amman Ramzi AbduI-Fattah ICC Rateb Shallah Syrian chambers of commerce Raymond Khoury OMSAR Redouane Merrouch Centre National de Coordination et de Planification ScientifiRobert Debbas La Federation des Chambres de Commerce, D'Industrie et Robert E. Hindle The World Bank, Cairo Said Belcadi Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, Morocco Salah A. Rustum ITIA IT and Internet Association, Lebanon Salah E. Khetfaoui Zayed University, Dubai Salem M. Al-Ashwali Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Yemen Stefano Gatti Expert – UNIDO Amman Stephen P. Wade AMIR, USAID Amman Susan Sawhill Riley U.S. Agency for International Development, Cairo Tania Zaroubi OMSAR, Beirut Tanna S. Price AMIR, Amman Tannous Kordhaki Ministère des Télécommunications Republique Libanaise Taoufik Ben Amara Resident Representative, UNDP, Damascus Tarek G. Shawki UNESCO Tarek Kamel Senior Advisor to the Minister of Telecom, Cairo Tarek Nabhan CBS Wassim Chahine Ernst & Young Wadha Mohd

Solution Manager, YTEL Yemen Telecomm. and Information Technology

Yasser Helmi MIS Manager Yousef A. Nusseir President, National Information Center, Amman Yves de San Resident Representative, UNDP, Beirut Jawad Abbassi Arab Advisors, Amman

30

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