Way Forward for Resilient and Connected Asia-Pacific Region

The effects of continuing global economic uncertainty serve to remind us of our inter-connectedness—made possible by the advent of ICTs—and the risks emerging from such a highly networked economy. Yet, these very same ICT tools can be used to help overcome the crisis.

The United Nations calls for countries to boost regional cooperation in implementing a comprehensive reform agenda to foster inclusive and sustainable growth. Numerous success stories can be found in the Asia-Pacific region on the effective use of ICTs to reach out to remote communities, promote cooperation, provide channels for open dialogue and information exchange, improve delivery of services, foster trade, provide healthcare for all, promote lifelong learning and help meet the challenges of climate change. ICTs have become part of our everyday lives and can no longer be ignored as indispensible tools for regional cooperation, and for promoting development that is inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Despite the positive impact of ICTs, however, making their benefits broadly available in the Asia-Pacific region remains a major challenge. In this Information Age, if one does not have access to ICTs, particularly the new technologies such as mobile phones and broadband connection, or do not know how to use the technologies, one will be at a great disadvantage. This divide between the technology “haves” and “have nots”, and those who know how to use ICTs and those that do not, is called the digital divide.

The digital divide in the Asia-Pacific is seen to be one of the widest in the world. This is evidenced by the fact that the countries of the region are placed across the whole spectrum of the global ICT Development Index ranking, with the Republic of Korea ranked first and Papua New Guinea ranked 143rd.

The region’s response to bridging the digital divide and enhancing human capacities to harness the potential ICTs is at the heart of discussions at this week’s Second Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on ICT Human Capacity Development: Where are we, Where are we going, and What will it take to fill the gaps? in Incheon, Republic of Korea. Organized by the United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP), the Forum is bringing together government officials, decision-makers, academia and development stakeholder from more than 40 countries from across the Asia- Pacific region to develop a collaborative roadmap to strengthen regional ICT human capacity and meet the challenges and opportunities ICTs present in the near future.

The Asia-Pacific region has achieved much in terms of ICT capacity in recent years. Many governments have invested in building and improving the ICT infrastructure, and as a result, more of the region’s population is covered by a mobile phone network. Even in rural areas of some developing countries in the Asia-Pacific, more than half of all households have mobile services. Mobile technology is probably the most rapidly expanding technologies in terms of the speed of expansion and reach to the unconnected.

However, bridging the region’s digital divide goes beyond the provision of infrastructure, hardware and software. Any technology will be insufficient if people do not understand how to put it to effective use as part of their lives or their work, either because they are not trained to use it, or they are not aware of the possibilities of how they could use it to achieve development goals. The development of capacities in the effective use of ICT for development is therefore fundamental to creating innovative solutions to development challenges.

To help fill the gap of unmet demands for ICT capacity building for development, UN-APCICT/ESCAP was established on 16 June 2006. Serving the ICT capacity building needs of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, UN-APCICT/ESCAP has collaborated with regional governments, universities and organizations to train over 11,000 people to effectively leverage ICT for sustainable human capacity development.

Over this period many lessons have been learned that have helped countries to bridge the digital divide and strengthen their ICT capacity. At the same time, a new set of more complex challenges and opportunities have emerged for countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The rapid advancement of ICTs has come with negative effects, particularly related to issues of information security, privacy and intellectual property rights. With rising incidences of information theft and cyberattacks across the globe, countries in the Asia-Pacific have increasingly demanded for “know-how” in the area of cybersecurity and its linkage to national security.

Countries have also recognized the pressing need for turning today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders, sensitizing the next generation of leaders to the potential of ICTs for development and the need and now-how to bridge the digital divide. As global “Netizens”, young people now have the power to connect, innovate and participate more effectively in decision-making processes. It is important that youth are empowered to effectively utilize ICTs to shape a future that is peaceful, prosperous and sustainable. Yet with such power also come greater responsibility, and youth must also be made accountable and aware that their digital actions have real-life consequences.

Moreover, the importance of knowledge sharing and global partnerships needed to enhance the reach and impact of ICT capacity building initiatives has been raised on many occasions. Indeed, only through collaboration and dialogue within environments like the Second Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on ICT Human Capacity Development, can the regional and global partnerships necessary to strengthen ICT human capacity be achieved.

We have an opportunity this week to formulate a way-forward in regional partnership to enhance the necessary ICT human capacity needed to further bridge the digital divide and overcome emerging challenges, while at the same time leveraging the region’s immense ICT for development opportunities. If we can come together, under a shared vision and purpose, we can make the most of this occasion and further the reach and benefits of ICTs to all within the Asia-Pacific.

Dr. Hyeun-Suk Rhee is Director of the United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology, a Regional Institute of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

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