Summary: Working Group on Information Society

Access to information in developing countries

Infrastructure and human resource development are two major basis of the Information Society. UN organisations, namely the International Telecommunications institute (ITU), and civil societies, should work together to help developing countries to become able to enjoy benefits of information and communication technologies, while alleviating Digital Divide.

Mr. Touré, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, presented ITU’s major on-going activities linked to the information society, mainly:

• ITU’s infrastructure development, rather than information contents;
• ITU’s sector reform in general, improvement of rural access to the telecommunications infrastructure; and 
• programmes forcusing on the “Digital Divide”. 

The ITU sector reform includes re-orientating of ITU activities on the advisory functions to its member countries to help countries make their own decisions. He further explained that rural access programmes intend to help some countries to implement universal access policy, and digital divide programmes, incentives for the infrastructure building, including policy reforms to attract foreign investors. He emphasised the importance of human resource and capacity development to implement an inclusive information society, and urged all the players involved to work in co-ordination with each other. 

Mr. Zielinski of International Alliance on Information for All (IAIA) introduced the activities of his organisation advocating the improvement of information infrastructure and access to information. IAIA places an emphasis on the importance of information, and has the slogans of essential information (e-information) and information equity (information-e). e-information includes IAIA’s interests in copy rights issues lead by UNESCO.

Mr. Keita of UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) discussed UNITAR programmes addressed to developing countries. He highlighted importance of local civil society (CS) organisations in the implementation of the programmes, and suggested that Governements and UN organisations should work with CS when implementing UN programmmes.

Interesting questions

1. A question from a PTC member: What is ITU’s position in relation to CS? For example, if CS wishes to join ITU, the only option is to become a sector member, but its participation fee is set at the level suitable to private sector organisations which is too expensive for non-profit organisations. Mr. Touré responded that it is expected of ITU member countries to build a consensus with respect to CS participation in the near future, as no country can exclude CS from decision-making in the modern society. He further stated that ITU wishes to facilitate dialogue between Governments and CS. In the ITU system, “sector members” are private sector corporations. A lower fee category for developing countries and CS has been internally considered, though the idea is yet to be formalised.
2. A question from a BHN member: Our organisation is an NGO installing Internet access using VSAT in rural areas in Afghanistan. VSAT bypasses the PTT network, but this is the only technology to bring benefits of the Internet to people. Would ITU help us to obtain authorisation without delay from national telecom authorities? Mr. Touré replied that ITU’s role is not to convince PTTs to act in certain ways, but to involve PTTs as partners for the building of better telecommunications systems. ITU in this way invites PTTs to learn what roles they ought to play for the benefit of the public.

Conclusions
Civil Societies (CS), Governments and UN organisations must work in co-operation with each other for the development of telecommunication infrastructures and human resources.

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