Remarkable advances in information and communication technology (ICT) are affecting people’s lives in a variety of ways. With ICT, exchange of ideas and information can transcend great geographical distances and help realize the notion of a global village.
Yet the benefits of ICT do not stop at providing global interconnectivity. It can provide valuable tools to achieve inclusive, sustainable development at a national and regional level. Instances of ICT being employed in areas including distance learning, telemedicine, disaster risk reduction, and green growth support this view.
The current state of the Asia-Pacific region, however, still shows significant discrepancies among countries in the capacity to use ICT for development, from basic infrastructure to systemic capability for applying the tools that are available.
For developing countries to bridge this digital divide and achieve development goals, the deployment of technology is necessary but insufficient. Training is essential if countries are to fully benefit from the opportunities provided by ICT. Skills are also a key element for creating solutions to development challenges.
Recognizing the importance of ICT capacity building, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) mandate declared principles of actions highlighting that every person must be afforded “an opportunity to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in order to understand, participate actively in, and benefit fully from, the information society and the knowledge economy.”
Perhaps no country has seized this principle as effectively as the Republic of Korea, which in the midst of the ICT-led global transformation, has emerged as a key player spearheading the development efforts of the entire world. Korea consistently ranks first in both the U.N. e-Government Survey and the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT Development Index.
Going beyond using ICT for its own development, Korea is also sharing its expertise with other nations across the region. The dynamically changing nature of ICT implies that nations must continuously build their capacities to equip their stakeholders and citizens with the know-how to apply the latest ICT for development (ICTD).
In light of Korea’s success with ICTD, there has been strong interest from developing countries in learning from Korea’s experience in creating effective national ICT strategies and supporting skills and abilities.
In response to a call for action by the WSIS and considering the high demand for Korea’s knowledge in ICTD, the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) founded the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (UN-APCICT) in Incheon on June 16, 2006.
True to the WSIS Principle that guided its establishment, the APCICT has a mandate to strengthen the human and institutional capacity of ESCAP member and associate member states in the use of ICT for socio-economic development. Since its inception, APCICT has offered training, advisory services and research and knowledge sharing to more than 12,000 stakeholders including government officials and policymakers.
Keeping in mind the importance of local contexts, APCICT’s training program modules have been translated into nine languages. APCICT has also collaborated with the Korean government to promote ICTD, including utilization of APCICT’s training program in the government’s Official Development Assistance, as well as participation in the Knowledge Sharing Program.
Now in its 6th year of establishment, APCICT has learned many valuable lessons on how to carry out effective, sustainable development through ICTs. Yet the most important lesson is the indispensible nature of partnership and knowledge sharing in human capacity development.
Large-scale endeavors such as national ICT development rarely succeeds without the involvement of multiple stakeholders, from policymakers and legislators to managerial and operational personnel. At the same time, engaging such stakeholders and establishing an environment for meaningful cooperation is only possible through sharing relevant information. Cognizant of this intricate dynamic, APCICT has worked with its partners to create an environment in which ideas are freely exchanged and the capacity to implement ICTs is greatly increased.
On its 6th anniversary, APCICT has taken further steps to provide such an environment by launching a series of publications and digital platforms both for e-learning and knowledge sharing. Specifically, APCICT has begun disseminating to partners worldwide the new version of its ICT capacity building publications, including the Knowledge Sharing Series with the support of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. Additionally to encourage knowledge sharing, APCICT is revamping its distance learning site and launching a Community of Practice, a digital platform for discussion and exchange of best practices.
Despite the increased awareness of ICTD by developing nations and the sustained effort of many organizations such as APCICT to promote its benefits, much more work needs to be done to ensure that everyone across the region can leverage the potential of ICTD. Only through an enduring partnership with relevant stakeholders and their willingness to share knowledge actively with others can we bridge the digital divide and begin to achieve a true global village.
By Rhee Hyeun-suk
Rhee Hyeun-suk 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. ― Ed.
