EXPANDING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Presentation by Hon. Roberto R. Romulo, Chairman, e-ASEAN Task Force IT Policy Roundtable of Government and Business Leaders in preparation for The G-8 meeting in Okinawa, Japan

Hosted by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Tokyo, 19 July 2000

I am honored to participate in this meeting as the sole representative of the developing world. Far too often the intended beneficiaries of development do not have a voice in discussions that affect their future. It is auspicious that this will not be the case today.

For many in the developing world there is no more urgent concern than "expanding digital opportunities and bridging the digital divide." The promise of the information economy--of tremendous

possibilities for human development, of rapidly growing economies, of empowered communities and responsive polities--is but a dream for the vast majority in the developing world.

Cognizant of the stakes involved, the developing countries in Asia have begun formulating their digital strategy. In my own country, our effort to effectively participate in the global information economy has been boosted with the enactment of the Philippines e-commerce law. Similar efforts are underway in other ASEAN countries.

In Southeast Asia, the leaders of ASEAN have launched the e-ASEAN initiative. They have created an e-ASEAN Task Force with the mandate of developing a comprehensive action plan that will create the physical, legal, logistical, social and economic infrastructures needed to foster the widest application of ICT in our societies, governments and economies.

Another regional initiative that is being contemplated is the e-ASIA initiative. Under this proposal the ten member states of ASEAN will join Japan, Korea and China in an undertaking that would create a "connected" Asia. E-ASIA, once created, will ensure Asia's competitiveness in the new economy.

At the global level there are numerous private sector initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide. Among them is the Global Business Dialogue for e-Commerce (GBDe) - whose position paper I am pleased to submit to you today. At the multilateral level, there is World Bank's Information for Development program and the UNDP's IT for Development Program.

But these national and regional efforts are not enough. The requirements, such as for the basic infrastructure alone, are enormous. The necessary resources will not flow automatically from the technology-rich countries to the technology-poor countries. Unless the global community responds to the challenge of the digital divide in a coordinated and determined manner, the developing world will wake up to the horrible reality of being left behind once again.

Without any doubt, G8 leadership on ICT diffusion will move us closer to a world where digital opportunities exists and there is no digital divide. I would like to suggest four areas where development cooperation, at the global and regional level, is most needed.

The first area is in enhancing the physical infrastructure of developing countries. Without the means to connect to the information network the benefits of the information economy will only be enjoyed by a privileged few.

The second area for development cooperation is in creating a legal and regulatory environment favorable to the uptake of ICT and with the private sector driving the process.

Developing human capacities not only in terms of developing new skill sets for the knowledge economy but also creating empowered citizens is the third important area for cooperation between developed and developing countries.

The fourth area is in e-government or the use of ICT to make governments in developing countries not only more efficient and effective but also more responsive and responsible.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge the important leadership role that the Japanese government has taken in bringing ICT issues to the Kyushu-Okinawa G8 Summit. This initiative, as well as its announced intention "to exercise leadership" in the cooperation with developing countries regarding the promotion and utilization of ICT will most certainly move the global community one step closer bridging the digital divide and creating a world of digital opportunities for all.