Levelling the international ICT playing field

Developing countries have next to no say in the evolution of information and communication technologies (ICTs). At its Genoa Summit in 2001, the G8’s Digital Opportunities Task (DOT) Force called for greater southern involvement in ICT decision-making. What are the prospects for bridging the digital divide? What principles should govern ICT relations between north and south?

A report from the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and the Panos Institute, (commissioned by the Department for International Development for submission to the DOT Force at the June 2002 G8 meeting in Kanansakis, Canada) maps out who makes decisions in the world of international ICTs. Case studies of international organisations and six representative developing countries are accompanied by practical recommendations.

Although the majority of developing countries are members of international bodies with ICT mandates (such as the International Telecommunications Union and WTO), they may not always be able to attend key meetings. They often lack the technical and/or policy capacity to analyse issues, prepare positions and advance their interests. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), established as an experiment in industry self-regulation and private global governance, has very little developing country participation. The south is virtually excluded from the rapidly growing number of voluntary, private and not-for-profit decision-making fora and commercial organisations shaping the Internet, e-commerce, satellite communications and third generation mobile telephony.

Case studies indicate that even a least-developed country such as Tanzania can effectively participate in the ITU and DOT Force. In general, however, the ICT scene in developing countries is characterised by:

• ineffective co-ordination between state agencies with ICT responsibilities
• inadequate preparation for international meetings and inappropriate choice of representatives
• lack of access to timely and affordable information on international ICT developments
• failure to consult widely with relevant stakeholders
• the reality that the long-term benefits of ICT innovation are difficult to identify, estimate and justify in terms of costs: it is always cheaper to carry on as before.

All those consulted for the study concluded that it is not possible to strengthen developing country participation without first strengthening their capacity to make and implement ICT policy at the national and regional level. Key to achieving this is to raise awareness among policymakers of the potential benefits of ICTs and how international decisions are made. When formulating ICT policy and selecting representatives for international bodies, developing nations need to do more to include private sector and civil society expertise.

The report urges DOT Force and international ICT fora to:

• provide policy-makers with non-technical, publicly accessible, information on the relevance of ICTs to the development agenda
• establish a ‘one-click’ electronic library of documents on international ICT policy and regulatory issues
• support the establishment, operation and maintenance of a global network of research institutes in developing countries to develop technical and regulatory expertise
• hold more meetings in developing countries
• encourage joined-up thinking among and within G8 members about the links between technology, trade and development issues
• support training, secondment and attachment programmes.

Source(s):
‘Louder Voices: strengthening developing country participation in international ICT decision-making’, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation / Panos London, by Don MacLean, David Souter and James Deane, 2002 Full document.

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 7 August 2003

Further Information:
David Souter
The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Clareville House
27-27 Oxendon Street
London SW1Y 4EL
UK

Tel: +44 (0)207 930 5511
Fax: +44 (0)207 930 4248
Contact the contributor: d.souter@cto.int

Contact the contributor: info@cto.int

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, UK

James Deane
Panos Institute
9 White Lion Street
London  N1 9PD
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 1111
Fax: +44 (0)20 7278 0345
Contact the contributor: jamesd@panoslondon.org.uk

Panos Institute, UK

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