UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE... Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information...

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE... Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information...

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UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information and
Communications Technology
15 December 2015
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok
Summary Meeting Report
Prepared by the Secretariat
________________________________________
* This document has been issued without formal editing
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I.
PROCEEDINGS
Summary of Presentations
1.
The representative of APT provided an overview of their upcoming work programmes and
strategic priorities, including a particular focus on tangible outcomes. These focus areas include
policy and regulation, ICT development, disaster management, cybersecurity, radio communication,
standardization, capacity building, regional cooperation for ICT development and other events.
Under the theme of ICT for development, APT will focus on the promotion of sustainable investment
in the ICT sector, the adoption of ICTs within governments to transform and increase efficiency, the
sharing of research information, development of applications and services and to encourage
development of content in local languages, providing incentives to businesses to develop
applications, promotion of ICT entrepreneurship and SMEs, promotion of Public Private Partnership
(PPP) and to devise general guidelines/best practices for building and maintenance of reliable and
robust Telecommunication/ICT facilities.
2.
The representative of ITU noted the increasing relevance of ICT for the international
development agenda, as reflected by the SDG and WSIS processes. In the Asia-Pacific region, ITU is
focusing on five main initiatives. These include special consideration for LDCs, SIDSs, Pacific
Island Countries, and Landlocked Developing Countries, emergency communications, harnessing the
benefits of new technologies, development and adoption of broadband, and policy and regulation. In
particular, the presentation noted the areas of synchronicity between the WSIS and SDG frameworks
and highlighted the need for continued investment in these processes. A summary of potential areas
of cooperation and planned events was also provided.
3.
The representative of ESCAP provided an overview of the substantive and programmatic
components of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative, which addresses the causes of
digital divides, develops the Internet ecosystem, supports the implementation of the SDGs and
stimulates the digital economy. This initiative is a pillar in ESCAP’s regional connectivity initiatives
(together with trade, transport and energy), which aims to facilitate movement of people, goods,
money, information and knowledge for sustainable socioeconomic development in the region.
Ongoing efforts have focused on an analysis on critical ICT infrastructure, including cross-sectoral
synergies for e-resilience, policy analysis, options and recommendations for promoting innovation,
digital inclusion and a seamless regional information space that deepens regional connectivity.
Further work will include building up further in-depth analytical studies, especially on feasibility,
demand forecasts and network resilience. In support of these activities, the ESCAP member countries
have requested the creation of a Working Group on the AP-IS. The next meeting of this body will be
convened in first half of 2016, with recommendations conveyed to the Committee on ICT & STI in
second-half of 2016.
4.
The representative of UNCDF presented material on their projects and activities pertinent to
ICT for Development, with a particular focus on mobile money applications and their potential
positive impact on financial inclusion issues. The opportunity for positive impact on Pacific Island
countries was particularly noted.
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5.
The representative of UNPOG emphasized the role of e-government in the Asia Pacific region,
and its role in supporting the three dimensions of Sustainable Development. In order to fulfil this
role, UNPOG is focusing on policy coherence, ICT strategies at national level and institutional
frameworks and leadership for e-Government development. As a cross-cutting issue, it was noted
that gender empowerment is an important priority in the region and should be mainstreamed into
programmatic approaches to e-Government. In addition, UNPOG will also focus on innovative
aspects of e-Government, including service delivery at all levels, environmental protection, disaster
risk management and economic development with particular focus on countries with vulnerabilities
such as Small Island and Developing States in the Pacific.
Proposed Areas for Collaboration
The participants had thorough discussions and proposed ideas for collaboration, which are
outlined below:
6.
The representative from APT outlined priority areas in their work plan, which provided
opportunities for synergies with other Working Group members. Notable themes include providing
support to assist Members in setting up Computer Emergency Response Teams and Computer
Security Incident Response Teams (CERT/CSIRT) activities and CERT/CSIRTs, as well as to
encourage the development of more ICT experts on disaster management/communications and on
cybersecurity. In addition, the promotion of affordable national broadband access and improve
international broadband connectivity is a matter of general interest, together with the creation of an
environment that fosters the development of next generation networks, IPv6 enabled infrastructure,
smart devices, applications and services.
7.
The representative from the ITU Regional office noted the opportunity for continuing
cooperation on the broadband transmission network map which was the result of previous
collaboration between ESCAP and ITU, together with Emergency/Disaster Communications, digital
inclusion e.g. ICT accessibility for Persons with Disabilities. Further, specific events such as Girls in
ICT Day had been the subject of previous cooperation and should continue. Other thematic working
areas such as cybersecurity, digital economy / society, e-Education, e/m-Health and e-Agriculture
were noted. Finally, upcoming events such as ITU Telecom World 2016 and WTIS 2016, offer the
chance for expanded collaboration between Interagency Working Group members.
8.
The representative of ESCAP noted the crosscutting nature of the Asia Pacific Information
Superhighway, and the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach. In this regard, the Working
group on the AP-IS was emphasized as a very useful forum for the promotion of many shared priority
areas, particular given the strong support from member countries for this mandate.
9.
The representative form UNPOG noted the previous success in the joint ESCAPUNPOG/DPADM Capacity Development Project Strengthening gender equality policies and
programmes in A-P, and the opportunity to proceed with additional phases of this project.
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Conclusions and Recommendations
10. The importance of ICT for Development, as identified in the Sustainable Development Goals,
was viewed as an important extension to the WSIS process and a matter of increasing relevance for
the future development agenda. Following on the decision by the General Assembly to support the
continued activities of the WSIS action lines, participants recognized the importance of an integrated
approach which supports the cross-cutting role of ICT as well as subject-specific themes, such as the
impact of the digital divide.
11. In follow-up to the 18th session of the Regional Interagency Working Group participants
reiterated the broad consensus of the need to establish the working group as part of the Regional
Coordination Mechanism, which will provide the appropriate level of coordination and support. This
was acknowledged to better facilitate fostering the treatment, at the regional level, of emerging
global trends/issues and providing directions for their consideration at the national level as well as
promoting the strategic coordination of the regional and sub-regional directions and efforts of the
members. Further, this approach will help ensure thematic and policy coherence across the region
and across agencies in supporting the alignment of operational work with analytical and normative
work, thereby ensuring a coherent UN regional development agenda. It was also noted that the
organizations which make up the IAWG engage in a number of regional/sub-regional initiatives in
specific areas, particularly those of a trans-boundary nature, that require coordinated effort by
multiple agencies. Finally, this mechanism was determined to serve a valuable anchoring network of
UN system’s analytical, policy and advisory expertise in the region in sustaining the related
knowledge base in support of UNCTs and member States. In this spirit, the participants reviewed and
discussed the Terms of Reference of the proposed structure.
12. The purpose of the working group shall be to promote coordinated and joint action to
exchange information on information and communications technology programmes and activities
undertaken and planned by members for follow-up action by the Group, identify ways and means to
promote synergy and complementarity of action and avoid duplication of efforts in order to make the
best use of available resources and liaise as necessary with other relevant thematic groups, taking
into account their recommendations in implementing mandates relating to the objective of the
Thematic Working Group on ICT. The group will carry out the aforementioned coordination efforts
and implementation of joint activities within a targeted and time-bound framework and support the
preparation, implementation and follow-up of the international and regional agreements on ICTs.
13. The working group decided that Director of the ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of
ESCAP, the Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), and Head of the Regional
Office for Asia and the Pacific of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will co-chair the
TWGICT. The secretariat support for the TWGICT will be provided by ESCAP. The three co-chairs
of the IWG will jointly develop a Terms of Reference for the new thematic working group under the
existing Regional Coordination Mechanism. Once the draft Terms of Reference has been incepted,
the chairs will circulate the draft to all participants for a two week period to facilitate feedback and
any further changes. At the conclusion of this period, ESCAP will make the proposal to its Executive
Secretary, as the chair of the RCM, for consideration at the next feasible session of the RCM retreat
for discussion and consideration.
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II.
A.
PROCEEDINGS
Organization of the Meeting
The Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) was held at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok,
Thailand, on 15 December 2015. The meeting was jointly organized by the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT). The programme of the
meeting is attached as Annex 1.
B.
Attendance
The meeting was attended by twenty representatives from seven United Nations agencies and
regional institutions working in ICT. The complete list of the participants is included in Annex 2 of
this report.
C.
Opening of the meeting
The meeting was opened with speeches from Ms. Shamika Sirimanne, Director, Information and
Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division, ESCAP, Mr. Ioane Koroivuki,
Regional Director, International Telecommunication Union Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
(ITU/ROAP) and Mr. Jongbong Park, Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) on behalf of the Secretary
General of APT. They all reiterated the importance of inter-agency coordination, the significance of
ICT as a means of implementation for sustainable development and the need to reflect this at higher
levels and within existing regional coordination mechanisms and development partnership
frameworks.
D.
Updates by agencies and coordination of areas of common interest
The session covered presentations made by agencies on their areas of work, including potential areas
of common interest. Presentations were made by ITU, APT, ESCAP, UNPOG, and Internet Society.
This was followed by a presentation made by the ESCAP secretariat on its Regional Coordination
Mechanism (RCM) as an existing development cooperation mechanism that the IWG could
potentially be integrated into. The main points from the discussion which followed, regarding the
possibility of integrating the work of the IWG into the framework of the Regional Coordination
Mechanism (RCM) have been summarized in section I.
List of Annex Documents
1.
2.
3.
Annex 1: Programme of the 19th IWG on ICT
Annex 2: List of Participants
Annex 3: Terms of Reference of the IWG
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Annex 1
Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group
on Information and Communication Technologies
15 December 2015
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok
Meeting Room F
PROGRAMME
13:00-13:30
Opening remarks
- Ms. Shamika Sirimanne, Director, Information and Communications
Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD), ESCAP;
- Mr. Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director, International Telecommunication
Union Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ITU/ROAP); and
- Ms. Areewan Haorangsi, Secretary-General, Asia Pacific Telecommunity
(APT).
13:30-15:00
Updates by agencies and coordination of areas of common interest.
• APT
• ITU
• ESCAP
• UNPOG
• Internet Society
• Others (10 minutes per agency)
15:00-15:45
Discussion on the ToR of the ICT Thematic Working Group of the Regional
Coordination Mechanism
• Overview by ESCAP secretariat (10 minutes)
• Discussion
15:45-16:15
Other matters
16:15-16:30
Closing remarks by IDD/ESCAP, ITU/ROAP and APT.
*********
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Annex 2
FOR PARTICIPANTS ONLY
15 December 2015
Nineteenth Meeting of the Regional Interagency Working Group (IWG) on
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
15 December 2015
UNCC Bangkok
Thailand
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT)
Ms. Areewan Haorangsi, Secretary General, APT, 12/49 Soi 5 Chaeng Watthana Road Bangkok
10210, Thailand, Tel: +66 2 573 0044 Ext. 101, Email: [email protected]
Dr. Jongbong Park, Director Project Development, APT, 12/49 Soi 5 Chaeng Watthana Road
Bangkok 10210, Thailand, Tel: +66 2 573 0044 Ext. 103, E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Stephen Sheehan, Programme Officer, APT, 12/49 Soi 5 Chaeng Watthana Road Bangkok
10210, Thailand , Tel +662 573 0044 Ext. 107, E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Pranee Phumbangpa, Publication Assistant, APT, 12/49 Soi 5 Chaeng Watthana Road
Bangkok 10210, Thailand , Tel. +66 2 573 0044 Ext. 105, Email: [email protected]
Internet Society
Ms. Duangthip Chomprang, Regional Affairs, Internet Society Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau, 9
Temasek Boulevard. #09-01 Suntec Tower Two. Singapore 038989, Tel: +656 407 1470,
Fax: +656 407 1501, Email: [email protected]
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Annex 2
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Mr. Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 5th Floor
Thailand Post Training Center 111 Chaengwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210 Bangkok,
Tel: +66 2 575 0055, E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Sameer Sharma, Senior Advisor, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 5th Floor
Thailand Post Training Center, 111 Chaengwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210,
Tel: +66 22 575 0055, Fax: +66 2 575 3507, Email: [email protected]
Mr. Ashish Narayan, Programme Coordinator, ITU, 5th Floor Thailand Post Training Center 111
Chaengwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel. +66 2 575 0055, Fax +66 2 575 3507,
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Wisit Atipayakoon, Programme Officer, ITU, 5th Floor Thailand Post Training Center
111 Chaengwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210,Tel. +66 2 575 0055, Fax +66 2 575 3507,
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Sireerat Bunnag, Programme Officer, ITU, 5th Floor Thailand Post Training Center,
111 Chaengwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel. +66 2 575 0055, Fax +66 2 575 3507,
E-mail: [email protected]
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Mr. Sammy Njoe, Regional Chief of ICT, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office
(EAPRO), 19 Phra Atit Road Chanasongkram, Phra Nakorn Bangkok 10200, Thailand,
Tel: +662 356 9455, Fax: +662 280 3563, Email: [email protected]
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Ms. Suela Krifsa, Regional Programme Management Specialist, United Nations Capital
Development Fund (UNCDF), 7th Floor, United Nations Building, Rajadamnoen Nok Avenue,
Bangkok 10200, Tel: +66 2 288 1682, Email: [email protected]
United Nations Project Office on Governance (UNPOG)
Mr. Keping Yao, Governance and Public Administration Officer, UN Project Office on Governance,
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Room 1721, Chang-gang Building, 86 Mapo-daero,
Mapo-gu, Seoul, 121-763, Tel: +82 2 717 4272, E-mail: [email protected]
-----------------------------------------
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Annex 2
ESCAP SECRETARIAT
Ms. Shamika Sirimanne
Director
Information and Communications Technology and
Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD)
Tel: +66-2 -288-1638
Fax: +66-2-288-1085
Email: [email protected]
Ms. Atsuko Okuda
Chief
ICT and Development Section
IDD
Tel: +66-2-288-1430
Fax: +66-2-288-1085
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Matthew Perkins
Economic Affairs Office
ICT and Development Section
IDD
Tel: +66-2-288-1787
Fax: +66-2-288-1085
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Seung Yeon Kwak
Associate Economic Affairs Office
ICT and Development Section
IDD
Tel: +66-2-288-1561
Fax: +66-2-288-1085
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Tarnkamon Chantarawat
Research Assistant
ICT and Development Section
IDD
Tel: +66-2-288-1674
Fax: +66-2-288-1085
E-mail: chantarawat @un.org
Ms. Waraporn Pichetshote
Team Assistant
ICT and Development Section
IDD
Tel : +66-2 288-1820
Fax: +66-2 288-1085
Email: [email protected]
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Annex 3
Terms of Reference of the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information and
Communication Technology (ICT)
The United Nations Millennium Declaration adopted at the Millennium Summit held in September
2000 resolved to ensure that the benefits of new technologies, especially information and
communication technologies, in conformity with recommendations contained in the ECOSOC 2000
Ministerial Declaration, are available to all. Recognizing the importance of strengthening
cooperation and coordination at the regional level with a view to promoting mutually complementary
and coherent strategies and programmes which would ensure synergy of efforts in achieving the goal
set up in the Millennium Declaration the Regional Interagency Working Group on Information and
Communication Technology has been established with the following terms of reference:
Functions
1) Exchange views on a regular basis on developments and trends in ICT creating challenges
and opportunities for countries of the region as well as on policies and programmes of the
member agencies/organizations in this area.
2) Identify areas which require enhanced complementarity and synergy as well as those where
duplication among existing ICT related activities of member agencies should be avoided.
3) Initiate and pursue, to the extent possible, cooperation in the implementation of activities and
replicating and scaling up of best practices for the benefit of the developing countries of the
region, inter alia, including undertaking joint interagency projects, missions, studies and other
activities in ICT.
4) Liase with relevant global, regional and subregional bodies, including the United Nations
Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), other relevant United Nations and
multilateral organizations working in the field of ICT in the region, regional cooperation
groupings (e.g., ASEAN, SAARC, ECO and the South Pacific Forum).
Organization
1) All concerned agencies and organizations working to promote ICT at regional and
subregional levels are invited to become members of the Regional Interagency Working
Group on ICT on a voluntary basis. The Working Group would become operational with
participation of a limited member of agencies, while keeping open the possibilities for others
to join later.
2) The Working Group will elect its chairperson from among the members for a one-year term,
who will be eligible for re-election.
3) Non-governmental organizations, including business associations, investment promotion
organizations, ICT research institutions may be invited to participate as observers to the
Working Group as required.
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Annex 3
4) Meetings of the Working Group will be held as often as necessary but not less than twice a
year.
5) ESCAP in cooperation with the APT will provide the secretariat support for smooth
functioning of the Working Group.
Source:
http://www.aptsec.org/IWG-TOR
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