[Reader-list] The Digital Opportunity Initiative

[geert lovink]

From: www.markle.org

Information Technologies Can Create Social and Economic Progress in
Developing Countries, Says Report

Accenture, Markle Foundation and UNDP Release Findings of Digital
Opportunity Initiative

New York, July 16, 2001 - The Digital Opportunity Initiative -- a
collaboration between Accenture, the Markle Foundation and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) -- today released a report
demonstrating the critical role that information and communication
technologies (ICT) can play in helping developing countries to enhance the
lives of their citizens.

Creating a Development Dynamic lays out a strategy for developing nations to
work with developed countries, and the private and non-profit sectors, to
generate sustainable development and achieve a range of social goals. These
include improvements to education, healthcare, and increased economic
opportunity.

At their summit later this week in Genoa, leaders of the G8 nations will
focus on how to work with developing countries to meet vital human goals.
The report draws on extensive case studies from a range of countries to
demonstrate the critical role ICT can play in meeting these development
needs. It recommends the adoption of a strategy that addresses the
inter-related elements of infrastructure, human skill development,
entrepreneurship, sound government policies and the development of local
content and applications.

The report encourages the G-8 leaders to continue their commitment last year
to harness the unique potential of ICT to meet developing countries' needs,
tapping the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Developing countries do not face an "either/or choice" between ICT and other
development priorities like health and education, it says, citing examples
where the two go hand in hand.

"Creating a Development Dynamic" examines the experiences of countries from
Tanzania to Estonia, and India to Costa Rica. It sets out a strategic
framework that developing countries can use to create a cycle of sustainable
development. However, it stresses that such strategies will be effective
only if they involve the full range of stakeholders in international
development - governments, both industrialised and developing, the business
and non-profit sectors, multilateral agencies, and community organisations
on the ground. Strategically deployed, ICT can trigger a "development
dynamic" that gains momentum as targeted steps are taken in key areas like
technology training, policy reform and enterprise building.

For example, in the decade since regaining its independence, Estonia has
pursued a concerted strategy to produce a modern telecommunications network,
low connectivity costs, high rates of computer literacy and a highly
educated and skilled workforce.

Similarly, South Africa's IT Strategy Project is harnessing the power of ICT
to create new economic opportunities while meeting its commitment to social
equity, political empowerment and improved government services. "The
experiences of Estonia, South Africa, Brazil and other developing countries
presented in this report demonstrate the critical role that ICT can play in
achieving development goals," said Mark Malloch Brown, UNDP Administrator.
"These experiences also provide the guidance and tools governments and other
stakeholders need to work in tandem and harness the new opportunities
presented by the ICT revolution."

Zoë Baird, President of the Markle Foundation, commented: "The lesson of
this report is clear: information and communication technologies have
enormous potential to meet development challenges if government, business
and the non-profit sectors work together in strategic partnership. The
sharing of knowledge and risk is critical if major gains are to be made."

"This is not about technology for technology's sake," said Vernon Ellis,
International Chairman of Accenture. "We need to encourage local
entrepreneurs to use information technology to generate the wealth that can
fund a whole range of social needs. Neither is there a trade-off between ICT
and development. Used in the right way, such technology can enable networks
of local learning, increase access to government services, and improve the
delivery of health care."

The Digital Opportunity Initiative was launched in July 2000 in response to
last year's G8 Summit, which adopted the Okinawa Charter on the Global
Information Society and created the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force (Dot
Force). Accenture, the Markle Foundation and UNDP are all members of the Dot
Force, which includes members of G8 and developing country governments,
multilateral organizations, and members from the private and non-profit
sectors.

The Digital Opportunity Initiative has informed the work of the Dot Force,
created in response to calls from world leaders to bridge the digital
divide. The Dot Force will report back to this year's G8 meeting on July
20-22 in Genoa with a recommended plan of action.

In further support of the G8 and the Dot Force, the Digital Opportunity
Initiative intends to launch pilot applications of its new strategic
framework. And just as importantly, the framework is being made available to
all developing nations as a tool for their own development of national ICT
strategies.

A copy of "Creating a Development Dynamic" is available at: www.opt-int.org
. A global conference call is being held Monday, July 16, at 8 a.m. (East
Coast U.S. time), involving UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown, Markle
Foundation President Zoë Baird and Accenture International Chairman Vernon
Ellis. Reporters are invited to attend.

About the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP as part of the United Nations is committed to the principle that
development is inseparable from the quest for peace and human security and
that the United Nations must be a strong force for development as well as
peace. With offices in 132 countries, UNDP's mission is to help countries in
their efforts to achieve sustainable human development by assisting them to
build their capacity to design and carry out development programs in poverty
eradication, employment creation and sustainable livelihoods, the
empowerment of women and the protection and regeneration of the environment,
giving first priority to poverty eradication. Its home page address is
http://www.undp.org .

About Accenture (a bunch of corrupt maffia consultants, geert)

Accenture is the world's leading provider of management and technology
consulting services and solutions, with more than 75,000 people in 46
countries delivering a wide range of specialized capabilities and solutions
to clients across all industries. Accenture operates globally with one
common brand and business model designed to enable the company to serve its
clients on a consistent basis around the world. Under its strategy,
Accenture is building a network of businesses to meet the full range of any
organization's consulting, technology, outsourcing, alliances and venture
capital. The company generated revenues of $9.75 billion for the fiscal year
ended August 31, 2000 and $5.71 billion for the six months ended February
28, 2001. Its home page is http://www.accenture.com .

About the Markle Foundation

The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of emerging
communications media and information technology to improve people's lives
and does so through its own programs of grants, investments, research and
public education. Markle recently committed $100 million to its efforts in
health care, children's learning and public policy. The Digital Opportunity
Initiative is part of Markle's Global Digital Opportunity Project, which
works to advance the use of ICT in development and to ensure inclusion of
developing countries as the networked economy and society takes hold.