Information and Communication Technology for Development in the Pacific
SummaryText
From the Foreword
"This publication is part of the Pacific Studies Series, which aims to assist governments in policy development and provide additional inputs to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other assistance agencies in the design of their aid programs.
As many developed and developing countries and governments have begun to realize, information and communication technology (ICT) holds tremendous promise for improving economic growth and the quality of life. But as technology capabilities advance at lightning speed, there is concern that the small and remote island countries of the Pacific will be left further behind.
This publication illustrates the positive role ICT can have in assisting governments to reduce poverty and improve socioeconomic development in the Pacific region. It reviews how ICT can address poverty in the Pacific and how organizations and countries use ICT as a tool for development. It outlines the beginnings of ICT in the Pacific, ADB's possible role in promoting its use in the region, specific areas where ICT can be applied, and the overall strategy for utilizing ICT for development. Lastly, this booklet describes several of ADB's ICT projects in the Pacific, and lists the organizations currently engaged in ICT activities in the region.
The objective of this booklet is to raise awareness among the different stakeholders on the role ICT may play in helping to develop the Pacific region. As there is no consolidated information available on the use of ICT in the region, this publication will assist in defining strategic directions and encourage organizations to reduce poverty by improving the delivery of basic services, such as education and health, through the use of ICT.
As the Pacific countries become more familiar with this new tool, many questions will be raised, such as how they can improve the use of ICT to meet their unique needs, which government services can benefit most from this technology, and what activities and policies in areas such as telecommunications, education, health, and employment may have to be reviewed for the countries to obtain the maximum benefit from ICT.
ICT can be a powerful integrative tool for the widely dispersed countries of the Pacific, since it can bring diverse users and governments together through better communications and the use of similar processes, and at the same time allow them to retain their individual identity."
"This publication is part of the Pacific Studies Series, which aims to assist governments in policy development and provide additional inputs to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other assistance agencies in the design of their aid programs.
As many developed and developing countries and governments have begun to realize, information and communication technology (ICT) holds tremendous promise for improving economic growth and the quality of life. But as technology capabilities advance at lightning speed, there is concern that the small and remote island countries of the Pacific will be left further behind.
This publication illustrates the positive role ICT can have in assisting governments to reduce poverty and improve socioeconomic development in the Pacific region. It reviews how ICT can address poverty in the Pacific and how organizations and countries use ICT as a tool for development. It outlines the beginnings of ICT in the Pacific, ADB's possible role in promoting its use in the region, specific areas where ICT can be applied, and the overall strategy for utilizing ICT for development. Lastly, this booklet describes several of ADB's ICT projects in the Pacific, and lists the organizations currently engaged in ICT activities in the region.
The objective of this booklet is to raise awareness among the different stakeholders on the role ICT may play in helping to develop the Pacific region. As there is no consolidated information available on the use of ICT in the region, this publication will assist in defining strategic directions and encourage organizations to reduce poverty by improving the delivery of basic services, such as education and health, through the use of ICT.
As the Pacific countries become more familiar with this new tool, many questions will be raised, such as how they can improve the use of ICT to meet their unique needs, which government services can benefit most from this technology, and what activities and policies in areas such as telecommunications, education, health, and employment may have to be reviewed for the countries to obtain the maximum benefit from ICT.
ICT can be a powerful integrative tool for the widely dispersed countries of the Pacific, since it can bring diverse users and governments together through better communications and the use of similar processes, and at the same time allow them to retain their individual identity."
Publishers
Languages
English
Number of Pages
43
Source
Paper copy; Asian Development Bank website.
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