Tadao Takahashi The Digital Divide and Brazil SOCINFO/PAL/0107 Program for the Information Society MCT - Brazil Public FTAA.ecom/inf/107 October 24, 2001 Original: English

The Speaker:  Head, Information Society Program, Brazil  Member, UN ICT Task Force  Member, G-8 DOT Force  Chair, Information Society Commission in Brazil, RECYT/MERCOSUR  Director, Language Center for Portuguese, Project UNL, IAS/UNU Tadao Takahashi

 The Digital Divide  The Digital Divide and Brazil  International Cooperation  Final Remarks Contents

The Digital Divide  Fifteen Global Challenges Identified  ICT for Development  Internet as a Measure of the Digital Divide  A Reference Model for Action

Fifteen Global Challenges Identified (State of the Future at the Millenium, The Millenium Project, UNU, 2000) 1.How can Sustainable Development be achieved for all? 2.How can everyone have sufficient clean water without conflict? 3.How can population growth and resources be brought into balance? 4.How can genuine democracy emerge from authoritarian regimes? 5.How can policy making be made more sensitive to global long-term perspectives?

 Fifteen Global Challenges Identified (cont.) 6.How can the globalization and the convergence of ICTs work for everyone? 7.How can ethical market economies be encouraged to help reduce the gap between rich and poor? 8.How can the threat of new and reermeging diseases and immune microorganisms be reduced? 9.How can the capacity to decide be improved as the nature of work and institutions change? 10.How can shared values and new security strategies reduce ethnic conflicts, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction?

 Fifteen Global Challenges Identified (cont.) 11.How can the changing status of woman help improve the human condition? 12.How can be organized crime be stopped from becoming more powerful and sophisticated global enterprises? 13.How can growing energy demand be met safely and efficiently? 14.How can scientific and technological breakthroughs be accelerated to improve the human condition? 15.How can ethical considerations become more routinely incorporated into global decisions?

 Fifteen Global Challenges Identified (cont.)  ICT is mentioned only once...  Why then is the so-called “Digital Divide” considered so critical?

ICT for Development ICT is critical because  Empowers the private sector to create/improve products and services and generate wealth  Empowers citizens through direct access to information/services/interest groups  Empowers governments through ability to provide better services in all areas

ICT: Common Base for Innovation in all Social / Economic Activities  ICT for Development (cont.)

Internet as a Measure for the Digital Divide Internet is the “língua franca” for services & application in all three domains

 Internet as a Measure of the Digital Divide (cont.)

 Individual User Connectivity in EU (1999)  Internet as a Measure of the Digital Divide (cont.)

A Reference Model for Action

 A Reference Model for Action (cont.) A National Plan to deal with the Digital Divide involves a whole range of activities, including: Applications Generic Services Infrastructure  regulatory framework,  phisical communications infra-structure,  Internet access dissemination,  structuring applications (in Education, Health, etc.)  capacity building  cultural changes  etc.

The Digital Divide and Brazil  Internet in Brazil: so far, so good!  Challenges for the Future  Policy and Mechanisms  Some activities and Goals

Internet in Brazil: so far, so good!  Individual Users: 10,5 million (5%) (June 2001)  Domains: 420 thousand (Sep. 2001)  Service Providers: 1200 companies (Apr. 2001)  B2B Commerce: US$ 700 million (2001E)  Fixed telephone lines: 40 million (May 2001)  Wireless telephone lines: 25 million (May 2001)  Personal Computers: 12 million (Jan 2001) Some Numbers

 Internet in Brazil: so far, so good! (cont.) Bank Million Users Bank of America Wells Fargo Bradesco Merita Nordbanken EGG Royal Bank of Canada Banco do Brasil Citigroup Chase Itaú Internet Banking in Sep 2000 (from: Cluster)

 Internet in Brazil: so far, so good! (cont.) Electronic Voting cities voting booths voters 90% counted/totalled in 24h Income Declaration 11.1 million declarations through electronic means 90,2% of total declarations

 Internet in Brazil: so far, so good! (cont.) Internet Brazil: E-Commerce Projections

 Internet in Brazil: so far, so good! (cont.) Still a long way to go * In case of Chile, class D includes E Source: Booz-Allen & Hamilton 50/60 million people Chile*ArgentinaMéxicoBrasil 0,20,51,64,2 1,34,412,831,9 6,511,718,944,0 6,520,463,187,9 14, total

 Sharp increase in the number of individual users of Internet  Sharp increase in the number of companies connected to Internet  Useful/Interesting applications and services on the Internet  Innovation based on ICT in all activities (Government, Business, Society) Challenges for the Future

 Information Society Program (MCT)  Internet Society Committee (MCT)  Electronic Government Task Force (PR)  E-Commerce Ministerial Task Force (MDIC)  PKI/Brazil (PR)  FUST (MinCom)  Secretariat for Informatics Policy (MCT) Policies and Mechanisms

 All federal agencies and services on the Internet (integrated plan in 2001)  One-number call center for all services of Federal Government (2001)  Complete directory of services & personnel in Federal Government (2001)  Multi-purpose backbone for federal services (2001)  terminals for access to public services (2002)  public schools connected to Internet (2002) Some Activities and Goals

 Some Activities and Goals (cont.)  public libraries connected to Internet (2002)  NGOs connected to Internet (2003)  cities in National Health Information Network (2002)  NGI (IPv6) Internet for R&D in major capitals of country (2001)  eContents for Education & Culture (2002)

International Cooperation  Major Intergovernmental Initiatives  Other Multilateral Initiatives  On the Role of Intergovernmental Initiatives  Brazil and International Cooperation

Major Intergovernmental Initiatives Related to Digital Inclusion  Digital Opportunity Task Force was launched in 2000 at G-8 Okinawa Summit  Report entitled “Digital Opportunities for All” delivered to G-8 leaders at Genoa Summit in June 2001  Report proposed nine Action Points  Follow-up Meeting in Canada (Oct 8-10) G-8 DOT Force

G-8 DOT Force Action Points  Major Intergovernmental Initiatives (cont.) (From “Digital Opportunities for All”) 1.Help establish and support National eStrategies 2.Improve Conectivity, Increase Access and Lower Costs 3.Enhance Human Capacity Development, Knowledge Creation and Sharing 4.Foster Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Economic Development

 Major Intergovernmental Initiatives (cont.) 5.Support Universal Participation in Addressing New International Policy and Technical Issues raised by Internet and ICT 6.Establish and Support Dedicated Initiatives for ICT Inclusion of Least Developed Countries 7.Promote ICT for Health Care and against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases 8.Promote National and International Efforts to Support Local Contents and Applications Creation 9.Prioritize ICT in G-8 and other Development Assistance Policies and Programmes and Enhance Coordination of Multilateral Initiatives

UN ICT Task Force  Major Intergovernmental Initiatives (cont.)  ICT Task Force was proposed to UN Secretary General by Working Group in 2000, at end of consultation process started in 1999  Plan of Action extends Nine Action Points of G-8 DOT Force Report  Launching Meeting had been planned for September 13/14 in NY

UIT UNDP WHO OECD WB World Summit on Information Society Coalition against HIV/AIDS World Health Internet Global Biodiversity Information Development Gateway InfoDev Program etc. Other Multilateral Initiatives

Current Situation  Other Multilateral Initiatives (cont.)  Initiatives exist today to cover practically all needs  Developing countries have had very limited participation in the Global Discussion process  Integration and/or Articulation of Initiatives very limited so far  Typical roles of Major Stakeholders not clearly defined

On the Role of Intergovernmental Initiatives Global Regional National Levels of Action

Levels & Roles  On the Role of Intergovernmental Initiatives (cont.) Global Policy Making Thematic Portals Arbitration of Conflicts Regional Capacity Building Integration Projects (eg. in Infrastructure, Services, etc.) National Legal Framework Applications & Services Physical Infrastructure

Active Interaction among Governmental Initiatives at All Levels is Critical Intergov. ORGS National Governments National Initiatives  On the Role of Intergovernmental Initiatives (cont.)

Brazil and International Cooperation  UN ICT Task Force  G-8 DOT Force  Development Gateway (WB)  Global Society Dialogue (EC)  Coalition against HIV/AIDS (UNDP)  Information for All (UNESCO) Active Participation in International Initiatives

 Brazil and International Cooperation (cont.) Bilateral Agreements for:  Assistance in Conception of National Plans of “ICT for Development”  S&C Cooperation  Joint Infrastructural Services (eg, Research Networks)

Final Remarks  ICT for Development  Challenges for Cooperation

 Final Remarks (cont.)  “Digital Divide” is nickname for “ICT for Development”  Very complex issue, demanding in each country:  thorough plan of action,  close interaction among government, private sector & society,  urgent but long-lasting efforts. ICT for Development

 Final Remarks (cont.) Challenges for Cooperation Cooperation among countries is needed to address:  Regulatory Issues,  Capacity Building,  Integration of infrastructures and services,  Knowledge and Information Sharing.