1 ICTs ICTs : Fostering Competitiveness in the Knowledge Society Private Sector Forum, 2-3 June 2006, Santo Domingo, DR Ben Petrazzini, Director ICA

2 Background and Context  Summit of the Americas in Quebec: connectivity and the creation of ICA  Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata: employment creation and strengthening democratic governance  2006 – OAS General Assembly in Santo Domingo: Development, Good Governance and the Knowledge Society

3 Where we stand? What’s next?  The problem is not connectivity per se  The problem is:  Connecting people  Connecting ideas  Connecting the Americas  Time to move out of the ICT box, and reach the majority  Time to mainstream ICTs  Economy  Health  Education  Governance  Environment  Etc, etc

4 ICA’s Vision of the KS in LAC A society in which citizens are aware of the potential of ICTs for development, and are innovative adopters of ICTs as effective tools used to achieve more equitable and sustainable development A society in which citizens are aware of the potential of ICTs for development, and are innovative adopters of ICTs as effective tools used to achieve more equitable and sustainable development

5 The three pillars of the KS  Job creation (e-Economy)  Development (e-Enablers)  Governance (e-Citizenship) Connectivity cuts across all three and paves the way to the KS and paves the way to the KS

6 Pillar 1 ICTs in the informal economy Small Medium Size enterprises, e-commerce and employment Youth, digital and creative industries Intelectual property rights & public goods e–Economy Objective Promote entrepreneurship and decent employment (in particular among the youth) through the adoption and effective use of ICTs.

7 Example Knowledge Economy Initiative  Regional research on the KE Themes: (a) Institutions, Innovations, and Knowledge flows, (b) employment, (c) Trade and new business opportunities, and (d) emerging industries  Creative industries, ICTs in the informal economy, telework, SMEs and ICTs

8 Education and skills for the e-economy Education at the bottom of the pyramid Health for the poor e–Enablers Objective Improving the provision and access to education and health services through the adoption and effective use of ICTs Pillar 2

9 Example Educational Portals Network  Regional Network for the free exchange and sharing of educational content Mexico  Refurbishing of used computers, north south exchange and e-waste.  HEALTH: Punto J, Palm pilots and WiFi in the health sector

10 Open gov: transparency and accountability Citizen participation and privacy e-Gov for all: supply and access e–Citizenship Objective strengthen democratic governance in order to promote more equitable socioeconomic conditions through the adoption and effective use of ICTs Pillar 3

11 Example E-Government Leaders Network  Lead e-gov initiative in LAC. Gathers some 60 e-gov leaders of 32 countries in the region. Supports knowledge sharing, applications exchange, training, research, exchange of practitioners  E-gov for all – cel gov and telecenters  Citizen participation and transparency

12 Key drivers towards the KS National policies for the KS Education for the KS Government as an engine of growth ICTs for the majority

13 A multi-stakholder endevour  Government Regulatory and legal framework and adequate incentives  Private sector Low cost technologies and applications with a long term view of benefits  Civil society organizations Agents of change  International organizations Regionalization, scale up, transfer of knowledge, take risk on innovations

14 Conecting people Thank you Conecting ideas Conecting the Americas ICA