1. Information & Communication Technologies: Who gets to play? Rohan Samarajiva Presentation at UNDP Global Meeting on ICT4D, Ottawa, 9-12 July 2003

2. ICTs, knowledge work & human development  ICT is not synonym for knowledge  ICTs are a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for effective knowledge work in 21st century  Knowledge is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for development

3. Necessary but not sufficient... Information and Communication Technologies + other inputs Effective knowledge work at present time + other work Human development

4. Where are we with ICTs & where do we go?  Sri Lanka in Asia, as example Current comparison is purposely arbitrary  ICT levels/broadband generally correlated with GDP per capita But the e Sri Lanka bet is that ICT can cause wealth to increase; that we need not and should not wait for wealth to give us more ICTs/broadband

5. Where does Sri Lanka stand? GDP p.cPop. per km 2 Fixed/ 100 pop CAGR, ’95- 01 Korea10,03647548.752.6 Malaysia3,8697119.582.8 Sri Lanka8822864.4324.7 India4593243.7519.5 Pakistan4271802.335.7 Nepal2391611.3121.3

6. Where does Sri Lanka stand? GDP p.c. Mobile/ 100 pop CAGR, ’95-01 Payph /1k Korea10,03662.0861.410.68 Malaysia3,86931.4239.76.87 Sri Lanka 8823.5653.40.66 India4590.63109.21.06 Pakistan4270.5664.50.45 Nepal2390.08--0.04

7. Where does Sri Lanka stand? GDP p.cI hosts /10k(’01) I’net users /10k (‘01) Korea10,03694.015210.52 Malaysia3,86931.102731.09 Sri Lanka 8821.2280.08 India4590.8168.16 Pakistan4270.7834.49 Nepal2390.6726.39

8. Infrastructure policy priorities  With regard to fixed telephony only?  Mobiles?  Anything but circuit-switched (ABC)?  Internet access?  Internet “publication”?  To enable E-commerce?  To enable E-government?

9. Why focus on e-government?  It’s the most complicated If e-gov is done, e-commerce (& the rest) automatically done  Network and connectivity challenge is greatest with e-government  Allows focus on “usable knowledge” in local languages Addresses the chicken and egg problem of Internet access and content  Reduces distortion of market signals

10. e Sri Lanka  Infrastructure: Vishva Grama Fund Multi-service platforms in under-served areas  Least-cost subsidy auctions to leverage private investment  Vishva Gnana Kendra enabling access through intermediaries to e government services Communication services Education, etc.

11. Resources & contacts  www.esrilanka.lk www.esrilanka.lk  http://www.ssrc.org/programs/itic/its t/ http://www.ssrc.org/programs/itic/its t/  http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/ink/kn owledge.html http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/ink/kn owledge.html  Rohan Samarajiva Samarajiva@lirne.net +94 1 34 67 27 (fax) +94 1 47 87 33 (voice)