PRESS CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The Secretary-General's Panel on Information Technology had been working to transform the digital divide into a digital dividend by giving connectivity to the 80 per cent of the world's population that still lacked it, the group's Chairman said at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

Panel Chairman José Maria Figueres-Olsen, former President of Costa Rica, said that the group's discussions had brought to light remarkable information technology successes in several developing countries under varied, often difficult conditions. There was a pressing need now to share those successes among States that were still hesitant to embrace information technology.

He said that the Panel had been convened under a mandate originating in the General Assembly. Since last Monday it had been discussing several elements that would probably be contained in its conclusions. At the international level, those included such management issues as protocol, security, taxation and participation in international forums aimed at improving connectivity.

The Panel was also disturbed about the situation within the United Nations in terms of information technology, he said. A lot more could be done to recognize its importance in ending the vicious cycle of poverty and impoverishment, and creating a virtuous circle of opportunities through health, education and better economic possibilities. All those could be enhanced by information technology.

Four Panel members accompanied Mr. Figueres-Olsen and answered questions from correspondents. They were: Wang Quimin, Director of Information Networking Division in China's Ministry of Science and Technology; Gillian Marcelle of Trinidad and Tobago, specialist in gender and information technology and principal technology consultant for Development Associates; Sushil Baguant, Chairman of the Mauritius National Computer Board; and Andrei Kolesnikov, technical director of Golden Telecom Inc. and developer of Russia Online.

Asked by a correspondent about the difficulties that caused some countries to lag behind in information technology, a panelist replied that the group had discussed initiatives in Estonia, Mauritius, Costa Rica and Mali, which had been able to overcome certain constraints in a short time.

Another panelist told the same journalist that the constraints identified by the Panel included infrastructure costs, human resource development, and the scope of the financing and know-how. The Panel had also felt the need to systemically focus the efforts of both the national and international communities as a way to galvanize efforts to get around constraints.

What role would the United Nations and the private sector play? another correspondent asked. A panelist said the United Nations could help developing countries to cut gaps in wealth. The Organization had representatives from all over the world and its educational and promotional functions could showcase. It could demonstrate that there was a new and growing economy on which developing

Technology Press Conference - 2 - 20 April 2000

countries could focus. He added that Internet use had grown significantly high in his own country because of the private sector, which gave an opportunity to people. When people started using that technology, they wanted it more; private companies gave more services and made more money. The situation could be improved by the economical participation of State organizations in most countries.

Another panelist said that the Organization could help countries in acquiring and preserving their assets and by helping to establish the rules of the game. The Panel had heard presentations by the private sector who had discussed the possible technological constraints.

Another correspondent asked Mr. Figueres-Olsen what exactly the Panel recommended that the United Nations do.

He replied that the Organization had a series of small, unconnected initiatives, all trying to push information technology. The Panel wanted to bring all those together under a comprehensive, well-organized, well-financed thrust to push information technology, as the United Nations had done before with the issues of gender, sustainable development and HIV/AIDS.

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