PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

The Economic and Social Council's high-level segment on information technology would be the first time that the United Nations had taken the lead in discussing the role of information technology in the global economy, Makarim Wibisono (Indonesia), Council President, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon, announcing the upcoming session. (For background, see Press Release ECOSOC/5892 issued today.)

News of the high-level segment, set to run from 5 to 7 July at United Nations Headquarters, had been received warmly by representatives of the many attending delegations, Mr. Wibisono said. The fact that the number of participants had more than doubled since the forum was first envisioned demonstrated that the issues surrounding the digital communications revolution were important ones. Focusing on issues such as e-commerce, intellectual property and info-ethics, the session would offer unique forum for knowledge sharing, particularly on the potential of information and communications technology for advancing development.

Preparations for the high-level segment had begun with a number of worldwide meetings and panel discussions earlier this summer, he continued. Most important among these was the first-ever Economic and Social Council regional round table, held simultaneously in Brazil and India on 21-22 June. That and other meetings drew from the experience of various United Nations agencies on the issue of information technology and laid the groundwork for the high-level segment. The Bureau had been very encouraged by the enthusiastic response from those meetings, particularly the constructive input provided by experts in the digital communications field, he said.

A unique feature of the high-level segment would be an unprecedented presentation of information and communications technology wares and educational displays, Mr. Wibisono said. The 41 exhibits, which would also be open to the public, would bring together works by private sector firms, agencies and governments from around the globe. Some of the products that would be demonstrated included language-translation computer software, voice-recognition systems and e-learning software.

A correspondent asked if any of the meetings or panel discussions held during the high-level segment would focus on the gap in technology between developing countries and the rest of the developed world. Would any of the exhibitions focus on that issue, she asked?

One of the main discoveries during the preparatory process had been that there was indeed a "digital divide" between countries that were rich in information and developing countries, Mr. Wibisono said. It was generally felt that during the upcoming segment there should be a strong focus on using high-tech tools for advancing development and the well-being of the world's people.

ECOSOC Briefing - 2 - 28 June 2000

In that regard, along with development-minded exhibitions, such as a mobile platform that would allow Internet areas in unwired areas, the session would feature a video presentation on the importance of information technology for development purposes.

"We believe that there is a way to bridge this technological gap", Mr. Wibisono said. The high-level segment would attempt to address the four main issues at the heart of the world's digital divide: connectivity; lack of training; content; and the legal framework. Working towards solving those problems, as well as identifying a number of action-oriented programmes at the country and regional levels, would be a step in the right direction.

It was also important to note, he continued, that the Economic and Social Council would be preparing a ministerial declaration. Such a declaration would reflect the political weight of the conclusions reached in the outcome of the high-level segment, particularly in the area of development.

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