Opening remarks

ICT for Development Seminar

February ..^st 2001, Chinggis Khan Hotel

- Your Excellency Mr. Prime Minister,

- Honourable Members of the Cabinet and Parliament,

and

- Distinguished Guests,

It is a great privilege for me to participate in this morning’s seminar on the role of Information Communication Technology in the development of Mongolia.

UNDP strongly supports Information and Communication Technology as a tool for human development. By bridging the digital divide and fully utilising new tools Information and Communication Technology has to offer, communities all over the world and in Mongolia in particular, can find new ways of improving their social and economic livelihoods.

Let us address the dual challenge we face: First to work together to define a National Plan of Action. Secondly and even more importantly, combine our energies to successfully implement this Action Plan. In this way Mongolia will be able to harvest the golden opportunities ICT has to offer in benefit of human development.

Although Mongolia is a relatively new player in the field of Information and Communication Technology, it can already pride itself on an extensive record of achievements. The Soros Foundation, UNDP Mongolia and other key players in the ICT field, have worked, often as partners and with the Mongolian government, to share and support these explorations of a phenomenon that represent the frontiers of knowledge and can directly benefit the daily lives of so many people.

Allow me to highlight a few of so many excellent initiatives:

First: The Citizens Information Centres in the Aimag Centres connect people in remote areas with each other and the outside world, thus providing much needed, up to date, practical information to support their daily livelihoods. To achieve this, UNDP, central and local government and local NGOs’ worked closely together.

Second: Learning institutions such as the Cisco Academy, part of Computer-science Management-school of the Mongolia Technical University, work hard to build the future ICT-capacity.

Third: The Mongolian Parliament ratified Vision 2010 in 2000, giving policy direction to the use of ICT as a tool for development. Vision 2010 is the result of an extensive interactive process between government, NGO’s, civil societies and the private sector. It was finalized at the ICT Summit of June 1999, jointly supported by the Mongolian government, UNDP and Soros Foundation.

Fourth: UNDP Mongolia, Soros Foundation and stakeholders in ICT in Mongolia work jointly in the development of e-business through the MIDAS-project.

Fifth: I would like to congratulate the government of Mongolia on an early achievement. Mongolia has connected its’ fibre optic line to China and if agreement is reached with Russia, Mongolia will also be connected to the Trans Siberian Internet Backbone. This will enable the Mongolian people to have high-speed access to the global network. Again Mongolia will be able to, break free of land-lockedness and travel freely in the vast information space.

ICT not only opens up the road to information, it also creates economic development in its’ own right. This new sector can provide job opportunities for so many. UNDP actively supports these e-job activities, especially in Mongolia, where a young, eager, well-educated generation is ready to board the ICT-train. Through the partnership of private companies, government and civil societies, ICT can become an economic asset.

We must therefore forge and implement a coherent strategy that is owned by all parties involved. It is time to move away from ad-hoc and short-term actions and to begin working methodically and with vision. We must provide solutions for tomorrows’ challenges by anticipating and preparing for these challenges.

I am happy to learn that the government of Mongolia, civil societies, private companies and all other parties involved, are working together, sharing expertise and experience, to create an ICT-enabling environment in such a way that it benefits all.

However, to be able to create this sustainable niche for Mongolia in the e-economy, to fully utilize the opportunities that are on offer, it is of utmost importance that some challenges are addressed now.

First: Information and Communication Technology is a fast moving train; if Mongolia doesn’t jump on, it quickly will have disappeared into the distance.

Second: For Mongolia to benefit from ICT, it is imperative for the parties involved to unite in their endeavours and to speak with one voice to make themselves heard and recognized in the global community.

Third: Private companies, civil society and Government must collaborate to move from the first blueprint of Vision 2010 towards the development and the implementation of a National ICT Action Plan.

In order to give Mongolia its’ rightful place in the global ICT community, it is necessary to be prepared, to anticipate new developments and to be able to act early. Vision 2010 is an inventory of ICT for development wishes. A National Action Plan will have to move beyond that, it must provide the focus, the tools and the means to achieve ICT enabled human development in Mongolia. And then the real work starts. Your views and dreams will only come true through successful planning and management. Find partners in the world, learn from the global community, open up to valuable advice from trusted partners and friends, dare to cross borders and connect with international standards and practices.

I am confident that this seminar will inspire you all to work together in trust and consensus, united in the aim to make Information and Communication Technology work as a true tool for human development in Mongolia. It is my sincere hope that we will jointly find ways to actively and effectively implement strategies that will help you reach your new horizons.

Thank you.