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'WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY' FOR WESTERN ASIA
(For more details, please consult ESCWA
official website at:
www.escwa.org.lb)
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On February 4, 2003 a 3-day conference on ICT was
organised by the Beirut-based ESCWA regional headquarters in
preparation of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
for Western Asia scheduled in Geneva, in December 2003. The
objective of this preparatory conference was to elaborate a
common vision and understanding about the Information Society in
the ESCWA/Arab region and to produce a document to be presented
at the second Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee scheduled
for 17 to 28 February 2003 in Geneva
The conference represented an opportunity to bring
together all concerned parties, the public sector, private
enterprises, international organizations and civil society
actors, and to discuss various issues ranging from policy
formulation, to infrastructure development, awareness and
education, to cultural and ethical, concerns, etc.
A document adopted by the Beirut Conference included
recommendations regarding policies, preliminary plans and
initiatives that address the key issues and tackle the
identified problems in building the information society in the
ESCWA region (ESCWA Press Release, February 6, 2003)
Major obstacles face emerging economies and
developing countries such as poverty, lack of human capacity to
quickly absorb the opportunities of an information society,
political and economic instability, the absence of a national
policy formulation and national strategies to promote ICT for
development,
Some facts highlighted during the conference can
become major challenges for the establishment of an information
society in the Arab world (Documents distributed during WSIS
conference, ESCWA, Beirut, 4 - 6 February 2003):
-The Arab countries have 2.4% of the worlds population, but
only 1% of its GDP and 0.6% of its Internet users
- ICT markets in Arab countries are characterized by low
competition that leads to high access costs, absence or low
investment from the private sector, no development in
infrastructures and limited growth
- The Arab countries have access to important networks of
telephone mainlines and the growth rate in mobile telephony has
been higher compared to the world at large. However, Internet
infrastructure is weak and access is expensive
- While there are twice as many PCs in the Arab world than in
the Asian region, most Arab countries have very low Internet
usage
- In information development, the Arab countries have fewer
sites than any other region in the world, except for South Asia.
Local content is generally deficient. However, significant
change has occurred recently with the proliferation of some
Arabic portals, hobby sites and government departments and
ministries launching their own site
- E-commerce is not well developed and programs have not been
sufficiently promoted. Few initiatives have been launched but
public reaction is still slow and limited. This sector requires
regulations and a more active government role to stimulate
e-commerce in Lebanon and widen its scope
E-commerce estimated in the Arab region at 0.2% of the world
market, according to the Arab Human Development Report
- Education sector has not yet adopted ICT as a key element and
ICT educational applications are very limited
- The need to include marginalized groups, such as women, people
with disabilities, less literate people in rural areas, in
educational policies, access schemes and capacity-building
activities
- Uneven distribution of ICT services and facilities between
rural and urban areas
- The importance to establish partnerships between the public
and the private sector to invest in programs of digital literacy
Top Priority List
(Excerpts from the preliminary draft of the Declaration of
Principles, Western Asia Preparatory Conference)
- ICT Policy and the creation of an enabling environment
- ICT Infrastructure
- E-government
- E-Business
- E-learning and Education
- E-content
- ICT production and service sector
- Capacity building
More information about ICT in Lebanon and the Arab Countries can
also be found through UN and ESCWA specialised websites or in
their various reports and other publications.
Following SITP's participation in the WSIS conference and
seminars in February 2003, the Foundation requested to attend
WSIS meetings and round tables, and to become a member in 2 of
its committees. Monthly meetings are held at the Office of the
Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR):
1. NATIONAL WORKING GROUP FOR THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
The National Working Group for the World Summit on the
Information Society Phase II - Logistics of Lebanon, is a joint
group established in October 2004 by individuals from the
Lebanese public and private sectors, Academia and Civil Society,
in order to assess the requirements and prepare all the logistic
matters for Lebanon's participation in Phase II of the World
Summit on the Information Society that will take place in Tunis
in 2005.
2. NATIONAL WORKING GROUP ON THE
SOLIDARITY FUND
The National Working Group on the Solidarity Fund of Lebanon is
a joint group established in September 2004 by individuals from
the Lebanese public and private sectors, Academia and Civil
Society, to provoke national thinking and reach an agreement on
the best means to mobilise financial resources for the
implementation of the national information society action plan,
or select projects as part of the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) process. The issue of establishing a
global Solidarity Fund was a key element in the Declaration of
Principles document that was officially endorsed by all nations
at the first phase of the WSIS in Geneva last December. Since
then, several UN task forces (UN ICT Task Force and UN Task
Force on Financial Mechanisms) have been studying the best way
to bring together and properly align global financial resources
for the implementation of Information Society projects.
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THE 'WSIS'