XI Meeting of the Joint Government-Private Sector Committee of Experts on Electronic Commerce of the FTAA Panama, October 24-26, 2001 Richard Bourassa Director, International Policy Industry Canada IndustryIndustrieCanada Digital Opportunities for All: Key International Initiatives Public FTAA.ecom/inf/100 October 24, 2001 Original: English

 Basic access to knowledge and information is becoming a prerequisite for economic, social and civic development at all levels  ICTs offer great new opportunities in all areas of life: Business and Trade Government & Democracy Culture & Human Values …to achieve “core” development goals ICTs Enable Societies Education Health Care Civil Rights 2

Unlimited Opportunities for Limited Numbers The Information Haves and Have-Nots “…this so-called digital divide is, in effect, a consequence of existing social and economic inequalities in both industrialized and developing countries, and is, moreover, exacerbating them” Source: G-8 Dot force Report, 2001 World Bank, income per capita 3

The Digital Divide Takes Various Forms  Individuals: Age, Gender, Income, Education, household size and type, language, racial and ethnic divides.  Businesses: Gap growing between large businesses and small and mid-sized firms, particularly in small towns & rural areas.  Regions: Geographic divides / Rural vs Urban, Remote regions, Small Urban Centers vs Major Urban centers  Nations: Uneven Levels and Rates of Development 4

DividingDividing Less than High School or Colleges University Degree Total Percentage of Households by Education <$20,000$20,001- $35,999 $36,000- $59,999 >$60,000 Percentage of Households by Income Use is from any location(home, work, school, other locations). Source: Statistics Canada, Household Internet Use Survey, 2001 Internet Use, …Individual Citizens …And Businesses Internet Use (%) by Size of Business, 2000 Number of employees 63.4 Total Source:Statistics Canada SECT,

Internet Hosts per 1000 Inhabitants Oct North America Oceania Europe Central and South America Asia Africa Source:Netsizer ( in OECD “Understanding the Digital Divide” Jan DividingDividing … And Countries % of Population (15+) Using Internet in the past 12 Months … Communities and Regions (%) Source: Statistics Canada, Rural Urban

Conflicting Scenarios for the Global Information Society DIGITAL DIVIDE Where technology deepens and intensifies the socio- economic divisions among people and nations DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY Where the means exist to broaden participation in the network-based economy and to share in its benefits OR... 7

Canada’s Domestic Experience 100% of schools and libraries connected 250,000 computers to schools 12,000 volunteer organizations CA*net3: World’s fastest Internet backbone 8,800 CAP sites 12 Smart Communities World-leading E-Com Policy Framework Households & SMEs: 42% 69% Use the Internet

Networked Nation USE CONTENT INFRASTRUCTURE What’s Next for Canada …Ensure Canada’s Success in the 21st Century 9

The Global Agenda for Digital Opportunity  OECD  APEC  DOT Force  Commonwealth  Summit of the Americas  UN System (ICT Task Force, ITU, etc.)  World Bank  GBDe (Digital Bridges Task Force)  WEF(Global Digital Divide Task Force) 10

Genoa Plan of Action National eStrategies Priority to ICT for development Connectivity, Access, low-cost Human Capacity Development Foster Entrepreneurship Global Participation Support for LDCs ICT for Health Care Local Content and Applications 11

12 Implementation of the DOT Force Action Plan Informal Implementation Teams  To further develop the 9 priority areas and design key initiatives  Open participation  Lead by former DOT Force members  Short timeframes  Linkages to other G8 initiatives  Linkages to other Groups

13 Montreal meeting (October 8-10, 2001)  Implementation Teams established  Leads and co-leads identified  Tripartite structure and open participation  Active participation of International institutions: World Bank Group, UNDP, ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD, OECD, UN ICT Task Force Value-added of DOT Force: catalyst and more $, expertise, political commitment Result: ICT higher in international development agenda (ODAs, IFIs)

14 UN ICT Task Force  Inaugural Meeting on November 19-20, 2001, in New York City  Working Groups will be established  Action Plan similar to G8 DOT Force  Broad Membership among UN Members  3 year Mandate  reports to the Secretary General

15 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Digital Divide Initiative  Created in the context of G8 Okinawa Summit  Three Working Groups:  policies and strategies -- focus on e-readiness  education -- focus on 6 projects (use of ICT for education)  entrepreneurship -- focus on support model (facilitator)  Davos Annual Meeting:  will launch last phase  Session with Presidents of Brazil, Senegal, South Africa

16 Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce (GBDe) Digital Bridges Working Group  Link with DOT Force, WEF, APEC, eASEAN  Knowledge network: compendium of existing initiatives at:  Best practices database to be developed in 2002

Institute for Connectivity in the Americas …Closing the Information Gap  Announced at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas  Canada’s contribution to strengthen democracy, create prosperity and realize human potential in the Western Hemisphere through the use of ICT  Coordinated by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)  Hemispheric Advisory Board will be made up of representatives from governments, NGOs, private sector and academic community  Contribution of $20 million by Canadian government 17

For Further Information Electronic Commerce ICT Industry G8 DOT Force Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce