1. LIRNEasia organization and projects Presentation to infoDev October 26 th, 2004

2. 2 Why LIRNEasia?  ICT use is held back in Asia by laws/policies/regulation  Key stakeholders in government/private sector/civil society in Asian countries have to change this  LIRNEasia will be a catalyst for change Cannot work without the reactants Is miniscule in relation to reactants Unless conditions are satisfied, catalyst cannot produce results

3. 3 What we want to do?  Immediate Build a world-class team of ICT policy/regulation/implementation professionals  For what? To ensure that laws/policies/regulation facilitate ICT use, not stifle  Objective: improving the lives of the people of Asia Money in the pocket Hope in the heart

4. 4 How?  Applied research and dissemination Study best, worst and possibly in- between but insightful cases that shed light on important issues Improve the research through mechanisms such as expert fora and Internet discussions that also serve to disseminate knowledge

5. 5 How?  Training, preferably context-specific LIRNE.NET executive training courses to be offered in Asia Context-specific training courses and workshops that advance the reform process at critical points  Rapid response unit Offer quick access to resources and training at decisive moments

6. 6 Organizational form  Lean organization, structured around the web  Project teams Country case studies will involve one person from inside and one from outside Emphasis on Asian expertise, but not exclusively  Play with technologies WiFi already in place Access to video-conferencing More...

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8. 8 Distance Learning Centre @ SLIDA, our partner and home

9. 9 2004-05 WDR theme: Diversifying network investment  Sources, types and methods of investment funding for network development;  Factors determining their availability and application; and  Conditions influencing success or failure

10. 10 Proposals to IDRC  Lessons from Eastern Nepal and Sri Lanka least-cost subsidy auctions and associated regulatory (in)actions India’s universal service fund: design and implementation Innovating at the margins in Indonesia using WiFi Grameen in Bangladesh: conditions for replication

11. 11 Proposals to IDRC  ICT strategies of the poor, with emphasis on pre-paid mobile Three country study  From among Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand  WDR Asian expert forum, Sept 30, Oct 1-2 in Sri Lanka Feature above research

12. 12 Anchor/continuing projects  Annual sector and regulatory performance indicators Better than ITU, reaching for OECD—”objective”  Use ITU as base  Improve quality  Add new indicators, e.g., leased line prices  Use standard definitions where possible to allow comparison  Benchmarking tools May include TRE assessments and survey results—”subjective”

13. 13 Sector and regulatory performance review  IDRC has been asked to fund Preparatory meeting in Southern India in March 2005 (app. 100k) Regulatory web survey (app. 8k) Deliverable: foundation document for 2005- 06 WDR Condition for success: co-sponsorship by APT, SATRC or other regional regulatory body  Main project can be started in 2005 if funding available

14. 14 Anchor/continuing projects  Ongoing training programs (cost recovery) Executive level ICT (LIRNE.NET) Middle-level multi-sector regulation, in association with TERI, SLIDA and others such as SAFIR [South Asian Forum for Infrastructure Regulation]  Web (funded through LIRNE.NET) Regular Asia contributions to WDR LIRNE.NET, LIRNEasia.net; asia.lirne.net

15. 15 Other fundable projects  Demand-side subsidies, including Vouchers being designed for e Sri Lanka  Assessment of major market opening in Pakistan Competition as a means of extending networks  Electronic payment mechanisms Legal and technical pre-conditions in South Asia  Evaluation of Govi Gnana System (agricultural prices via ICTs)

16. 16 Possible projects  Asian backbone study, covering countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kyrgyz Republic (inadequate backbone/access problems) India, Pakistan, (have, but access/use could be better) Afghanistan (planning stage; greenfield)

17. 17 In sum: what is LIRNEasia’s comparative advantage?  We specialize in usable, actionable knowledge Creating (research) Disseminating (multi-mode) Creating conditions for learning  No other work such as managing pilot projects  Demand-driven from one of our three audiences: government, private sector, civil society

18. 18 Core values (subject to modification with partnerships)  We are close to the ground, close to the action Operate on the basis of relationships built and fostered over time  People, more than organizations  “Neither here nor there” Not outsiders But not insiders either  E.g., case study responsibilities: 1 st chair from outside; 2 nd chair from inside

19. 19 LIRNEasia’s signature and promise  We will be independent and respected for expertise by multiple sides and parties Exemplified by LIRNEasia Launch ceremony  We will do work that leads to implementation  We will be passionate and committed Will not avoid controversy but will be fair