Press Release: UN ICT Hub Continues Support of e-Government in the Pacific through Latest Round of Training
12 July 2010
Press Release No: G/34/2010
UN ICT Hub Continues Support of e-Government in the Pacific through Latest
Round of Training
APCICT delivers training on ICT project management
Bangkok (UN ESCAP Information Services) -- Participants of an e-government
workshop are attending a two-day training session today on information and
communication technology (ICT) for development at a regional United Nations
capacity building institute in the Republic of Korea.
The Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication
Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP), a regional institute of the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
began a training session on ICT project management for twenty-three
government officials from Pacific Island States at its training facilities
in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 12 to 13 July 2010.
The two-day session will deliver Module 7, ICT Project Management in Theory
and Practice, of the "Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders"
(Academy). Module 7 introduces basic project management concepts, methods,
processes and project management disciplines commonly used by development
and ICT service management practitioners.
The training also includes a roundtable session to discuss ways forward on
Academy Module 3, e-Government Applications, which the PIF e-Government
Workshop participants completed prior to the start of today's session and
which covers e-government concepts, principles and types of applications,
as well as the risk factors in e-government implementation.
The Academy, APCICT's flagship ICT human resource and institutional
capacity building programme, is designed to equip government officials and
development stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to fully leverage ICT
solutions for socio-economic development.
The session is a part of the two-week long PIF Officials' e-Government
Workshop based out of Sungkyungkwan University and co-organized by the
Pacific Island Forum (PIF), the Global e-Policy and e-Government Institute
of Sungkyungkwan University, the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (MOFAT), and APCICT.
The PIF e-Government Workshop is the third time APCICT has sponsored the
event in collaboration with PIF, Sungkyungkwan University, and MOFAT. The
workshops have been an integral part of APCICT's work with Pacific Island
countries. Over the last two years, APCICT has also worked with the Pacific
Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), now the Secretariat of the
Pacific Community (SPC), to roll-out the Academy in the Cook Islands,
Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. Last year, SPC secured European Union
funds in support of its 'ICT Access for the Poor' project, which aims to
enhance the ICT capacity of legislators and policymakers in 14 Pacific
Island States using APCICT's Academy programme.
"The continuance and growth of the PIF e-Government Workshop is a testament
to the enthusiasm with which officials from the Pacific Island countries
have embraced the use of ICT for national and regional socio-economic
development," said Dr. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director of APCICT. "The lessons
learned here today and throughout the workshop will help strengthen
economic and social connectivity in the Pacific, and in particular
facilitate the development and implementation of ICT related projects and
the delivery of quality e-government services to citizens in Pacific Island
countries."
United Nations APCICT-ESCAP
http://www.unapcict.org
The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and
Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP) is a subsidiary
body of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
established with a membership identical to that of ESCAP and is located in
Incheon, Republic of Korea. APCICT aims to strengthen the efforts of the
member countries of ESCAP to use ICT in their socio-economic development
through building human and institutional capacity for ICT.
For further information, please contact:
Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director
UN-APCICT
Incheon, Republic of Korea
Tel: +(82) 032 245 1700
Email: director@unapcict.org
Press Release No: G/34/2010
UN ICT Hub Continues Support of e-Government in the Pacific through Latest
Round of Training
APCICT delivers training on ICT project management
Bangkok (UN ESCAP Information Services) -- Participants of an e-government
workshop are attending a two-day training session today on information and
communication technology (ICT) for development at a regional United Nations
capacity building institute in the Republic of Korea.
The Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication
Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP), a regional institute of the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
began a training session on ICT project management for twenty-three
government officials from Pacific Island States at its training facilities
in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 12 to 13 July 2010.
The two-day session will deliver Module 7, ICT Project Management in Theory
and Practice, of the "Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders"
(Academy). Module 7 introduces basic project management concepts, methods,
processes and project management disciplines commonly used by development
and ICT service management practitioners.
The training also includes a roundtable session to discuss ways forward on
Academy Module 3, e-Government Applications, which the PIF e-Government
Workshop participants completed prior to the start of today's session and
which covers e-government concepts, principles and types of applications,
as well as the risk factors in e-government implementation.
The Academy, APCICT's flagship ICT human resource and institutional
capacity building programme, is designed to equip government officials and
development stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to fully leverage ICT
solutions for socio-economic development.
The session is a part of the two-week long PIF Officials' e-Government
Workshop based out of Sungkyungkwan University and co-organized by the
Pacific Island Forum (PIF), the Global e-Policy and e-Government Institute
of Sungkyungkwan University, the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (MOFAT), and APCICT.
The PIF e-Government Workshop is the third time APCICT has sponsored the
event in collaboration with PIF, Sungkyungkwan University, and MOFAT. The
workshops have been an integral part of APCICT's work with Pacific Island
countries. Over the last two years, APCICT has also worked with the Pacific
Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), now the Secretariat of the
Pacific Community (SPC), to roll-out the Academy in the Cook Islands,
Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. Last year, SPC secured European Union
funds in support of its 'ICT Access for the Poor' project, which aims to
enhance the ICT capacity of legislators and policymakers in 14 Pacific
Island States using APCICT's Academy programme.
"The continuance and growth of the PIF e-Government Workshop is a testament
to the enthusiasm with which officials from the Pacific Island countries
have embraced the use of ICT for national and regional socio-economic
development," said Dr. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director of APCICT. "The lessons
learned here today and throughout the workshop will help strengthen
economic and social connectivity in the Pacific, and in particular
facilitate the development and implementation of ICT related projects and
the delivery of quality e-government services to citizens in Pacific Island
countries."
United Nations APCICT-ESCAP
http://www.unapcict.org
The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and
Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP) is a subsidiary
body of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
established with a membership identical to that of ESCAP and is located in
Incheon, Republic of Korea. APCICT aims to strengthen the efforts of the
member countries of ESCAP to use ICT in their socio-economic development
through building human and institutional capacity for ICT.
For further information, please contact:
Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director
UN-APCICT
Incheon, Republic of Korea
Tel: +(82) 032 245 1700
Email: director@unapcict.org
Health Advice Smart Phone app for South Africa
literally a pocket doctor for those who can afford the mobile phones
required.
Afridoctor is the continent's first personal mobile health clinic. It
was created by Blueworld, a social media company in based in Cape
Town. It offers a "snap-diagnosis" service, in which patients can send
pictures of their ailment to a panel of doctors who will then contact
their patient with a diagnosis within 48 hours
Official Opening of the University of the South Pacific Japan-Pacific ICT Centre
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC JAPAN-PACIFIC ICT CENTRE
The University of the South Pacific announces the Official Opening of the newly-completed, JAPAN-PACIFIC ICT CENTRE on the University's Laucala Campus on Tuesday 6 July, 2010.
The Chief Guests for the Opening will be His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Fiji Islands, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and the Japanese Ambassador to Fiji, H.E. Mr Yutaka Yoshizawa.
Background
The recent rapid advancement of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) poses both a challenge and an opportunity for the peoples of the South Pacific. As industrialised countries learn to use these technologies to create for themselves more productive and integrated economies, there is an unfortunate possibility that South Pacific countries could be left behind in such developments. This is sometimes referred to as the 'Digital Divide'.
The Japan-Pacific Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Centre is a result of a project designed to close the gap of the 'Digital Divide' in the Pacific region and promote the use of ICT in the region to boost economic growth, improve socio-economic development, reduce poverty and preserve regional cultures.
At a cost of US$21.5 million (F$43 million), the new Japan-Pacific ICT Centre is the outcome of a bilateral agreement between the Fiji Government and the Government of Japan. The project discussion initially began in 2003 and it has finally come to fruition and is one of the milestone projects at the University of the South Pacific (USP).
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the University of the South Pacific officially signed and launched the "ICT for Human Development and Human Security Project" on Friday 30 October 2009.
At the handover of the new building on 12 April 2010, the Pro-Chancellor of USP, the Honourable Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, said that the Japan-Pacific ICT Centre is a shining example of strong and strengthening relationship between Japan and USP. She said that this investment must surely reflect Japan's confidence in USP's role as a quality provider of higher education in the region, especially its ability to increase access to higher education through its Distance and Flexible Learning programmes.
"Let me say that we feel very strongly that our relationship with Japan is deepening and strengthening and we are fully committed to demonstrating to Japan, that we will use its assistance to the fullest advantage of our students and especially our regional member countries, while strongly supporting Fiji's aspirations to develop ICT related industries" she said.
Facilities
The Centre provides office space for ICT staff at USP (IT Services, Maths, Computing Sciences, Information Systems and Engineering), Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team or 'PacCERT', Pacific Regional Resource Centre (PRRC), and Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA). It also provides ICT 'incubator' spaces for ICT entrepreneurs to start their ICT business at the Centre. This is for industry use in collaboration with USP. Some possible entrepreneurship areas would be Mobile Telecommunications, Software Development, e-health, e-business, e-government and e-immigration etc. Once the business matures, the entrepreneurs can move on and continue their ICT business in the region.
The Centre is equipped with 360 computers, 20 high ends servers, equipment for ICT-related engineering courses and cutting edge ICT equipment for video and audio conferences.
Japan – USP Relationship
Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Chinami Nishimura, paid a short visit to the University of the South Pacific on Sunday 2 May 2010. The purpose of the visit was to take a tour of the newly completed ICT Centre.
The Vice-Chancellor of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra, in welcoming the Vice-Minister and her delegation, said that the University was indeed very happy and appreciative of the fact that she had allowed some time to visit USP and witness for herself the very fine new addition to the University – the Japan-Pacific ICT Centre, which is a magnificent contribution from her government and the people of Japan, to the people of the Pacific.
Professor Chandra said, "The Government of Japan has a longstanding relationship with USP, and historically the University has benefited greatly from the support of the Government of Japan and its people".
The Vice-Chancellor went on to say that at USP this is witnessed predominantly in the areas of Marine Studies, ICT, and Distance and Flexible Learning. The Vice-Chancellor explained that the Marine Studies Complex at the Lower Campus, the USPNet Enhancement, the ICT Human Capacity project and the latest - the Japan-Pacific ICT Centre, all bear testament to the enduring relationship between Japan and the University of the South Pacific, and through it, to the people of the Pacific Islands.
The Vice-Minister, Ms Chinami Nishimura, in responding to the Vice-Chancellor's welcome said through her interpreter, "The Japanese Government and the people of Japan hope that the University will utilise the new ICT Centre and its state of the art equipment to its fullest potential, and that it will play a major role and make an impact on the future generations of the people of the Pacific".
Benefits to the region
An essential role of the Centre is to facilitate high quality research in ICT. Research is needed to identify how ICT can best be used to address the unique problems of the Pacific region; for example, to use ICT to find information about the global markets thus reducing the impact of small markets and large distances between countries. Another area of research is the potential impacts of ICT on the unique cultures of the South Pacific as well as how these technologies might be used to preserve and enhance those cultures. Research is also needed on how businesses, governments and other institutions can best adopt the various facets of ICT advancements experienced in other countries.
It is envisaged that the Japan-Pacific ICT Centre will be able to generate some revenue by marketing the existing ICT products that USP currently has, increasing the number of training, increasing the number of research projects, renting spaces and working with donors on various ICT projects.
The Centre provides an opportunity for USP to be at the forefront of ICT development in the region. It will be able to provide support and services to all the countries of the region, many of which are quite small, varied in economic development, and separated by large distances. Local economic, social, cultural and other needs must be understood and the impacts and applications of ICT applied locally.
The new Japan-Pacific ICT Centre will provide effective and high quality ICT learning, teaching and training to the people of the Pacific. ICT now pervades all professions and familiarity with the effective applications of ICT, which is crucial to achieve the best possible outcomes. Furthermore, ways must be found to promote the advantages of ICT to secondary schools and, indeed, all sectors of Pacific society.
Media Enquiries
All enquiries should be directed to the USP's Development, Marketing and Communications Office:
Annabel Boud
Manager Marketing & Communications
Ph: +679 323 2024
Mob: +679 9266 210
Fax: +679 323 1551
Email: boud_a@usp.ac.fj
Kali Kadonavatu
Media & PR Coordinator
Ph: +679 323 2707
Fax: +679 323 1551
Email: kadonavatu_k@usp.ac.fj
For a pdf version of this Press Release, please visit www.usp.ac.fj
Pacific Ministers' declaration on ICT development
22 June, 2010, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) – Pacific Ministers for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have committed to further development of the region's ICT systems as a key tool for governance and sustainable livelihoods.
In a declaration made at the Pacific Regional Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Ministers' Meeting in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, they agreed to 'work together to support the advancement of Pacific countries through improved deployment and use of ICTs in our societies; and endorse the concept of 'many partners, one team' in progressing a more coordinated and coherent approach to ICT development'.
Called the Tonga Declaration, the document notes ICT priority issues and development plans. The ministers also endorsed the Framework for Action on ICT for Development for the Pacific and requested SPC to coordinate the implementation of the framework in collaboration with USP, and other regional agencies and development partners.
The ministers agreed that the new framework of action should be reviewed before mid-2013, with a Pacific ICT ministers' meeting to be convened after the review to consider the findings and provide direction to the implementation of the framework.
Ministers also requested that the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) work with the University of the South Pacific, development partners and Pacific Island countries and territories to develop a three year rolling Strategic Action Plan that will be updated annually and to report back on targets set in the framework.
The ministers acknowledged the important role of ICT in meeting the Millennium Development Goals and recalled Resolution 64/187 of the UN General Assembly, which highlighted the importance of partnerships with stakeholders in enhancing access to ICT and its potential to provide new solutions to development challenges.
They noted that the Pacific Plan provides a basis for regional cooperation and integration between Forum countries and considered the unique challenges faced by Pacific small island developing states and territories in establishing ICT systems
Other documents taken into account at the meeting included the Wellington Declaration of the 2006 Pacific Islands Forum Communications Ministers meeting, the 2009 Pacific ICT Ministerial Forum Communiqué that was endorsed by Pacific member states of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Cairns Communiqué.
For more information: please contact Ruci Mafi, Communications & Training Assistant, SPC-RMC (rucim@spc.int); or Siaosi Sovaleni, ICT Outreach Coordinator, SPC-EDD (SiaosiS@spc.int).
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