Pacific Regional Telecommunications & ICT Resource Centre—Progress Update

1. Natasha Beschorner, The World Bank Pacific Regional Telecommunications & ICT Resource Centre—Progress Update ITU-EC Coordination Meeting, Nadi, November 2009

2. Summary • Background and Motivation • Resource Centre Objectives and Functions • Implementation Plan • Budget and Funding • Next Steps and Feedback

3. Background: Regional Demand • WB requested to prepare Options Study on a possible regional regulatory facility • Study prepared August-October 2008, completed December 2008 • Recommendations presented to ICT Ministerial Meeting, February 2009 • Establishment of Facility supported in Meeting’s communiqué and at regulators’ meeting, April 2009 • Working name: Pacific Regional Regulatory Resource Centre

4. Objectives and Functions • Leverage national resources by pooling scarce skills in an autonomous regional facility • Functions: • Collect telecoms/ICT data and publish annual regional survey; • Provide information packages on key policy and regulatory themes; • Provide advisory services to policymakers and regulators; • Issue statements of best practice sector policy and laws and regulatory instruments (licenses; interconnection principles, etc) • Provide support for training and capacity building; • Collect and maintain rosters of expertise from other sources.

5. Benefits • Efficient use of scarce human and financial resources • Development of a knowledge and experience base in the Pacific itself • Encouraging regular exchanges between regulators and dissemination of good regional experiences • Link-up with other sources of advice/assistance (ITU/APT/PITA, EAPIRF, ACMA) • Complementing the regional industry association

6. Recommendations of Options Report • Establish the Resource Centre with a physical location and staff on site • Functions to be as listed above • Initial staffing levels small (3-4 persons), but flexibility to add staff as demand proven • Facility manager with management and operational responsibilities • An advisory board of qualified nominees of Pacific countries to consider annual budget, business and financing plan

7. Organizational Model: Options • Two potential models: membership organization, or non-member organization. • Membership organization: countries wishing to benefit from the services of the Centre become core members and pay annual membership fees. • This model would require that Pacific island countries make a collective decision to establish the Centre and to serve as primary funders, particularly during an establishment phase. • Non-member organization established by one or more development partners to provide services on a limited cost-recovery basis to Pacific island countries. • In this model, development partners would have significant influence over the governance and operations of the Centre through periodic financing rounds. • Either funding model can incorporate user charges, to be phased in as the centre becomes fully operational.

8. Work Program Year 1 • Develop website architecture and launch; • Develop of industry data collection standards & provide guidance and training for regulators, and officials where regulatory bodies have not yet been established • Establish cooperation arrangements with ITU, APT, PIFS, SPC, PITA, EAPIRF, others • Develop a risk management policy • Establish the roster of experts and arbitrators and commencement of monitoring of outcomes of assignments; • Design operating procedures for provision of advisory services; • Appoint members of the advisory board; • Develop the year 2 business plan for consultation with the advisory board and presentation to development partners

9. Work Program Year 2 (1/2) • Publish the first annual survey of telecommunications and ICT markets in Pacific Island countries; • Through the website, provide information to regulators and officials on regional policy and regulatory experiences, including analysis of lessons of general application; • Providing advice to regulators and officials in response to requests for assistance. • Scope of advice will include design and implementation of sector policy; development of sound legislation and regulatory instruments; development and operation of regulatory agenciesl and conduct of regulatory activities.

10. Work Program Year 2 (2/2) • Develop statements on best practice policy and regulatory implementation, telecommunications legislation and models for regulatory instruments • Develop a clearing-house methodology to facilitate potential staff exchanges between regulatory agencies in Pacific island countries and similar agencies in Australia, New Zealand and outside the region • Develop the year 3 business plan for consultation with the advisory board and presentation to development partners

11. Feedback from Stakeholders • Resource Centre should be hosted within the Pacific Region • PIFS offered to colocate with ITU-EC Centre • Broad agreement on objectives and functions • Initial set-up as non-membership organization, with development partner funding; consideration to be given to fees for service at later stage • Coordination with capacity-building initiatives essential, especially ITU-EC program

12. Implementation Plan

13. Main Elements Pre-Establishment • Institutional/hosting arrangements • Resource Centre management and staffing • Budget for establishment and operations • Sources of funding Post-Establishment • Detailed work plan for Resource Centre • Technical assistance program: advisory needs/program, roster of expertise, management and financing arrangements

14. Resource Centre Management • Management: an advisory board of 3-4 nominees of Pacific island countries (elected if necessary) and chaired by one of its members to be established • Responsibility for approval of the annual budget, the business plan and the financing plan. • Staffing: three full time persons at time of start-up. • Manager: a senior telecommunications regulatory specialist • Research assistant and administrative assistant. The Centre manager should have responsibility for the day-to-day management of the facility, including the preparation of annual and multi-year business plans • 1-2 additional professional positions

15. Establishment Activities—by Quarter

16. Substantive Activities-by Quarter

17. Budget and Funding

18. Resource Centre Budget (1) • Pre-establishment cost estimates for Year 1 • Office fit-out & lease set-up: US$67,000 • Staff recruitment costs US$21,000 • Contingency (10%)US$ 9,000 • US$ 97,000 • Assumptions: • Office space of 60 square metres. Rents and outgoings at market rates for medium grade space. • Recurring costs adjust at 5% per annum. • Office fit-out costs of $1,000 per square metre. • Recruitment costs for Centre Manager at 12% of annual salary package.

19. Resource Centre Budget (2)

20. Funding and Partnerships • Funding • World Bank will provide US$1.5 million seed funding through the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF); funds already secured • Other bilateral/multilateral support to be discussed • Industry/government contributions—timing?? • Partnership with ITU program and regional organizations e.g APT, PITA, PIFS, SPC, UN ESCAP

21. Proposed Next Steps • Regional ICT task force to agree on constitution • Priorities: institution, detailed financing plan, core staff recruitment • Institution • PIFS confirmation (mode/format to be discussed) • Financing • World Bank has committed resources • Additional financing contributions to be sought from development partners, others • Comprehensive financing plan to be completed by February 2010 • Recruitment of core staff • Manager and administrative support • Other professional staff

22. THANK YOU !Questions and Comments? Please contactnbeschorner@worldbank.orgNatasha Beschorner