Multi Stakeholder Partnership for the region

1. Multi Stakeholder Partnership for the region UN-ESCWA Nibal Idlebi ICT Division UN-ESCWA

2. Multi Stakeholder Partnership for the region • Concepts & Definition • Multi Stakeholder Partnership in International Summits • Partnership Challenges • Multi-Stakeholder partnerships projects • Partnership in the region • Some Regional Projects

3. Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (MSP) It brings together different stakeholders from different sectors to: • Collaborate towards the achievement of well-defined common goals or project • Fulfill a specific role or responsibility • Complement each others’ capabilities and resources • Share the risks, costs and benefits Nibal Idlebi September 2007

4. Different Stakeholders for building Informaion Society • Public Sector: • Ministries, telecom regulator, state owned operator, regional and local governments. • Expected Role: It plays major role in establishing national policies and e-strategies aimed at bridging the digital divide. • Private sector: • Firms and private sector associations. • Expected Role: Major force in the deployment of ICT networks, technological development, telecom services, content and applications.

5. Different Stakeholders for building Informaion Society • Civil Society and NGO: • Entities and institution autonomous from the state and non-profit, act locally, nationally and internationally. • Expected Role: Intermediary between the State and the general population • International, regional organizations • Expected Role: Promote exchange of experiences and knowledge and provide resources and expertise for sustainable development Nibal Idlebi September 2007

6. Where partnership should be applied ? • Where the success of projects need the efforts of different kind of stakeholders. • Where markets are not effective or slow. • Where there is risk, but there is also potential market. • Where new technology is used for marginalized communities. Nibal Idlebi September 2007

7. Multi Stakeholder Partnershipin International Summits UN-ESCWA

8. MDG & Partnership • Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development. • Target 18: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communication. • Indicators: • Fixed and cellular telephone lines per 100 population • Personal computers in use and Internet users per 100 population. Nibal Idlebi September 2007

9. MDG & Partnership Recommendation • Stronger regional partnership and integration. • Global and regional partnership • Greater South-South cooperation for sharing experience and expertise • Increase in non-traditional exports • Increased growth Arab Regional MDG Report 2005

10. WSIS & Partnership • Geneva Plan of action • Encourage each country to establish at least one functioning Public Private Partnership or Multi-Stakeholder Partnership by 2005 as a show case for future action. • Tunis Agenda for Information Society • We encourage governments and other stakeholders, through partnerships where appropriate, to promote ICT education and training in developing countries,….. • ITU published many reports related to MSP for building information society.

11. WSIS & Partnership WSIS Stocktaking database for projects, initiatives for building the information society in the World.

12. Partnership Challenges UN-ESCWA

13. Partnership Challenges • Partnership brings diversity and dynamism to a project, but also management challenges. • The interests are of different natures for the partners. • Importance of Process of negotiation and information-sharing • Long term commitment from the partners • Anticipate and adapt to technology change Nibal Idlebi September 2007

14. Partnership Sustainability • Ensuring sustainability of partnership is very difficult • Many projects are initiated as pilot projects • The aim should go beyond the pilot project to achieve sustainability • The path from pilot phase to operational phase is often littered with failures. Nibal Idlebi September 2007

15. Ensuring Financial Support • Establishing sustainable model: users pay for the services. • Defining mechanisms to offer services in disadvantaged communities: • Targeted price discounts • Flexible model for payment • Initiatives for providing subsidies to marginal social groups. Nibal Idlebi September 2007

16. Multi-Stakeholder partnerships projects UN-ESCWA Case Studies from WSIS documents Source: Multi-Stakeholder Partnership for bridging the digital divide, ITU, June 2005

17. E-Readiness Plan in Egypt National MSP • Objective: increase the penetration and use of advanced telecommunication services in Egypt through : • Expansion of ADSL services, • Establishment of telecentres, • Provision of affordable broadband • Subscription-free internet connection schemes, • Access affordable personal computers and software. • Partners: Ministry of ICT, financial institution, telecom operators, ISP, content providers, civil societies. Nibal Idlebi September 2007

18. Making Asia a Global Information Hub“Asian Broadband Programme, since 2002” Regional MSP • To bring the benefit of ICT to all the people in Asia. • To invigorate information flows within the region to make Asia a whole global information hub, in 2010 • To enhance technical and infrastructure capabilities and diversify digital content. • To make Asia a leading region in the field of ICT, particularly in the development of next-generation mobile technology . • Partnership include ten Asian economies: China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippine, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

19. Telecentres and Capacity Building projects International MSP • The most popular examples of the partnership in the developing countries. • In June 2005 ITU launched “Connect the World” Partnership. • True MSP as partners are: • Governments: France, Egypt, Korean Agency for Digital Opportunity. • Business: Alcatel, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, KDDI, Telephonica, Infosys and WorlSpace; • Civil Society: Telecom Sans Frontieres, Child Helpline International and the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation; • International Organisations: ITU, UNESCO, UPU, EU, UNFIP and others.

20. Partnership in the region: does it work ? UN-ESCWA

21. Arab and regional ICT strategies • All Arab and Regional ICT strategies and Action Plan make emphasis on the Partnership for building Information Society • ESCWA regional plan of action • Arab ICT strategy 2001, 2007 • Arab Plan of Action for WSIS

22. MSP in the Region for building IS • National wide • Regional Scale • International level • Some projects in Jordan, Syria, Egypt,.. • Arab Sat, Thurya • Some Projects defined during WSIS: • Measuring Information Society • Some participation

23. Government International /Regional Org. & NGO Universities (educational sector) Mature firms Private sector Telecom Operator Banks and donor Multi–Stakeholder Partnership for the region

24. Challenges for implementing regional project for building information society • Fund raising • Leadership Agencies • Implementation Mechanism Nibal Idlebi September 2007

25. Fund Raising • Selection of the appropriate donor according to the project: Islamic Bank, World Bank, EU, OPEC • Creation of Venture Capital fund • Public Private Partnership for the establishment of Venture Capital. • Establishment of regional fund for ICT for development project. Fund is needed for the pilot project implementation only

26. Implementation Mechanism • No defined mechanism for the implementation ofregional project • Working Group for Arab ICT Strategy follow the progress of the projects adopted by the Arab Ministers of ICT • There is an urgent need to adopt a mechanism for the implementation of regional project • ESCWA Portal will be useful tool for the follow-up of the project implementation Nibal Idlebi September 2007

27. Some Regional Projects / Initiatives ! UN-ESCWA

28. Market information systems for agriculture product

29. Promotion of digital Arabic content industry in the ESCWA region

30. Towards an integrated regional telecommunications network

31. UN-ESCWA Discussion.....