SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON STRENGTHENING ICT POLICIES & APPLICATIONS TO ACHIEVE MDGS & WSIS GOALS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 19-20 OCTOBER 2009 BANGKOK, THAILAND Malika Ibrahim Communications Authority of Maldives malika@tam.gov.mv
MDGs - 2015 End Poverty and Hunger Universal Education Gender Equality Child Health Maternal Health Combat HIV/AIDS Environmental Sustainability Global Partnership
WSIS - Geneva Plan of Action С1 The role of public governance authorities and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development С2 Information and communication infrastructure C3 Access to information and knowledge C4 Capacity building C5 Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs C6 Enabling environment C7 ICT Applications ( E-government, E-business, E-learning, E-health, E-employment, E-environment, E-agriculture, E-science ) C8 Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content C9 Media C10 Ethical dimensions of the Information Society C11 International and regional cooperation Source: WSIS-03/GENEVA/DOC/0005
Issues Accessibility Affordability Infrastructure Utilization Building Capacity Application Security
Maldives Background Archipelago of 1,192 coral lying islands (200 islands inhabited) Area: 115,000 sq km (including sea) Population: 309,575 (~30% youth) Key Industries: Tourism & Fishing Literacy: 98% Per Capita GDP : ~ USD 2830.0 Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa, RF Exchange Rate: US$ 1 = Rf 12.75 ICT is an important tool for economic development and improving quality of life
Maldives - Development Challenges Confined economic base Human resources not sufficiently developed Small domestic market Tourism and fisheries vulnerable to exogenous threats Dispersed atolls and islands make it difficult to justify investment due to diseconomies of scale
ICT Background Policy Maker: Min. of Civil Aviation and Communication Regulator: Communications Authority of Maldives IT Focal Point: National Centre for Information Technology Operators Dhiraagu A JV between Maldives Government and C&W Focus Infocomm A local company providing Internet service Wataniya Telecom Maldives The second cellular mobile operator
Key Success Factors for ICT-based Initiatives Political will and support ICT for a National Agenda An inclusive, integrated and a holistic approach Building Capacity Pilot projects for large investment projects Monitoring and mid-term policy review
National ICT Initiatives Government Network of Maldives IT Development Project, E-Government Service Platform Vehicles and Vessels registration: creation, renewal & payment of annual fees Birth & Death registration and certificates Health vital statistics database Expatriate employment: application for quota & employer status Companies and Licenses management: registration & renewal Government mail management Government meetings scheduling Data collection
Sector Policies - ICT The sector policies for the 5 years from 2008 include: 1. Establishing an autonomous Regulatory Authority by law with clearly defined powers and resources to effectively carry out its duties and also to protect the interests of both the consumers and the telecom operators 2. To establish a national telecom infrastructure capable of providing basic, enhanced and broadband services throughout the country 3. To have in place telecommunications prices that are nondiscriminatory, affordable and cost oriented 4. To have high speed internet services rolled out to the whole country 5. To drive Maldives towards the use and development of telecommunication and ICT technologies in order for the citizens to fully embrace its benefits.
Sector Policies - ICT Cont.. Maldivians to able to use ICT in all walks of life and to establish Maldives as a leader in effective use of ICT in the region Government Services to be provided in a transparent, citizen centric and an equitable manner IT Industry / Services to be developed as a sector and to increase employment opportunities in this sector To Facilitate optimum use of Information Technology To establish the legal framework for ICT and to enhance trust in the use of ICT
Expanding ICT access Maldives is a technology embracing country. Mobile and broadband services with a next generation networks (NGN) will form the basis for the future services. Maldives needs to bridge the digital gap between the capital Male and the outer lying islands. By utilizing emerging new technologies to complement the existing infrastructure, we hope to extend comprehensive broadband services to all corners of the country. 3G (HSPA) and WiMAX services are amongst the newest crop in the development of telecoms in the country. Service are provided with the required licenses and spectrum to offer broadband services.
Ongoing ICT Access Initiatives The main focus of CAM activities is at extending broadband internet services to the islands. Policy initiatives and incentives are provided to entrepreneurs and business in islands. One of such initiatives is to facilitate internet retailing in the islands. Under this scheme, businesses in islands can provide internet service under their own brand and banner using technologies they prefer. The technologies include cable modem, WiFi or wireline technology. Internet bandwidth from major ISPs is provided at discount rates to these businesses. Other policy directives include enhancing the existing infrastructure to cater for broadband. Facilitating new technologies like WiMAX and HSPA (3G+) are also aimed at accelerating Internet growth in the islands.
Infrastructure Wireless technologies, predominantly cellular mobile and other BWA (broadband wireless access) technologies such as WiMAX and LTE are the feasible options to provide access to the underserved regions in the country. The major obstacle in providing access to the unconnected and underserved areas is the lack of high speed backbone network. Once the network is expanded and extended to a region, providing access to the people can be achieved with relative ease.
Telecommunications Network National telecommunications network comprise of copper trunking, fiber optics trunking, SDH or PDH microwave links, mobile networks, national / international switches and gateways, WiMAX, UHF trunked radio, rural satellite ( excluding HF Radio). Different areas are served with different combinations of these technologies. Even in the currently underserved and unconnected areas, the demand exist for broadband ICT services, provided the services are offered and reasonable prices
ICT regulations to expand & encourage ICT access Regulations exist to encourage local businesses to work along with the major service providers to services in the islands Service providers are provided with free spectrum to expand the backbone network if they are to use wireless technologies.
Data privacy and cyber-security Currently there are no policies as such. But work is underway to establish a plan of action and related laws on combating cybercrime and protecting critical infrastructure. A bill on addressing computer misuse has been submitted the Parliament this year.
Gaps in expanding ICT access The key issue in providing broadband access to the islands is the lack of a high speed backbone network to serve the islands. This is mainly an infrastructural problem which in turn is relates to high cost of investments to enable such a network
Regional Cooperation As a region with significant growth, there is a huge potential for ICT and media services. Since most countries in this region are now connected to the global infrastructure by fibre optic cable, cooperation within services providers can bring about cost savings by sharing platforms and systems. Consequently this can lead benefits to the customers in the form of choice of services and lower prices. Policy makers and regulators in the region may consider making polices and regulations for harmonized and borderless services. The EU sets a good example on this.
Achievements Considerable achievements have been made in providing voice communications across the country. Fixed line service was provided to all inhabited islands in 1999. In 2006 all inhabited islands had mobile service. Over 50% of the population has access to broadband internet services now. Combined Teledensity reached 150% Results of the ITU ICT Development Index (IDI) in Asia and Pacific for two benchmarking years, 2002 and 2007, where ranking of Maldives improved from 16 in 2002 to 13 in 2007.
ITU ICT Development Index, IDI
Telecom Stats
Recommendations & Conclusion Reflecting on both MDGs and WSIS Action Plan Policy makers need to adopt the basic idea of universal design in ICTs. This will ensure that ICTs are designed for use by everyone (This idea is greatly promoted by ITU) Integrate the universal design principles and to include the end-users throughout the development process. Policy makers and regulators need to consider different population groups in the design, development and implementation of ICTs (E.g. aging populations and especially Persons with Disabilities) Recognise that ICTs enable greater autonomy and empower people in their living, education, careers, etc. Adopt a non-discrimatory approach and map existing laws and regulations to address nondiscrimination in ICT access. Promote user-centered design in the development /implementation process Adopt the Inclusive Approach to enhance the active participation and consultations on proposed legislation, policy, regulations or industry codes Promote issues such as self regulation, codes of practice, etc Promote the international work collaboration for a better implementation ICTs. Accessible to websites and online services - E.g. W3C's primary goals is to make the Web available to all people, whatever their hardware, software, network infrastructure, native language, culture, geographical location, or physical or mental ability. Hence policy makers need to adopt standards of W3C s to make the websites or online services to all people, especially in an age where both private and public sector offer their services and information online
Conclusion In conclusion, let us make this workshop a workshop of solutions, to translate the outcomes of the workshop into tangible reality that manifests all the principles and values of joint work so that our world becomes more free, more accessible and more equitable by the year 2015.
Thank you for your kind attention Malika Ibrahim Director malika@tam.gov.mv Communications Authority of Maldives www.cam.gov.mv