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Information, Communication and Space Technology Division

Sub-Regional Workshop on Community e-Centres for Rural Development

ESCAP jointly with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized the Sub-Regional Workshop on Community e-Centres (CeCs) for Rural Development from 16 to 18 April 2008 at New Delhi, India, under the project entitled "Empowering rural areas through community e-centres under South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program" that is being executed by ADB and ESCAP, with funds provided by ADB's Japan Fund for ICT (JFICT).

The workshop gathered senior officials, national consultants and resource persons to examine the progress of the project in the participating countries, including sharing outcomes of the project so far and sharing information on problems encountered and lessons learned during the implementation of the project, share good practices on CeC particularly in the SASEC region, and discussed future project implementation strategy at the regional and national levels.

ICSTD Promotes the Use of Satellites to Combat Disasters in Asia and the Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region has been the victim of some of the most devastating disasters in human history. Over the last ten years, six out of ten of the most deadly natural disasters occurred within the region.

To help prepare the countries of the region for future disasters by exploring ways of effectively utilizing information collected from Earth observation satellites, the ICSTD organized a Regional Symposium on Disaster Management in Bangkok from 19 to 21 March 2008 . High-level officials from the national disaster management authorities of 22 countries participated in the Symposium.

In his address at the opening session, Mr. Shigeru Mochida, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP, noted that "effective disaster management relies greatly on effective information management. Relevant and timely information is indispensable to supporting decision-making on risk assessment, mitigation planning, monitoring and early warning, and rescue and relief activities". He added that information collected from satellites could be a major contributor to improve the effectiveness and timeliness of disaster management.

ICSTD LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO support research and information exchange for telecentre development in Asia-Pacific

ICT Applications Section has launched a Telecentre Online Database covering more than 12,000 telecentres in 16 countries. The database aims to support research and the exchange of information among people working in the field of telecentre development.

The database gives researchers a platform for taking stock of telecentre projects in the region. All information can be accessed by typing in key words, advanced searches based on specific criteria or by browsing a specific country or a selected telecentre project. The online database also provides statistical data related to telecentre projects in the region, including the number of telecentres per country and per geographic area.

The Telecentre Online Database is an output of a joint project carried out by the five regional commissions of the UN . The project aims to empower poor and disadvantaged communities -- and women in particular -- through transforming selected telecentres into knowledge hubs of a global knowledge network. These hubs will make it possible for community members to develop, organize, share and disseminate knowledge.

Enhancing Pacific Connectivity

Many parts of the world, including parts of Asia and the Pacific, have begun to benefit significantly from improved telecommunications infrastructure and services. Emerging benefits include job and business opportunities; improved delivery of educational, health and other public services; and from an overall feeling of being connected, regardless of location where such capabilities are available.

Small island developing States in the Pacific sometimes feel left out of such developments. Only half the populated Pacific islands have any form of telecommunications, with many of limited capacity and expensive. Increasing numbers of cables cross the Pacific, but most Pacific islands are bypassed.

The Enhancing Pacific Connectivity report recommends improved usage of existing regional governmental, industry and user cooperation institutions, and/or the enhancement of these into a capability to strengthen decision-makers’ abilities to move forward, to help increase Pacific synergies for acquiring, sustaining, and benefiting from current connectivity trends and opportunities.