Asian and Pacific Countries Agree Declaration on E-Commerce

Resolve to make ICT and e-commerce accessible and affordable to all citizens, particularly under-privileged groups

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- Ministers and senior officials from Asian and Pacific countries today released a joint declaration on ways to promote the development of electronic commerce across the region, with a particular emphasis on bridging the so-called 'digital divide.'

After three days of meetings at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, more than 150 participants attending the Joint UNCTAD-UNESCAP Asia-Pacific Conference on E-Commerce Strategies for Development have agreed on a series of measures designed to promote the use of e-commerce throughout the region that will benefit the maximum number of inhabitants.

In delivering his vision statement for e-commerce strategies in Thailand, His Excellency Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, noted that "only through broad and sustained efforts of intensified cooperation in regional and international fora, based on mutual interests, can globalization be made fully inclusive and equitable."

"Global business-to-consumer e-commerce is projected to grow from $ 50 billion US dollars in 2000 to $ 233 billion dollars by 2004," said Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP. "Forecasts for total business-to-business transactions range from 1.2 billion dollars to 10 trillion dollars by 2003 - yet the current reality is that less seven per cent of the world's population is presently online."

Although some countries in the Asian and Pacific region are full participants in this growing sector, many others are being left behind.

A UNESCAP survey has reported huge disparities in Internet take up across the region. In one least-developed country, only 0.1 per 1000 of the population had Internet access and 0.2 per 100 inhabitants had a fixed telephone line.

"Inequality within countries is increasingly a function of unequal access to information," said Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of UNCTAD. "Still, this year alone, about 155 million people - one third of them living and working in developing countries - will join the so-called 'Internet Population.' China's Internet population is already the world's third largest."

Today's Declaration on Electronic Commerce for Development is a step forward in correcting the imbalance between the digital have and have-nots.

While recognizing that urgent action is needed to narrow the gap in e-commerce, the Declaration also acknowledges that national ICT and e-commerce strategies must be based on the economic and social context of each UNESCAP member and associate-member. In this context the participants have resolved to strengthen cooperation and commit themselves to "developing ICT and e-commerce architecture that is accessible and affordable to all citizens, particularly under-privileged groups."

The United Nations, through the work of UNESCAP, UNCTAD and others is committed to realizing the Millennium Development Goals, one of which expresses commitment of Member States to "ensure that the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communication technologies, are available to all."

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Thawadi Pachariyangkun
Officer-in-Charge, a.i.
United Nations Information Services
Tel: (+66) 02 288 1861-9
E-Mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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