NETWORKS 1998:
BANGALORE, INDIA, 3-6 June 1998

" The Internet and Developing Countries: a new Paradigm"

Chuck Lankester
Director, SDNP-UNDP, New York

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. UNDP
3. SDNP:

• Principles
• Scope
• Lessons learned and accomplishments

1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPMENT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD
2. WHY WE MUST DO MORE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES - THE POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE IT PROFESSION
3. CONCLUSIONS

Airborne: 3-4 June 1998

2. INTRODUCTION

It is a special privilege to be asked to speak in Bangalore: a recognized global hub of information and communication technologies, but it is tough to follow visionaries like Vittal and Ramani. I hope to challenge you. I want to paint the global picture and address the question, "What does all this really mean?" Mr. Vittal has given you some exciting views of the global economy. My task is to give you a picture of a global networking programme, but to also speak of social challenges.

I shall speak briefly about the UNDP and the SDNP, its principles and scope. I will outline why it is imperative you look outside your windows to a bigger horizon. I wish to put your talents, enthusiasm, and your ambitions before the development tasks we all face – you and I. And I will offer some conclusions.

So fasten your seat belts.

3. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

I am sure most of you in this audience are informed about UNDP, so let me simply summarize that UNDP is the largest multilateral aid organization in the world. It operates a network of 132 Country Offices and helps people in 174 countries; our on-going mandate from the General Assembly is to focus on:

• Poverty eradication
• Environmental regeneration
• Sustainable Livelihoods
• Empowerment of women, and
• Good governance
• Our core resources are about $800 million, donated voluntarily, but declining.

1. SDNP

The Sustainable Development Networking Programme was actually conceived in late 1989, but it really only moved into high gear with the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development. That conference yielded admission by governments that their development policies had failed to reconcile economic growth and sustainable development. The world, as if the citizens didn’t already realize it, was mucked about pretty badly, and governments found themselves signing declarations and agreements on climate change, protection of biodiversity, on forest principles, and working toward other agreements to protect oceans and check desertification. They agreed to avoid past failures due to a non-participatory approach, and to henceforth deliberately engage all sectors of civil society in development planning processes.

 

One product of Rio, Agenda 21, with the signature of 172 governments, mostly led by their Head of State, was a forward action plan with unprecedented political authority.

In retrospect it is surprising that the need for open and transparent access to information, received so little attention during the several preparatory conferences before Rio. Chapter 40 of Agenda 21, "Information about Decision-Making", certainly corrected that.

Principles

Let me emphasize that SDNP is not an environmental network, but as the name implies it

addresses the need for sustainable development. Certainly the management of natural resources is important, indeed perhaps 35-40% of inquiries at the field level are in this general field; but our emphasis is on all aspects of development so networking in the fields of education, health, and governance account for a high percentage of activity and are encouraged. But we draw the line firmly at pornography, soccer and even to the dismay of our Indian colleagues, to cricket. Other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can serve you better there.

Nor is SDNP a programme driven by technology. Its primary purpose has always been to increase the flow and the use of information on sustainable development by taking advantage of the potential of the Internet-based technologies. These technologies are changing the way people work and institutions behave; the human, organizational and technological aspects of networking are increasingly intertwined as we move towards a "learning society." In that society the capture of data and information, and its transmission for research, analysis and decision-making will be speeded up, while at the same time it will be easier to maintain the integrity of the information as it moves seamlessly from one point to another. The implications for governance at all levels are enormous and largely unexplored.

Thus, SDNP has been and should continue to be part of the process of exploring the interface between technology and sustainable development.

SDNP’s principles include insistence on a fully participatory process in the conceptualization and management of each country initiative. For each operation SDNP provides grant financing, typically USD 150,00 to 200,000 over 2-3 years for trained staff, generally one manager and one technical specialist; hardware and software; and funds for training and Internet connectivity. Effectively SDNPs are serving as ISPs with the distinct market niche of capacity building and content provision on issues related to sustainable human development, and like commercial ISPs, each SDNP is encouraged to reach out and grow the development community which after two or three years will contribute to making their SDNP partially or fully self-financed. Thus, every SDNP is demand-driven. We also insist on a feasibility study that includes in its terms of reference a survey of all ongoing or proposed networking to ensure there is no duplication or competition with other donors for scarce resources. We advocate use of state of the art and cost-effective technology; and an initial focus on the need to build a national information infrastructure and resolve regulatory and tariff issues.

Scope

The scope of the SDNP has grown significantly from pilot sites in 12 countries in 1992- 1993 to over 80 countries in 1998, the latter figure reflecting inclusion of the Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSnet). There is a reasonably good geographical balance, though with a focus on assisting the Least Developed Countries or LDCs. Africa has now emerged after a slow start, as the most important region. And increasingly we focus on those countries where programmes to introduce good governance and democratization will become more effective due to the sharing of information.

Here in India an excellent feasibility study was completed in 1996 by Development Alternatives of New Delhi, but your SDNP has taken far too long to start. Mr. Rajesh Sharma was recently appointed as National Coordinator; we met today. Please meet him now. I will give him my advice and assistance today, and tomorrow in Delhi. Give him a month and then start seeking his assistance. Within 6 months, I hope he’ll be pleading with his Steering or Oversight Committee for assistance. There is a huge opportunity here Rajesh, a great chance for you to pick up the ball and run with it and to capitalize on the expertise and infrastructure already in place.

Lessons Learned and Accomplishments

We have learned many lessons since we initiated the programme. Let me list some of the most important:

• the demand for access to information will exceed most forecasts, even the most optimistic;
• I cannot pretend there is perfect collaboration between the roughly 80 governments with which we have interaction and all other user groups. Nevertheless, the vast majority of governments we work with have respected the spirit of Rio;
• Some SDNPs can compete with commercial ISPs providing they focus on their market, offer competitive prices and distinct value-added services such as guidance in locating information, and more reliable service. SDNPs in countries with too few users to meet connectivity costs, or where infrastructure is inadequate may, however, require longer-term financial support through grants or subsidized access;
• As more donors and the private sector have begun providing connectivity to the Internet, so priorities can shift to providing relevant content and capacity building or training;
• Where Steering Committees, representing the various stake-holder groups, have been formed for managerial guidance they have been effective;
• Most of the roughly 80 countries where SDNP has initiated operations or is planning them, have a growing number of skilled personnel, minimizing the need for expensive international consultants;
• Few developing countries are investing enough in infrastructure or training to take maximum advantage of the communications and information revolution, yet full access to the Internet with at least a 64 kbps line is now seen as a minimal standard, even by the poorest LDCs;
• Few senior executives in either bilateral or multilateral aid organizations fully understand the potential of information technology in the development process and how the delivery of the special areas of focus of their organizations’ development objectives such as gender, good governance and eliminating poverty can be enhanced. A fundamental cultural change is necessary.
• One corollary to the above is that aid institutions in general, but especially the bilaterals, are giving far too little attention to the application of information technology. And when they do awaken, throwing large sums in the wake of advice by expensive consultants will not work. The governments and the NGOs in the developing countries understand far better than us that to overcome years of distrust and suspicion will neither be easy nor swift. Both parties appreciate the vital role of having access to reliable information. Identifying "champions " from both sides, learning to appreciate each other’s needs, gaining mutual trust and consensus and creating win-win situations takes patience. And only when the desire to work together is well founded, the regulations amended and in place and the staff trained is the capital needed to build the infrastructure. But make no mistake. Tens, perhaps hundreds of billions of dollars need to be invested in infrastructure in the next few years if the developing nations are to benefit from information technology in their quest to compete in the global economy. The opportunities for the private sector are great, but then so are the risks and pressures that the countries must understand and manage;
• Although partners in development can interact effectively once connectivity is established, an organized and well managed initiative, such as a national SDNP, which provides a "virtual meeting place" for the review of development proposals will greatly accelerate and improve interaction among the players;
• Much progress has been made to open up telecommunication markets and introduce competitive pricing. However, some monopolies remain which usually restrict networking activities and they will be increasingly challenged; and
• Finally, the cost of access is still far too high for most users.

I have indirectly referred to accomplishments in the context of lessons learned, but I need to be more specific. At the macro or policy level, we have introduced some governments to the Internet and been witness to their own decision to reappraise how they can implement their national development plans using information technology. We have brought access to hundreds of thousands of people, possibly millions, and introduced them to the computer age. And we have created those virtual meeting places where individuals and organizations that had hitherto been left out of the decision-making process can now participate effectively and in an appreciative and constructive relationship with other partners.

At the more direct or human level, SDNP has enabled students of one campus to interact with others. Precautionary health information has been spread over the networks in combating malaria or reducing the risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS. Community telecentres have provided farmers access to information on the cost of fertilizers, best application techniques, and the value of their produce before they take it to the marketplace. Civic authorities have learned about improved water pollution technologies, improved solid waste disposal, and the necessary legislation to control the introduction of diesel fuel. Bio-diversity has been protected and indigenous women’s groups have learned about their rights. Dangerous substances have been safely removed and destroyed, blood donors identified, and lives saved. Governments have learned about the positive and negative environmental records of transnationals bidding for contracts before the selection process is completed. And in all these initiatives people have learned that they can benefit from having access to information about the experiences of others under similar conditions.

I have perhaps emphasized connectivity too much. We have also constantly given priority to training and capacity building, typically 20% of each national project budget. And increasingly our attention is on the need to contribute to developing content about sustainable development that is relevant to developing countries. In this context I would mention that a recent study we undertook of the status of networking and connectivity throughout Latin America and the Caribbean suggested that less than 2% of content about sustainable development practices is in Spanish or Portuguese.

Mr. Vittal referred to accessibility, connectivity, reliability and affordability and I concur, but compiling relevant content is the major challenge if the Internet is to really benefit our development needs.

In sum, SDNP has made a difference; we can bear witness to the significant impact of IT on development.

1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPMENT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

The outlook for SDNP beyond 1998 is clouded. There is continued lack of appreciation at the corporate level of the contribution of access to information in the development process. In my experience most aid agencies are similarly afflicted. And ODA has declined from $61 billion in 1990 to $55 billion in 1996 and the outlook is for continued decline.

But I want to be less provincial and to speak with optimism about the role of information technology in development. By now you know I am an enthusiast; this is an exploding field and opportunities are limitless. This afternoon, I want to focus on just two aspects: firstly, what I will call equilibrium, for lack of a better term. What I am trying to articulate is the need for advocates and users to remain in responsible synergy. I consider the advocates, the promoters of IT at the country level, will by and large be the NGO community though the private sector will play an increasingly important role. The growth of the NGOs since Rio has been one of the chief positive outcomes of that conference and they are correctly pushing at the margins, constantly challenging the status quo, and endeavoring to be better informed and more involved. But the public sector will still be the focal point for most development decisions, especially at the critical policy level, and it is important that both advocates and users keep in mind the mutual benefits of working together. And we should not delude ourselves. Not all governments are appreciative of the work of the NGO community. Some recent UN conferences have hinted at the beginning of what may be termed a backlash at the involvement of NGOs. Their commitment, energy and enthusiasm often runs ahead of their respective government’s ability to organize themselves and prepare official positions. As a result, some governments are clearly worried they are losing control of the process. And they should be worried because they frequently are losing control. It is important for these governments to catch up and correct this trend before it sets back progress. The UN system also has a responsibility to make sure harmonious relationships are nurtured and maintained.

Secondly, I want to talk about outreach. SDNP’s contribution has been significant and catalytic, but nevertheless it has been miniscule. If we have trained twenty users in each country there are 2,000 or 20,000 more who need exposure. And one box per SDNP node should open the door to a hundred other contributions: forty-two of the forty-eight connected countries in Africa have no connectivity beyond their capitals. Schools, hospitals, and agricultural extension agents need to be connected. One hundred-dollar network devices that are resistant to fire ants and spilled tea could be built today, but are not being built because we have to develop the market. Diffusion through local radio and TV stations must be better coordinated; we need computerized translation technology not just from English to French, German and Spanish, but to Hindi and other indigenous languages. We need simplified search engines or browsers and most important of all we need to make sure people are not inhibited by the costs of exchanging or obtaining information.

In the context of market development we should reflect on the failure of the so-called universal access to the telephone. For example, there are only 2 telephones per 100 citizens in sub-Saharan Africa if we exclude the Republic of South Africa. In contrast, radio and television already provide near universal access, but their application remains primarily for entertainment. The potential of these media systems for education and development is infinite, but direction and promotion is needed by the institutions that collectively represent the community. This is to be a priority subject for attention by governments and development organizations.

Just as rapid spread of the Internet has drawn praise, so increasingly it draws criticism. As connectivity grows so do the numbers of people without sanitation, housing, and health care. Planners who allocate resources must justify these investments and illustrate that access to information does yield social and economic benefits. Nobody it seems is good at benchmarking or setting indicators for success, but we all need good data. For example, does bringing new literacy tools to schools improve employment opportunities and impact on poverty? We need to collect such information, document best practices and share them, or our progress may come in for deserved criticism.

2. WHY WE MUST DO MORE FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Well you have taken the expedience and vision politely. Now comes the anguish, the challenge. In what context are you meeting here? What good will comes from your exchanges and tutorials?

Last Sunday there were 38 sightings of tornadoes in New York State; I assure you that isn’t normal. Nor is it normal that 2 years ago I shovelled 78 inches of snow, 10 inches last year and less than 3 inches this year. Climate change is here. It is a transboundary phenomenon. Surely there is scientific and anecdotal confirmation in this audience of climate change here in Bangalore.

Hundreds of thousands of your citizens will be infected by HIV/AIDS this year. Tens of thousands of your children will be orphaned. The spread of this pandemic is a transboundary phenomenon.

Agricultural production is becoming stunted in southern states of Chile and Argentina due to ultraviolet radiation resulting from the depletion of the ozone layer. This is a transboundary phenomenon.

And we are losing biodiversity in India as in Canada, perhaps 100 species daily worldwide, often before we have catalogued and understood the interaction of these species with our human species survival needs. This is a transboundary phenomenon.

Have I made my point? We live together in village Earth as noted minutes ago by Ms. Rao and Mr. Vittal, and we’ve abused it pretty horribly. Only prompt, collective, responsible action will ensure a hospitable environment for our children and grandchildren.

Let’s look at the economic and social side of the equation. Some here will know that this year we are celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. It was signed in the aftermath of World War II, and peace and dignity were key words in the Declaration. Peace: well an astonishing 78 of the last 82 conflicts in the world have essentially been civil wars, the consequence of intolerance, inequality, frustration and hatred amongst peoples within a common boundary. And ninety percent of the casualties have been civilians. But have we learned that inequalities breed tension, intolerance and unrest? Inevitably the cauldron boils over and we witness horrible suffering. The message is stark, clear and simple. We cannot expect to find harmony and peace unless and until we alleviate these gross differences between the privileged and the disenfranchised in our world.

Let me take from the Declaration the words "dignity" and "the right to life." Well the facts are not in dispute. An estimated 1.3 billion people survive on less than USD1.00 per day; a billion are illiterate and of those who are adult, two thirds are women; over a billion lack access to safe water; nearly 900 million go hungry or face food insecurity; one third of the population of the least developed countries (LCDs) are not expected to reach the age of forty. These are not the statistics of progress; these are not statistics that spell "dignity."

And let me give you two more facts tonight to illustrate that while making progress in some areas, we are also falling badly behind in others. Thirty years ago we wrung our hands at the 30-fold disparity between the top 20% and the bottom 20% of the global population. Today, despite all out efforts, the income gap is 74 fold: it has not just grown it has chasmed. And last year 423 individuals controlled more wealth than the combined annual income of 43% of the population of this planet. I find that profoundly disturbing. How do you think I feel about the 36 plus years I have given to development assistance when I see such figures? It’s a savage indictment and in truth, I’m more than disturbed.

The Power and responsibility of the IT profession

Why is it important that together we go through this unpleasant exchange about the state of the world? Simply because I believe information technology is the most powerful tool the development community and practitioners like myself have ever been or are likely to be given. Make no mistake, its more important than foreign aid money, though surely we could do with more of that.

Information technology is essential for the attainment of sustainable development and please understand the contribution of an informed civil society, a society with timely, affordable access to information in addressing these injustices and promoting corrective action.

I have a perception, but I may be wrong, that we sometimes focus too much on correcting the consequences of access to information while losing sight of the big picture. And the big picture is found in those billions and millions who suffer because of flawed policies, ignorance, greed and corruption. Addressing those inequalities must be a prime target of using information for development. It should be a priority for all of you.

India is a proud nation. Deservedly, and I am not going to give an awkward litany of the ills of your own society. But 400 million of your own people are reportedly living in abject poverty. Poverty is a violation of human rights and miners, farm laborers, child weavers, and brick-makers working in virtual indentured slavery under harsh conditions are fuel for unrest and violence. And this context of alleviating poverty and addressing human rights I must stress that women’s rights are also human rights and we must recognize their worth, their equality and their contribution to development by implementing legal rights, removing discriminatory wages and working conditions, and speaking out against violence and sexual harassment. In these areas the so-called western or developed world also has much to learn.

You in this audience and the profession you represent have immense opportunities for using the IT skills and reputation that India has built up. In my own negotiations with Hewlett-Packard in California on behalf of the SDNP, I deal with two employees of Indian origin, and Indians are to be found in every corporation in Silicon Valley. So I fully agree with Mr. Vittal: your industry can greatly strengthen India’s position in the global economy. The hunger of other nations for advice and guidance is beyond words. Consultant advisory services, system architecture, investment in infrastructures, establishing telecenters, the whole area of knowledge management, areas of convergence of technology and delivery systems, and training, training, training – because if countries are to leapfrog into the 21^st Century with IT then they must have strong legs. And build that $100 box that hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of villages are waiting for. If you don’t, someone else soon will.

But with this knowledge and power comes responsibility. It is imperative that your profession moves from the scientific, research and military environment that characterized the Internet’s early days, to what I would call the economic, social and environmental applications. This shift is a moral imperative. You hold immense power and influence and must wield it prudently. You are pioneers who can bring hope and a vision of a better life to the disenfranchised. Chase the business opportunity by all means, but never lose sight of the big picture and never forget the enormous impact you can have, you should have to better this world with your skills.

Given your power and influence, I wonder whether there should be the equivalent of a Hippocratic oath for the IT profession.

3. CONCLUSIONS

Information technology provides new tools to the development planner of unprecedented opportunity. Each day we think we see the horizon only to learn of a new application. The degree to which out lives are impacted has only just been touched, and 98% of the population is not connected, but the risks of abuse are similarly great. The imposition of western values without counterbalance is disturbing, and the ease with which one can purchase a sexual slave over the Internet is not to the credit of the information and communications revolution. We must be constantly alert to such abuses. We must be vigilant that the already privileged and powerful do not use this technology to become more privileged and more powerful. The true value of the Internet lies in how it can level the playing field, foster more open competition, and help to attain sustainable development. Policies and programmes such as SDNP which emphasize a participatory approach, open systems and transparency will go a long way to limit abuses.

With today’s technology, with connectivity to almost all developing countries, and given the magnitude and urgency of the task to correct continued abuse of our planet, it is inexcusable that planning decisions be made without the participation of all persons or their representatives who will be influenced by the results. We should have inherent faith that the disenfranchised will make sensible choices that favor sustainable development providing they have access to information that permits them to make those choices.

I will conclude with some words of my Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan:

"The great democratizing power of information has given us all the chance to effect change and alleviate poverty in ways we cannot even imagine today. With information on our side, with knowledge a potential for all, the path to poverty can be reversed.

Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. We at the United Nations are convinced that information is a great democratizing power waiting to be harnessed to our global struggle for peace and development.

We believe this because we are convinced that it is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes enemies of men. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes fighters of children. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that leads some to advocate tyranny over democracy. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes some think that human misery is inevitable. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes others say that there are many worlds, when we know that there is one.

Information and freedom are indivisible. The information revolution is unthinkable without democracy, and true democracy is unimaginable without freedom of information. This is information’s new frontier, this is where the United Nations pledges its commitment, its resources and its strength."

Perhaps I have spoken for too long, but the subject is vast, important and should not be shortchanged. Besides, I wish I was 40 years younger and in your shoes given the excitement ahead and so I wanted to share ideas with you. My sincere thanks once more to the organizers and my wishes for a successful conclusion to your conference.

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