Monday, October 14, 2002 1:40 pm

A very good morning from Kuala Lumpur to Mr. Mohammad Asim, Deputy Minister of Communications for Afghanistan and to Mr. Knut Ostby, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Afghanistan, both in Kabul, and a very good afternoon here in Kuala Lumpur to our distinguished seminar participants from the Interim Administration of Afghanistan, to H.E. Mr. Amanullah Jayhoon, Head of Mission from the Embassy of Afghanistan, to our distinguished guest from the Embassy of Germany, to our distinguished guests from the Government of Malaysia, to the visiting members from the UNDP team in Kabul and staff members from UNDP Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme, to members of the press, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme I would like to welcome you all to the opening videoconference of the APDIP seminar on Information and Communications Technology Policy Development and Implementation for Afghanistan.

Information and communications technology is recognized as an increasingly powerful tool for participating in global markets, promoting political accountability, improving the delivery of basic services and enhancing local development opportunities. But without innovative ICT policies, many people in developing countries, especially the poor, will be left behind. This is why ICT for Development has been designated one of six global UNDP thematic areas for our work in developing countries - the other five being Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Energy and Environment, and HIV/AIDS.

ICT promotes economic growth and social opportunity; but at the same time it renders many traditional economic approaches less viable. Developing countries that are slow to act, or are not in a position to respond, are likely to find their ability to participate in the global economy diminished.

The risks of embracing ICT are great but so are the rewards. ICT can serve as a critical enabler to achieve many of the development goals agreed to by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit, including the overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. By making ICT an integral part of development cooperation, developing countries and their partners can more effectively address economic and social divides.

Through policy seminars such as this one that we are hosting this week for Afghanistan, UNDP and APDIP help countries draw on expertise and best practices from around the world to develop strategies that expand access to ICT and harness it for development.

The aim of this seminar is to help Afghanistan to design and implement national ICT strategies that will respond to the opportunities and challenges posed by the new global environment. Over the course of the coming week, you, the participants, will receive guidance and support that will allow you to:

· Incorporate ICT into national development priorities;

· Formulate national strategies that include capacity development, economic opportunity and social equity in addition to infrastructure and other policy dimensions; and

· Adopt a multi-stakeholder approach that can both assist in leveraging resources and making the strategy responsive to real needs.

Your challenge will be to embark on bold strategies to harness the power of ICT for the benefit all members of Afghan society. Your choices along the way will not be easy or simple. However, no matter what priorities you choose to adopt, remember that ICT can be used to achieve real change for people living in developing economies. It is not too late for Afghanistan to take advantage of digital opportunities, but it will take strong leadership, vision and a commitment by all stakeholders to work together, now, to achieve this goal.

On behalf of UNDP, I would like to extend our best wishes and express our fervent hope for success in your quest to reap the benefits of the digital revolution.