Programme - GAID Global Forum 2008

GAID Global Forum 2008 - Connectivity and Access in LDCs and SIDS in Asia/Pacific, and Innovative Financing Mechanisms for ICTD

Preliminary Programme

Day 1: Monday, 19 May 2008
Venue: Plenary Theatre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

13.00 – 14.00 Registration
14.00 – 14.10 Opening Remarks by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
14.10 – 15.30 Access and Connectivity: Asia Pacific and other Developing Countries

As a region, Asia Pacific, being amongst the early adopters of high-speed "broadband" networks, land-based and mobile-based, has made its investments in ICT as core infrastructure for the modernization of its economy and an enabler of innovation across many sectors. While the region has some of the advanced broadband and ICT-related technologies and policies, major gaps in broadband infrastructure continue to limit potential investment, economic growth, employment and development in many countries. This session will begin with a review of the current "state of play" of broadband infrastructure in the region – with a focus on connectivity, as well as the gaps, potential solutions and business opportunities. Panellists will be asked to give their views on ways to boost investment in Asia Pacific's ICT broadband infrastructure, including priorities for policy and regulatory adoption and innovative financing and public-private partnership models.
Moderator:
Ms. Maria Cattaui, ICT4PEACE Foundation
Panellists:
Mr. Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel Corp. and Chairman of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development
Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
H.E. Mr. Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Azerbaijan
Mr. Alain Madelin, President, Global Digital Solidarity Fund
Mr. Yrjö Länsipuro, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland
Mr. YBhg Tan Sri Dato' Ir Muhammad Radzi Mansor, Chairman, Telekom Malaysia Berhad
Mr. Ulf Pehrsson, Vice-President, Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson
15.30 – 16.00 Coffee break
16.00 – 18.00 Access and Connectivity: Island States

Many countries and communities, especially those of Island States, remain unconnected. With the advancement in mobile communications and de-regularization of the telecoms industry, there is the need for genuine country-wide demand for access and connectivity, especially those in rural and remote areas. This session considers multiple approaches to extend ICT access, including more effective use of Universal Service Funds, policy, regulatory and tax incentives for operators to share infrastructures and extend their networks into underserved areas as well as emerging wireless solutions. In addition, for communities where connectivity exists but where affordability remains a challenge, the session considers innovative approaches to connect the unconnected, including shared local access models, such as the Village Phone model and community telecentres.
Moderator:
Ms. Rinalia Abdul Rahim, Executive Director, Global Knowledge Partnership
Panellists:
Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and CEO, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization
Ms. Gloria Bonder, Director of the Area "Gender, Society and Policies" in the Latin American Postgraduate Institute in Social Sciences, FLACSO
Mr. Peter Hellmonds, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Affairs, Nokia Siemens Networks, Germany
Mr. Paul Hengeveld, Director, Microsoft Public Sector - GSA
Mr. Stephan Reckie, President, Nautical Wireless
Ms. Koesmarihati Sugondo, Committee Member, Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body
Mr. Ziping Liu, Director, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Information and Industry, People's Republic of China
18.00 - 21.30 Dinner

Day 2: Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Venue: Plenary Theatre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

08.30 – 09.00 Registration
09.00 – 09.10 Presentation of the UNDESA-GAID e-Leaders for ICT and Youth
09.10 – 10.40 Access and Connectivity: Least Developing Countries

Recognizing the significant role of ICT as a catalyst for realizing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) agreed to a set of targets, including ten connectivity goals, to be achieved by 2015. With fewer than eight years left, some countries are at a serious risk of not achieving these targets unless we take urgent action. Within this framework, this session will discuss the unique challenges and opportunities for some of these countries. Panellists will be asked to give their views on how these goals can be achieved.
Moderator:
Mr. Shahid Akhtar, ICT Consultant
Panellists:
H.E. Mr. Benjamin Aggrey Ntim, Minister of Communications, Ghana
H.E. Mr. Haj Klaï, Minister of Communication Technologies, Tunisia
Mr. Richard Fuchs, Regional Director of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Office in Singapore
Ms. Dorothy Gordon, Director-General, Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT
Mr. Yury Grin, Deputy to the Director, ITU
Mr. Madanmohan Rao, Research Director, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Singapore
Mr. Parminder Jeet Singh, IT for Change
Mr. Emdad Khan, President and CEO, InternetSpeech
Mr. Nagen Perumal, Director of Software Operations, MIMOS
10.40 – 11.00 Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 Innovative Funding for ICTD: Infrastructure

Many countries and communities, especially those of Island States, remain unconnected. With the advancement in mobile communications and de-regularization of the telecoms industry, there is the need for genuine country-wide demand for access and connectivity, especially those in rural and remote areas. This session considers multiple approaches to extend ICT access, including more effective use of Universal Service Funds, policy, regulatory and tax incentives for operators to share infrastructures and extend their networks into underserved areas as well as emerging wireless solutions. In addition, for communities where connectivity exists but where affordability remains a challenge, the session considers innovative approaches to connect the unconnected, including shared local access models such as the Village Phone model and community telecentres.
Moderator:
Mr. Gerolf Weigel, Head of ICT4D, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Panellists:
H.E. Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, Malaysia
H.E. Mr. Basem Fawaz Rousan, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Jordan
Mr. Francelino Lamy de Miranda Grando, National Secretary, Secretariat of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Brazil
Ms. Lkhagvasuren Ariunaa, Chief Executive Officer, InTeC Co. Ltd, Mongolia
Mr. Kamran Elahian, Chairman of the Global Catalyst Partners and the Global Catalyst Foundation
Ms. Isabelle Mauro, Head of External Affairs, GSM Association
Mr. Asad Shah, Chairman, International Commission on Workforce Development
Mr. Rafee Yusoff, Vice-President, Marketing, Islamic Development Bank
Mr. Clement K. Dzidonu, Senior Research Fellow, International Institute for Information Technology, Ghana
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 15.30 Innovative Funding for ICTD: Human Resource Investments in Attaining the Millenium Development Goals

Across the globe, there is increased awareness that making current economic growth sustainable will need greater investment in human resource development, and building management capacity and good business practices. A key determinant of future economic success in today’s young people are those who are trained to work with computers and IT networks, as well as create new ICT products and services. One method to expand ICT literacy and usage is for governments and the private sector and other stakeholders to set a proactive agenda for human capacity building. This session asks panellists to highlight issues and success stories in human capacity-building, particularly ICT related.
Moderator:
Mr. Abdul W. Khan, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO
Panellists:
Dr. Hessa Al Jaber, Secretary-General, Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology, Qatar
Mr. Qusai I. Al-Shatti, Deputy Chairman, Kuwait Information Technology Society
Dato Lee Yee Cheong, Chairman Designate of the ISTIC Governing Board
Professor Liu Chuang, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Paul Jhin, Director of Special Initiatives, Peace Corps, USA
Mr. Jim Lynch, Computer Recycling and Reuse Development, Director, Tech Soup
Mr. Armen Orujyan, Chairman and President, ATHGO Foundation
Ms. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director, Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (APCICT)
Mr. Pietro Sicuro, Director, Institut de la Francophonie Numérique, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
15.30 – 16.00 Coffee break
16.00 – 17.30 Innovative Funding for ICTD: Applications and Services to Attain the Millenium Development Goals

In the new telecom world, "Content is King". With multiple languages spoken around the word, there is the demand today to have applications and services that support and service the communities — including e-government, e-health and e-learning. This session asks panellists to highlight what works and how to fund the initiatives that helped propel applications and services that helped in bridging the digital divide.
Moderator:
Mr. Guido Bertucci, Director, Division for Public Administration and Development (DPADM), UNDESA
Panellists:
Mr. Paul Braund, Executive Director, RiOS Institute
Mr. Alain Clerc, Executive Secretary, Global Digital Solidarity Fund
Mr. Willie Currie, Communications and Information Policy Manager, Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Mr. Ramon Garza, CEO, Indigo Media
Mr. Brad Kane, Director of International Development: TechSoup and Chief Executive Officer, International Commission on Workforce Development
Mr. Cliff Missen, Director, eGranary Digital Library
Ms. Kio Chung Kim, Executive Director, APWINC
17.30 – 17.45 Summary of the Proceedings by Mr. Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator, UNDESA-GAID
17.45 – 18.00 Closing Remarks by Mr. Guido Bertucci, Director, Division for Public Administration and Development (UNDESA-DPADM)
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