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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Developing Partnerships to bridge the Digital Divide in the Commonwealth

23 March 2007

Narrowing the gap between those with access to information and communication technology (ICT) and those without through collaboration and partnership among governments, the private sector and civil society – is the focus of the Commonwealth Connects 2007 International e-Partnership Summit.

The inaugural international conference of Commonwealth Connects since its establishment in August 2006, is held in New Delhi, India, from 23 to 24 March 2007.

India’s President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam will open the two-day conference.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and the Chairperson of Commonwealth Connects Dr Michael Frendo, Foreign Minister of Malta, will also speak at the event.

Mr McKinnon said the International e-Partnership Summit will offer networking opportunities for all players in the ICT industry to work together in mutually beneficial ways to enhance the use of modern technology for development in the Commonwealth.

“Every aspect of our lives are interlinked with ICT – through the internet, e-mails, PDAs, SMS, 3-G mobile phones, global positioning systems – you name it, all the acronyms that dominate cyberspeak and IT-speak,” said the Secretary-General.

“We live in an instantaneous world of communications today with data transmissions taking place every second of every day – information that is critical for success in governance and business, as well as emergency situations to save lives. Having information at your fingertips is vital so that you are well informed and can make educated decisions. Commonwealth Connects can help develop the potential of an individual, company, community and country by employing ICT for growth.”

Commonwealth Connects Chairperson Dr Michael Frendo said the power of ICT should be harnessed to improve competitiveness in the global arena.“Connectivity is crucial to facilitate the transfer of technology, knowledge and data,” said Mr Frendo.

“In our digital age, you need to have access to local, regional and international networks and the ability to develop local content and knowledge. Commonwealth Connects aims to bridge the digital divide among countries and communities so that we can all benefit from the sharing of resources and capacities to help each other progress by capitalising on our comparative advantage. This sharing of knowledge, experience and skills is how the Commonwealth can add value to member countries through the Commonwealth Connects ICT development programme.”

Note to Editors

The Commonwealth Connects programme is focused on building policy and regulatory capacity; modernising education and skills development; enhancing entrepreneurship for poverty reduction; promoting local access and connectivity; and improving regional networking, local content and knowledge.

Commonwealth Connects is currently supporting three projects. The first project is ‘Rebuilding after the Tsunami: using ICTs for change’, which uses modern internet technology to enhance the capacity of civil societies in Sri Lanka and India to co-ordinate their post–Tsunami recovery efforts.

The second project being delivered in Cameroon is focused on ‘Small business training for women in Cameroon using radio programmes. It involves the development of content for radio programmes that will provide useful information and tips to help strengthen the entrepreneurial capacity of women in targeted communities.

The third project - ‘Computers for communities’ is aimed at providing refurbished computers for schools and disadvantaged communities throughout the Caribbean. This project is being executed by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago which will set up the refurbishment centre.

For media enquiries please contact Geraldine Goh, Communications Adviser, at +44-7730-900-020 or at the Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi, at +91-11-2436-3030, Room 111.

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