odgerel

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 e-Government Key Challenges to Enhance Citizen
Participation in Mongolia
Mr.Odgerel Ulziikhutag, MRTT, Mongolia Mr.
Shirbazar Sukhbaatar, ICT Authority, Mongolia
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CONTENT

• Country Overview
• 1. e-Government Strategies
• 1.1. e-Government Master Plan
• 1.2. Low Cost PC Affordable Internet Program
• 1.3. Open Government Portal
• 2. e-Government Key Challenges
• 2.1. Citizen Participation
• 2.2. Human Development and Security Issues
• 2.3. Digital Divide
• 3. Conclusion

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COUNTRY OVERVIEW

• Area 1.5 mln. sqr. km
• Population 2.5 mln. (2004)
• In Ulaanbaatar (capital city) 735000
• Geography mountains, forest, steppe, desert
• Administration Ulaanbaatar and 21 provinces
• Government Parliamentary
• Literacy rate 96.7

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Mongolia Macroeconomic Performance
(percent)
Source Bank of Mongolia, NSO 1997-2003
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1. e-Government Strategies
This policy aims at establishing the information
society and founding the knowledge-based society
in Mongolia by enhancing extensive applications
of ICT in all sectors of society. By 2012,
Mongolia will become one of the top ten ICT
developed countries in Asia.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
ICT-enabled Economic Growth
ICT Skills and Human Resources Development
Leadership and Reform
Interoperability and Applications
Public Awareness and Participation
Infrastructure development

• Designing and implementing new businesses such as
  e-Commerce, e-Tax, e-Custom, e-Payments,
  e-Procurement, e-Health, and e-Learning
• Establishment of an electronic system to expand
  civil participations
• Establishment of a unified Information exchange
  network among Gov. agencies
• Requirement for the leadership at all levels of
  e-Government execution
• Requirement for legislating laws and regulations
  on ICT
• Need to build high speed transmission networks
  throughout Mongolia
• Establishment of nation-wide Digital Community
  Centers for business
• Reduction of the Internet connection fees

Implications
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e-Government Master Plan
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Priority projects of E-government
Projects
Strategy

• Government Representative Portal
• Passport Management System
• Real Estate Registration System
• Social Insurance System

G2C

• Providing on-line public service
• Diversification on service channel

• Recruitment and Employment Information System
• e-Customs
• e-Procurement
• Business Registration and Approval Management
• Intellectual Property Management System

• Opening administration information and process
• Providing one-stop public service

G2B

• NID (National Identification) System
• e-Tax
• Immigration Management System
• e-Educational Administration System
• Administration Portal (e-Approval, KM,
  e-Document)
• EA (Enterprise Architecture)
• Integrated Government-wide Information System

• Computerization of government administration
• Integration of government information system
• Standardization of government administration

G2G

• Information Protection System
• Expansion of ICT Resource
• National Unified Code System Development
• ICT Literacy and HRD Program Development
• Legal reformation on e-Government
• Enhancement of ICT Organization

• A favorable ICT-based facility
• Building a national standard
• ICT literacy HRD
• Favorable law regulation
• A favorable organization

INFRA
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Suggestions for e-Government Master Plan

• e-Government Master Plan has very little address
  the needs of vulnerable groups. In the future,
  Government of Mongolia will provide more
  accessible services by community centers and
  ensure to facilitate inclusion vulnerable groups.
• The Government Representative Portal, NID System
  projects were drafted, the implementation
  mechanism and financial issues are still not
  clear. If the smart card will be introduced, it
  is not clear how the vulnerable groups can afford
  to buy and use them.

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Low Cost PC Affordable Internet Program

• This program is starting in Ulaanbaatar by
  June 29, in Darkhan Erdenet by September 01 and
  in other provinces by October 15, 2005.
• Government supports Computer supply companies for
  tax-free for computer, advertisements and others
  activities
• Banks provide loan and leasing for new computers
• Companies offers 4 kind of PC
• Cost of PC is around 250-450US
• 1 Tugrug Internet Campaign by dialup

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Suggestions for Low Cost PC Affordable
Internet Program

• The government agencies are cooperating closely
  with bank, financial organizations and computer
  trade companies. This program is still in the
  initial stage.
• The level of computerization in Mongolia varies
  social groups, incomes, and regions. The major
  constraints for the using computer are followings
  (a) low computer literacy (b) limited Mongolian
  content in Internet (c) English language barriers
  and (d) limited business opportunities
• As the Affordable Internet Program is only for 1
  year, the further Government coordination of Low
  cost PC and Affordable Internet Programs is
  needed. However, the internet cost should be
  reasonable.

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Open Government Portal (http//open-government.
mn)
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Suggestions for Open Government

• website addresses only central government issues,
  in the future cooperation with local governments
  is needed to provide a channel for local
  citizens voice to be heard.
• the open government web site needs to serve as a
  portal web site for the GOM. The linkage of the
  open government web site with the web sites of
  other government organizations should be
  improved.
• It is not clear how the suggestions and comments
  from discussions will effect to the Draft Law or
  other documents. the procedure on the citizens
  participation to the decision making process
  should be developed.

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2. e-Government Key Challenges
The presented findings are based on the
implemented programs, projects, research papers,
conference materials, newspaper citations,
internet resources in related topics. The key
challenges identified in the adaptation of the
e-government initiatives, especially for poor and
vulnerable groups in Mongolia such as (a) Citizen
Participation, (b) Human Development and Security
Issues and (c) Digital Divide.
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Citizen Participation

• In Mongolia, citizen participation is low, due to
  a lack of initiative, and due to the inertia left
  behind by a command-administrative system
• The low population density, financial constraints
  and underdeveloped communication networks has
  added barriers to participation, while there
  exists a poor understanding of democracy and
  human rights
• Therefore, Government of Mongolia considers that
  e-government can help strengthen citizen
  participation in the decision making process,
  promote open and accountable government, help to
  prevent corruption and protect personal
  information

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Human Development and Security Issues

• Mongolians learn quickly. This country is largely
  influenced by nomadic culture, which gives it a
  very flexible mentality.
• However, the lack of human resources, financial
  constraints, and low computer literacy in
  Mongolian are significant challenges.
• Therefore, the Government of Mongolia considers
  that one of the essential tasks for Mongolians at
  the beginning of the 21st century is to become
  universally computer literate. 1

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Bridging Digital Divide
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3. Conclusion

• 1. There are some well designed and formulated
  programs and projects in Mongolia.. Within the
  PPP framework, the GOM is successfully
  cooperating with bank, telecom operators, ISPs
  and computer trade companies. However, procedural
  and financial clarifications are essential for
  the implementation process.
•  2. These programs have very little impact to
  enhance citizens participation. In the future,
  GOM will provide more accessible services by
  community centres and ensure to facilitate
  inclusion vulnerable groups of Mongolian society.
  There is a need of clear and prompt strategy, to
  identify what actions we need to take and how to
  prioritise our actions.  

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3. Conclusion (cont..)

• 3. The studies show that existing policy
  documents address only central government issues.
  In the future more intensive actions should be
  done to develop local e-government.
• 4. Government of Mongolia takes some actions to
  bring new market opportunities for businesses and
  local people. Initial steps towards creation of
  Telecenters or Community Internet Centres have
  started in Mongolian rural areas with joint
  effort and valuable contribution of different
  stakeholders.
• 5. Mongolia urgently needs to take some actions
  to bridge digital divide.

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Thank you for your kind attention

• Mr. Odgerel Ulziikhutag,
• Director General of Post Department
• Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism, Mongolia
  
• Government Building-2, Ulaanbaatar-210646,
  Mongolia
• Fax [phone], Email holboo_at_magicnet.mn
• Mr. Shirbazar Sukhbaatar,
• Deputy Director of Policy and Planning
  Department,
• Information and Communication Technology
  Authority, Mongolia
• Central Post Office, POB 785, Ulaanbaatar-211213,
  Mongolia
• Tel [phone] (office) Email
  shirbazar_at_icta.gov.mn