ICT for Development in Viet Nam

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ICT for Development in Viet Nam
Realizing digital opportunities and enhancing
human development in Viet Nam through a
multi-stakeholder methodology
Lars Bestle Programme Officer UNDP Viet Nam
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ICT for development in Viet Nam

• Since early 90s as technical components within
  programmes such as disaster management and public
  administration reform in HCMC
• The new ICTD strategy involves a shift from a
  pure project approach to upstream policy advice,
  national ICTD strategies implementation of
  priority programmes

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ICT for Development assistance in Vietnam

• Strengthening ICT for development strategies
• 1) Round-tables on ICT for development
• 2) e-awareness seminar series for
  parliamentarians
• 3) Open source policy framework
• 3) Mainstreaming of ICT in to programmes areas
  and poverty strategies

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Future ICT for Development assistance in Vietnam

• B. Capacity Development for local ICT
  applications
• Support to implementation of the Governments
  Master Plan for E-government
• Open source for development
• C. ICT for rural development
• Community Information and Communication
  Technology for integrated rural development in
  Viet Nam - a pilot project for improved
  information service delivery for farmers through
  community generated knowledge sharing
• ICT for HIV/AIDS prevention and care - health
  network
• ICT for local governance and decentralization

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Round-tables on ICT for development the proces

• July 2001 Launch of Human Development Report
  2001 Making new Technologies work for Human
  Development
• February 2002 UNDP Vietnam gives renewed
  priority to ICT for Development
• February to May 2002 Closer cooperation with
  Partys Central Commission for science and
  education

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The process

• APDIP mission
• May 2002 Project proposal from UNDP, MoSTE and
  Partys central commission for Science and
  Education
• BDP mission
• August 2002 New Government and new Ministry on
  Posts, Telecommunication and Informatics

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National Approaches to ICT
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Key national documents

• Directive 58, issued by the Party Politburo in
  strengthening the application and development of
  information technology for the national process
  of industrialization and modernization in the
  period 2001 2010
• IT Master Plan (2002 - 2005) signed by the Prime
  Minister in July 2002

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Maximum development benefit is achieved when a
set of interrelated components are pursued in
conjunction with one another so that the
interplay among them becomes catalytic.

• Human Capacity
• Intermediaries and Technology Users
• Knowledge Workers
• Entrepreneurs

• Strategic Compact
• New Collaborative Partnerships
• Strategic Alignment
• Coordinated Action
• Vision and Leadership

• Infrastructure
• Relative Ubiquity
• Strategically-
• Focused Capacity

• Policy
• Transparency and Inclusion
• Regulatory Framework
• Institutional Capacity

• Enterprise
• Finance and Credit
• Fair Tax Regime
• Property Rights and Commercial Law
• Access to Global/ Local Markets
• Efficiency and Reach of Local Business
• Demand Stimulus

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The ICTD strategy process
Targeted Implementation through fundable
programmes projects
ICTD Long Term Vision
DOI Policy Framework
Innovative Partnerships Solutions
Broad Multi-Stakeholder/Multi-Sectoral
Consultation Process
StrategicCompacts
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Round-tables on ICT for Development in Vietnam
Purpose To assist the Government to harness and
gain the full benefits of ICT for the networked
economy and socio-economic development Goal The
project is aiming at creating strategic solutions
and partnerships on ICT for development in
Vietnam in order to improve and support
forth-coming decision-making in the realm of ICT
for Development and to improve the on-going
implementation of directive 58 and the IT Master
Plan (2005).
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The proposed 6 step process

• Step 1 Conceptual framework and Situational
  Analysis
• Step 2 Communication strategy
• Step 3 Advocacy and awareness raising event
• Step 4 Discussion papers
• Step 5 ICT4D round tables
• Step 6 National Forum on ICT4D

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Step 1 Conceptual framework and situational
analysis

• To provide an overview of the current status of
  ICT for Development held up against the plans of
  the future
• To have an analytical tool that helps to keep
  focus on the main challenges and bottlenecks of
  ICT for Development
• Completed in June 2002

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Step 2 Communication strategy

• Communication between stakeholders
• Information and knowledge sharing
• Participation in the dialogue
• Public relation
• Web site (News and events, Discussion fora,
  Project information, Reports, Documents)
• E-discussion
• Pamphlets and brochures
• Media releases
• Launch October 15, 2002

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Step 3. ICT 4 D launching workshop

• To reach commitment to the process from key
  stakeholders
• Advocacy and awareness-raising on ICT for
  Development in Vietnam
• Knowledge sharing to create a minimum of
  threshold and common understanding of the goals
• 16 December, 2002

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Step 3 Discussion papers

• Collect existing data and information to provide
  an overview of the current situation
• To provide analytical depth to strategic options
  of the future
• To collect all the essential discussions and
  recommendations that various stakeholders will
  come up with during the national consultation
  process.

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Proposed topics for discussion papers

• 1. The current situation of ICT in Vietnam,
  (Deadline October 15, 2002)
• 2. A Digital Opportunity Initiative Creating a
  development dynamic for Vietnam (Deadline
  November 1, 2002)
• 3. ICT for specific development goals and
  development applications (Deadline February 1,
  2003)
• E-government in Vietnam
• ICT for rural development
• ICT for education
• E-business for development
• 4. Institutional arrangements and implementation
  of ICT for Development in Vietnam (Deadline
  April 1, 2003)
• 5. Synthesis report on ICT for Development in
  Vietnam (Deadline June 1, 2003)

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Step 4 ICT4D Round tables

• Vision and leadership
• Strategic alignment
• Co-ordinated action
• New collaborative public-private partnerships

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First round table

• The current situation of ICT in Vietnam
• Current initiatives
• International trends
• DOI framework
• Date Tentatively scheduled for March, 2003

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Second round table

• ICT for specific development goals
• E government
• E - commerce
• ICT for rural development
• ICT for education and improved learning
• Dates Tentatively scheduled for two days by the
  end of April, 2003

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Third round table

• Institutional arrangements
• Implementation
• Strategic compact
• Collaborative partnerships and actions
• Donor coordination
• Date Tentatively May 2003.

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Step 5 National Forum on ICT for Development

• To move from obtaining support for stand-alone
  initiatives towards enhanced co-operation in
  nationally prioritized programme areas
• To commit stakeholders to the strategic compact
  shared vision and collaborative actions
• Date Tentatively mid-June 2003

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Expected outcomes

• Increased awareness among the highest possible
  levels of public and private circles of how the
  people of Vietnam can benefit from ICT for
  Development
• A participatory policy making process in the
  field of ICT for Development
• Strengthening of the Government's strategic ICT
  policies capacity
• A strategic combination in future IT plans and
  decisions of ICT as an enabler for socio-economic
  development and ICT as a production sector in
  Viet Nam
• A strategic combination in future IT plans and
  decisions of ICT for Development goals and ICT as
  an industry in Viet Nam

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Main questions at the launching workshop

• What should be the objectives of the ICT
  round-tables?
• Which issues and topics should be discussed at
  the forthcoming round-tables
• Which roles and responsibilities should the ICT
  task force take on?

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Challenges

• Recognition of ICT as a development area
• Connecting the field of development and field of
  ICT
• Mainstreaming with other programmes
• Donor coordination