United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP )

1. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Community e-Centres(CeCs) for Rural Development and Poverty ReductionBishkek16-18 November 2004

2. Goals - Strengthening national capacity to utilize satellite communication and other ICTs to improve connectivity and services to rural communities in under-serviced areas • Access to market information • Development opportunities • e-commerce/SME development • Distance education and training • Tele-health care • Entertainment • Demonstrate accessibility and affordability of satellite broadband CeCs for physically difficult areas • Identify mechanisms for long-term sustainability of satellite broadband CeCs

3. Making use of satellite communications advantages • Not dependent on expensive terrestrial networks - optical fibre, microwave or cable are not viable in some areas • Scalable - Satcom capacity can increase as new services for development arise • Community-based - reduces overhead cost per user - supports broader rural development • Using region’s advanced communications satellites

4. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Satellites moving to broadband • Satellites moving to broadband • Satellite access competitive • with terrestrial broadband ISPs • Advantageous for geographically • under-serviced areas • Commercial broadband programmes expanding • Opportunities for developing various applications for socio-economic development • Broadband/multi media satellite • IP supported (common platform for ISPs) • Small Local Area Network connected via • satellite to backbone networks

5. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Information and communication to rural areas through Community e-Centre (CeC) Basic access to information and communication functions WWW browsing Multimedia and data broadcasting Information and database access Fax and telephony, when regulations allow Access to knowledge through services Distance education Tele-health care Social-economic development oriented information services

6. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Strong interest of member countries • Common Needs: • Affordable and sustainable CeC operation • Policy framework • National capacity building • Information/local contents provision Opportunities from national SatCom programmes • China’s ChinaSat and SinoSat • India’s INSAT • Japan’s i-Space

7. Keen interest of satellite communications operators to cooperate Major satellite operators (Intelsat, New Skies Satellites, iPSTAR, AsiaSat, etc.) service broadband applications in the region from distance learning to IP-based rural telephony and e-commerce Would consider for UNESCAP: • bandwidth free of charge to pilot education project • broadband free of charge for humanitarian projects • special discount packages for its iPSTAR broadband services to UNESCAP members

8. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Project Strategy • Awareness on policy and technical • requirements to facilitate operational • CeCs using Satcom • Demonstration of • Accessibility - operational considerations • Availability - hardware, software, ISPs, ICPs, satellites • Acceptability - Community requirements • - Flexible and maintainable • - Sustainable • Development of policy framework on Satcom and CeC • Development of guidelines for sustainable CeC • Regional partnership, including with private sector, for sustainable services

9. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP ) Information, Communication and Space Technology Division Project implementation Development of satellite communications based community e-centres Policy framework and guidelines for operating CTC services Pilot Project Development of affordable, applicable and sustainable model Multi-sectoral participation Partnerships (ISPs, ICPs, satellite operators) Regional cooperation Sharing of resources Government support, policies and regulations, national key ICT application programmes Donor support Capacity building Infrastructure

10. Role of ESCAP Initiate the project - Organize regional task force - Coordinate project activities • Assist in project implementation • Organize consultancy missions • Coordinate resource sharing • Monitor project implementation • Administrative support • Technical training programme • Expert meetings • Report results

11. The Information, Communication and Space Technology Division of UNESCAP • Composed of 3 Sections: • ICT Policy Section • ICT Applications Section • Space Technology Applications Section • ICSTD works towards poverty alleviation and managing globalization in the region through: • Intergovernmental and expert group meetings • Research and studies • Development of networks • Capacity building, regional workshops/trainings • Promotion of operational activities/projects • Technical Advisory Services

12. Objectives of the Information, Communication and Space Technology (ICST) Subprogramme Facilitation, particularly for marginalized countries, of enabling environments for access to, and development, transfer and application of, ICST to maximize benefits of globalisation. In collaboration with other sub-programmes of UNESCAP, help members to effectively apply ICST to achieve MDG benchmarks including poverty reduction, e-learning, e-health.

13. UNESCAP Key Strengths • Largest regional organization in Asia-Pacific: 62 membership, 600-strong secretariat • Multi-disciplinary, cross-sectoral • Rich experience in facilitating regional cooperation • Access to almost all government ministries • Strong convening power • Reform-minded • Institutionalized network of focal space agencies to the Regional Space Applications Programme

14. Why CeCs Why Rural Development and Poverty Reduction?Mandates and Realities

15. WSIS: Of the 11 benchmarks, the following is on the top: to connect villages with ICTs and establish community access points;

16. 1st Subcommittee on ICST (Bangkok 13-15 October 2004): CeCs that provide integrated ICST infrastructure and services are considered an important development tool that has potential to empower communities. The Subcommittee ensured ESCAP’s role and encouraged ESCAP to continue its work in developing sustainable models for CeCs, documenting good practices and conducting training workshops for CeCs.

17. 10th Meeting of ICC, Bangalore, 21-22 October 2004: The Committee recognized that space technology can help bridge the digital divide through satellite-connected community e-centres. Related mechanisms towards the operational use of space technology to expand the digital connectivity to remote and underserved areas should be addressed by RESAP.

18. Asia Pacific is basically Rural Our region is basically rural, and home to the largest population especially largest poor population of the world among all regions. The secretariat has received requests from a large number of member countries to help them connect villages with ICSTs and establish community access points, the one WSIS benchmark on top of all others in the Plan of Action. Accordingly, we have started a focused thrust on community e-centers to share best practice, build capacity and to demonstrate pilot projects. Mr Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary 1st SubCom on ICST, 13 October

19. Thank you!