In a pioneering bid to energize local-level action towards closing the gap between information “haves and have-nots,” the eleventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI) last week launched an Internet-based global research network that will connect academic institutions wishing to improve their programmes, knowledge, training skills and expertise in the areas of trade, investment and development.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rubens Ricupero introduced the Virtual Institute on Trade and Development, saying that knowledge had become the foremost tool driving social and economic growth, primarily because development was a continuous learning process.
He hoped the Institute would enhance capacities to manage the worlds complex and information-driven society, as well as play a crucial role in facilitating the development of a global network of research and institutions of higher learning for sharing and disseminating information on trade and development issues.
The Virtual Institute Network aims to prepare future generations – particularly in developing countries – to make informed decisions about the economic development of their countries. Members are allowed to share information about their activities to contribute their own training and research materials to the Network database, and to benefit from the contributions of UNCTAD and the other members.
Mario Ferreira Presser of Brazils State University of Campinas, a founding Network member, said that while clicking a mouse could never replace face-to-face contact, the Network could provide important input to the Universitys efforts, complementing but not replacing other endeavours.
Azad Parahoo, Director of the Distance-Learning Center of the University of Mauritius, another founding member, said the Network would facilitate access to the most up-to-date information on trade and investment policies and trends, allowing the University to better prepare future government officials and private-sector players.
The launch capped a day-long consideration of “Partnership for Development”, organized around three panel discussions that addressed, respectively, on line/distance learning and networking, trade and transport facilitation, and for the first time in UNCTADs 40-year history, information and communications technology (ICT) and development.
Mr. Ricupero said one of UNCTADs main objectives had always been helping developing countries improve their competitiveness in international trade, and today, there was perhaps nothing that could match the dynamic potential of ICT to spur growth and lock in wide scale development gains.
So, while North-South cooperation was critical to ensure access to technologies, it was just as important for developing countries themselves to take the lead by creating enabling policy environments and educating their people about the benefits.
During an interactive debate, government representatives, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders stressed that while ICT was one of the most effective tools in empowering people and generating jobs and opportunities, for many developing countries, the “digital divide” continued to grow despite their governments best efforts.
While developed countries were preoccupied with further modernization information technology networks, priority areas for many poor nations included basic access to new technologies and low-cost hardware and software. Speakers insisted on the need to promote cooperation among various parties across the globe in utilizing the digital economy to enhance economic and social development.
Also stressed in the debate were ever-increasing gaps not only between the developed and developing worlds, but also between rural and urban areas, skilled and unskilled groups of population, and large and small enterprises.
Addressing the efforts to improve small- and medium-sized enterprises ability to exploit ICT and the Internet, participants said that those factors played an important role in increasing productivity and competitiveness. E-commerce had already brought major changes in relative competitiveness of many businesses and continued to generate new business opportunities, making business contacts easier to manage.
Highlighting the key role that trade and transport facilitation played in economic development, another panel of experts focused on the realities facing shippers and handlers of goods since 11 September 2001, and identified problems and possible ways to build an efficient and secure environment for international trade and transport.
One speaker said the international community had been galvanized to upgrade security and border patrol measures, focusing on ports, cargo and the entire supply chain. Another warned that enhanced security measures – particularly anti-terrorist efforts – should not hinder trade and should not arbitrarily penalize specific business dealers.
Another speaker said that in order for developing countries to get competitive and stay competitive in todays trading environment, they should, among other things, ensure and support global supply chains with a minimum of red tape, and increase the use of ICT.
While building better roads and ports was critical, developing countries also must confront deeply entrenched cultural obstacle such as nepotism. It was critically necessary to build efficient railway network in Africa, he said, noting that while it might be difficult to overcome linguistic differences and political instability, that goal should be pursued nevertheless.
Kilde: FNs nyhedstjeneste
