Partnering For ICT Development in the Caribbean

1. Partnering For ICT Development in the Caribbean • by Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah • CEO, CTO • Presented at CANTO 22nd Conference Punta Cana, Dominican Republic • 19, June 2006

2. CONTENT… • Overview: Global Communications Growth • Global Accords—WSIS and CAPDD • Drivers of The Knowledge Economy • ICT Issues in the Caribbean • Priorities of Governments • Operating Companies and the Future • How Partnerships Can Help • The CTO as a Unique Partnership • Mission Statement • Current Programmes • Programme for Development and Training • Conclusion

3. Mobile Exceeded Fixed in 2002 Mobile Growing 5-10x faster in most countries China, India, Brazil, Nigeria, —highest growth Manufacturers $30 handset, $10 SIM card propel growth Mobile operators market nimbleness prevails Technology improves use of limited spectrum New mobile/wireless products gain market share Liberalisation, regulation, competition foster growth Government’s see mobile as killer for rural communications Mobile Sector assists with ICT4D and E-applications Improved collaboration btw Govts, Regulators, Operators Technological, Policy and Regulatory Convergence Global Communications Growth--The Mobile Example—

4. Failures of Fixed Lines and High Pent-Up demand 3bn subscribers; 2.2 billion mobile Lower costs of roll-out and customer access Favourable Governmental Policy decisions Legislative and Regulatory Support (Spectrum use) Operational and interoperability aspects Technology, R&D, installation, maintenance E-Applications and Uses—esp. for development Implications of Convergence Financial, Technological, HR and Managerial Overview: Global ICT Growth

5. IMPACT OF WSIS AND CAPDD - Recognise ICTs as Development Facilitators (MDGs) - Provide time-table and targets for achievement - Call for Public-Private-Partnerships - Promote entrepreneurship and private sector - Identify Roles for Financial institutions • Focus on Access and Affordability • Rmpower international organisations • Support Democratisation of Technological • Innovation • - Seek inclusiveness for marginalised

6. Need to Inform, Educate, Entertain To Distribute, Transmit and Share To Network, Empower, Coordinate To Develop, Transform, Grow Economies To Reduce Costs, gain Time Efficiencies To Compute, Analyse, Process, Store data Reduce distances, bring together nations Build nations, companies, communities Drivers of the Knowledge Economy

7. ICT ISSUES IN THE CARIBBEAN -- The challenges of geography, SIS, multi-culture -- Continued ICT national linkages to colonial-era capital -- Need for greater integration in spirit of CARICOM/CSME -- Commendable regional initiative in ECTEL creation -- Late development of regulatory capacity/institutions -- Developing/Implementing National ICT Policies -- Developing/Implementing regional broadband agenda -- Satellite dependencey, vrs fibre and wireless networks -- National public/private vrs international loans/equity -- Network and operations management; HR challenges -- Need to collaborate with rest of developing world: ACP, ITU/UN, Commonwealth, etc

8. Reduce costs of ICTs in nations/region, by fostering liberalization and competition • Leverage ICT opportunities to attract investment • Foster Liberalization and competition, • Make ICTs contribute to broader development, especially for tourism, financial services, media and entertainment • See to the needs of marginalized, rural and poor • Ensure high standards and consumer satisfaction • Reduce over-dependency on Western nations • Recognize impact of convergence on variety of services and offering • Use Regulators to ensure level playing field PRIORITIES OF CARIBBEAN GOVERNMENTS

9. Regulatory Issues Affecting Operators

10. Convergence in National/Regional Regulation Collaborative competition—sharing of infrastructure Technology convergence & push for price reductions Pooled procurement to reduce Capex Promote BPOs, ITES industries, develop ICT skills Focus on Public-Private-Peoples-Partnerships Resolve Interconnection Issues Quickly---ADR Manage Spectrum Efficiently to facilitate growth Consider USFs for rural/marginalised access Managing IP, VoIP, NGN, Wi-Fi,Triple/Quad Play CTO ready to offer collaboration/partnership ICT PARTNERSHIPS IN THE CARIBBEAN—THE FUTURE

11. 104-year-old London-based IGO Unique multi-stakeholder partnership, owned by governments, regulators, operators, etc. Caribbean, African, Asian, Pacific members—facilitates learning, sharing and pooling resources Not part of COMSEC but collaborates with it Highly democratic structure, members making equal contributions for equal voice in decisions Focussed on promoting ICT development of members: Policy, Regulatory, Techno Neutral THE CTO AND ICT GROWTH

12. THE CTO AS A FACILITATOR OF PARTNERSHIPS • National and regional ICT development programmes • Training and capacity building (policy, regulation, technology and business development)—e.g. BDO • Advisory and consultancy services—NEDAD/WB study of 22 COMESA countries backhaul options • International and regional conferences and seminars • Country and company specific ICT events • Research (e.g. VoIP, Telecoms Impact on Rural) • Information and publication services Fixed – Fiber-- Mobile – Wireless - Satellite

13. CTO’S MISSION STATEMENTS • Offer the highest quality programmes for capacity development, knowledge sharing and information services to member countries • Deepen, expand and diversify the partnerships between governments, businesses and other organisations to reduce global poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals for ICT • Help bridge the digital and knowledge divide especially in the five key sectors of food & agriculture (e-nutrition), education (distance learning), health (telemedicine), e-government and e-commerce • Facilitate the successful development of telecommunications and other businesses to support social and economic development objectives of governments and civil society

14. PROGRAMME FOR DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING (PDT) “Enabling professional capacity and expertise in ICT” Over 30,000 ICT professionals trained since 1985 • Needs-led consultancy and professional training • Annual cycle of pooled procurement of skills development • Non-profit, high-value, best-fit, least-cost services • Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa • Some 1,500 middle and senior professionals trained each year • Governments, regulators, operators and service providers • Technology, regulation and business development • Welcome training arrangements with Providers Opportunities exist to collaborate with Caribbean operators!!

15. CURRENT CTO MEMBER PRIORITIES • Programmes for Development and Training (PDT) • Portfolio of Training/Capacity Building Courses • National ICT Planning and Implementation – ICT Road Map • Rural Communications – Rural Tel-Coop, based on mostly wireless/mobile applications • ICT Dispute Resolution – CTO ADR Centre • ICTs for Disaster Management—Guyana 9/2006 • International conferences, workshops and seminars • Policy/Regulatory advice to 23 African Nations (on common broadband fibre-optic cable)

16. CTO’s SEAGATEWAY PROJECT Objective: Improving maritime security and safety through more interactive wireless communications systems. Beneficiaries • Large container vessels, oil tankers, etc • Coastal, maritime and port administrations • Ship and cargo Insurers and underwriters • Exporters and importers • National security, immigration and law enforcement Key Features • Real-time data, voice and video for land-sea connectivity and in support of Inter-modal door-to-door transportation • Technical and Financial Partners Welcome

17. Global Communication Growth Provides Opportunities International community supportive (WSIS/CAPDD) Policy, legislation and regulation must help operators Operators Must Be Sensitive to National/Regional aspirations; also share facilities and collaborate CTO has decades of experience, including Caribbean CTO ready to work with Caribbean ICT community— governments, regulators, operators, consumers-- to integrate region with global Knowledge Economies SUMMARY

18. THANK YOU Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah CEO, CTO Clareville House, 26 – 27 Oxendon Street London SW1Y 4EL Tel.: +44 20 7930 5511 Fax: +44 20 7930 4248 E-mail: e.spio-garbrah@cto.int