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New Working Group on e-Balkans to be established
under Swedish leadership under Working Table 2 of the Stability
Pact for South East Europe (SEE) from January 2001
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Preliminary
Steps
a.Swedish
Government to select the chair and other staffing. Participation
solicited from regional and international experts from government
and the private sector. A co-chair to be invited from one
or more countries from region.
b.The
UK is to set-up a meeting in London for e-envoys, (national
co-ordinators), from each country of the region and Pact leadership
in mid December. The e-envoys to be the core of the Working
Group. Governments in SEE to be invited to nominate e-envoys,
where they do not already exist. Governments to be encouraged
to give sufficient powers and back-up to the e-envoys.
c.Follow-up
Stability Pact meeting to consider Wilton Park action. The
meeting should stress the e-initiative as a priority for integration.
This would help to grab the attention of the larger community
in the region.
d.This
meeting to consider new name for e-Balkans (for example e-SEE
or e-SE Europe). Suggestions invited. Names suggested include:
e-growth, e-associate/s, e-connect, e-unite, e-enlargement,
e-members/ship, Balkans 2 net.
Website to be established as clearing-house to help co-ordinate
the Working Group’s work. The design, organisation, development
and maintenance of the web-site should heavily involve e-specialists
from SEE.
e.Business
people from IT major companies and from new business community
in SEE encouraged to provide input/pressure by virtual ‘ginger
groups’ by e-mail. NGOs representing civil society should
also be encouraged to lobby.
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Aim of
e-Balkans initiative:
a.Develop
a comprehensive e-strategy for SEE as set out in the G8 Okinawa
Charter:-
Government leadership in promoting policy, regulatory measures,
and network readiness.
Government and private sector co-operation in increasing access
to IT and lowering costs.
Fostering a favourable investment and business environment.
Building human capacity, and IT awareness through training
and education including lifelong learning.
Encouraging participation in global development of e-commerce
networks.
Highlight the role of the Stability Pact as a promoter, guarantor
for the e-Balkans before the decision-makers and investors
in the developed countries.
b.Assist
Governments of South East Europe in drawing-up and implementing
national information strategies, presenting them with clear
guidelines guarantee so that successful and practical strategies
are implemented in the SEE countries, to the extent possible.
c.Co-ordinate
with existing or related activities by G8, European Commission,
World Bank, EBRD, OECD, EIB, the Council of Europe, and bilateral
development programmes, and the Investment Compact.
d. Ensure
digital issues are included in the agenda of the other multilateral
agencies.
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Key steps
for the Working Group
(i)
Identify key targets and timescale to maintain a sense of
purpose and momentum.
(ii) Highlight
bottlenecks/obstacles that can be easily overcome.
(iii)
Identify key areas of action.
(iv) Agree
a realistic timescale. The proposed World Summit on the Information
(iv) Society, (http://www.wsis.itu.int). It
is due to be held in 2003, in Switzerland or Tunisia, is one
suggested deadline. Business representatives have emphasised
the need for greater speed, and a clear set of targets between
now and 2003 to create a momentum.
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Key issues
for the Working Group
a. Create sub-groups to look at key areas:
b. Consider
the synchronisation of e-Balkans agenda with the e-Europe
targets agreed at the Lisbon European Union Heads of Government
Summit in February. This would ensure that e-Balkans is fully
part of the Stabilisation and Association process. The e-envoys
from SEE can take responsibility for adhering to the targets.
c. Identify
successful initiatives in SEE, and encourage their replication
elsewhere, taking into account the differences between the
countries of SEE. What are the key measures? What is the best
sequencing? What are the lessons already learned from implementation?
d. Create
collaborative partnerships between Governments business and
NGOs to make sure initiatives are grounded in reality, and
policy-makers are constantly reminded of the speed required
if SEE is not to be left behind.
e. Consider
if funding can be made available for “quick-win”
digital initiatives to demonstrate to leaders and their publics
the value of such initiatives. Private-public sector partnerships
can play a useful role, such as the Cisco Networking Academy
Programme CNAP, providing entry level IT training. Other Major
IT companies also have assistance programmes; Microsoft has
one for university teachers and libraries.
f.
Ensure that a coherent focussed information campaign to involve
senior media people and Parliamentarians to make sure that
public awareness and pressure is increased.
g. Make
sure that the dialogue with business and NGO’s is used
to keep touch of developments at the grass-roots level and
to give the highest priority to assistance of ‘bottom-up’
projects.
h. Draw
in other bilateral donors into the process, such as the United
States, and also Japan, which has a strong interest in Digital
Divide issues. Digital divide initiatives by the private sector,
such as the new HP e-inclusion strategy should also be tapped
into where appropriate, especially for rural areas.
i.
Consider appropriate forms of knowledge assessment strategies
to assist e-envoys and their staff highlight the strengths
and weaknesses of each country for the knowledge economy.
It could be used to help them prioritise their strategies
by determine key areas, and to make others in Government aware
of the problems. One option would be to discuss with the World
Bank Institute running a detailed regional knowledge assessment
conference for regional specialists, using the indicators
developed by the WBI. IBM has already suggested that countries
should carry out a knowledge bench-marking exercise under
its “eSEEUROPE plan. ” As a first step it has commissioned
a guide to create readiness for the networked world. The guide
was compiled by the Center for International Development at
Harvard University, and has 19 readiness indicators.
j.
Given the importance of telecoms reform, special attention
should be given to making national Governments aware of importance
of setting up effective liberalisation, proper telecoms regulation,
and the licensing of 3G mobile technology. A regional meeting
of telecoms regulators to assist may be appropriate, especially
as EU member states consider new forms of regulation of telecoms
and broadcasting with digital convergence.
k. To synchronise
the e-Balkans initiative and its steps within the countries
with the pre-accession process and thus stimulating SEE Governments
to work on this issue.
l.
Further policy proposals are contained in the ‘Priorities
for Advancing the Digital Agenda’, proposed by participants
at the Wilton Park Conference on the Digital Agenda for SE
Europe.’ This will also be available at http://www.wiltonpark.org.uk
A conference report will also be available there shortly.
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