ICT, Millennium Goals and Development

Geert Duysters

UNU-MERIT

UNU-MERIT is a joint research and training centre of United Nations University (UNU) and Maastricht University, The Netherlands.

It is a large multicultural and interdisciplinary research community bringing together more than 100 researchers and graduate fellows from over 40 countries across the developed and developing world

Millennium Goals

Banning poverty & Hunger

Universal base education

Equivalence between men & women

Fight infant mortality

Reduce maternal mortality

Banning HIV/Aids and other diseases

Protection of the environment, clean drinking water and a reduction of people living in slums

Developing a worldwide cooperation for development

Millennium Goal 8

• UN countries should in cooperation with the private sector, try to make available the benefits of new technologies— especially information and communications technologies for developing economies.

• Active involvement of the private sector in the development world is becoming more important.

The Digital Divide

• “The term digital divide refers to the gap between those people with effective access to digital and information technology and those without access to it.” It includes the imbalances in physical access to technology as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen. In other words, it’s the unequal access by some members of the society to information and communications technology, and the unequal acquisition of related skills.

United Nations Secretary-General

• We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals."

The 2 faces of multinational ventures as considered by the outside world

• Activities of MNCs in developing countries are a manner of exploitation

• Engines of growth will ensure unprecedented times of development and prosperity

A private sector approach for development

• People from developing countries are consumers but at the same time agents that take place in the business process (e.g. producers and links in distribution channels

• Empowerment of local people seems to be the key to further development of countries (micro-credits & GET Foundation)

Why could Multinational ventures play an important role in developing?

• Resources to set up large projects concerning the infrastructure, to build distribution channels and to maintain communication networks

• Leverage effect: Companies are able to transmit their knowledge from other countries on local companies

• Bridge function: Provide access to (ICT) knowledge and financial resources. Furthermore, they can fulfil a control function in the cooperation between local governments, NGOs, companies and the local population

• Only a joint effort of NGOs, companies and governments can make the difference!

A new approach

• Pro-poor innovations: Most innovations increase the difference between rich and poor. The emphasis must be on innovations that decrease this difference (Micro-credits – GET etc)

• Socio-economical development by cooperation between NGOs, private parties and local governments. The aim is to come to divide competencies, networks, infrastructure and local knowledge.

UN Secretary General:

• "We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual.”