Challenges and best practices at national level

National e-strategies are often still perceived in very technical terms and as being the responsibility of the communications or IT ministry alone, although this is slowly changing. Typically, this means that the other parts of government in turn pursue their own separate e-strategies with little coordination or adoption of cross-sectoral or broader consultative process that could assist in making the vision more responsive, realistic and implementable. In many e-strategies, activities are often listed with little or no attention paid to priorities, inter-linkages between the actions or realistic time-frames. Further, only a few strategies are linked with other national development policies or provide the framework for new development and business models to emerge. These are only some of the challenges faced in developing and implementing national and regional e-strategies.

This moderated roundtable / panel discussion will focus on the content of national strategies and the different elements that need to be addressed to move swiftly from high-level vision to action that can have a development impact and enhance equity. This Panel Discussion will focus on the content of national strategies, the institutional processes involving the different sectors of government and expertise and the mechanisms required to cater for country-specific needs. Successful cases will be highlighted as well as lessons to be learnt from obstacles met.

• Chair: (Ms.) Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Thailand
• Moderator: Mr. Stephen Browne, Director ICTD, UNDP
• Government: Minister Lidia Brito (Minister of higher education, science & technology, Mozambique)
• Research Perspective: Tadao Takahashi, Brazil
• Private sector: Martin Sanderlin, Senior Vice President,Corporate Marketing, Nokia
• New Approaches to meeting goals: Mohamad Yunus (Grameen Bank) - TBC
• Showcase /Initiatives: e-PolNet - An International global e- policy network (presentation by Richard Simpson, Industry Canada)

Organizers: UNDP with UNCTAD, UN Regional Commissions, World Bank, UN-ICT Task Force.