Digital Divide on Commonwealth Heads Agenda

The theme of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) slated for Malta 25 - 27 November 2005, is 'Networking the Commonwealth for Development'. The digital divide (the gap between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not) will form part of the substantive discussions at the CHOGM.

These discussions will be based on the Commonwealth Action Programme on the Digital Divide (CAPDD) first prepared by the Commonwealth Expert Group on Information Technology in July 2001 for consideration by the Commonwealth High Level Review Group, set up by Heads of Government to advise on how best it could respond to the challenges of the new century.

Objectives

The Commonwealth Foundation has established a working group on CAPDD which includes one Civil Society representative each from Barbados and Trinidad . The specific aims of the working group on the CAPDD are to identify programmes and projects in the Commonwealth which will support and strengthen the achievement of the recommendations set out in the CAPDD. The Group is also expected participate in the national and regional consultations to identify national ICT4D (Information and Communications Technology for Development) priorities which the Commonwealth might address.

Call for Proposals

To take the CPADD forward to the implementation phase, the Commonwealth is currently looking for projects in five areas, namely: Building policy capacity; Modernising education and skills development; Entrepreneurship for poverty reduction; Promoting local access and connectivity; and Regional networking. The focus between now and CHOGM in November, is to identify projects which will support and strengthen the achievement of the recommendations set out in the CAPDD. (view more at: www.commonwealthdigitalopportunities.com/faq.htm ).

In this process it has been recognised that the input of CSOs is important and it is urgent that proposals for these projects are developed, as they would be discussed at the High Level Forum in London , June 22-24, 2005 at which representatives from government and the private sector will be present. Proposals from the various regional consultations will be considered at this High Level Forum, for submission of an actionable programme to the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Malta in November 2005, as well as to donor/development agencies and private sector stakeholders. (Guidelines and forms for project proposals are available at BANGO.)

The Commonwealth Foundation is collaborating with the Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat to facilitate civil society input into the CAPDD.

Role of the Working Group

The role of the working group is to: 1. Advise the Commonwealth Foundation on the civil society perspectives of the WSIS process; 2. Advise the Commonwealth Foundation on what the Commonwealth can do to include civil society in implementing the WSIS outcomes; 3. Participate and/or provide input to the consultations on the CAPDD as identified above; 4. Organise the ICT4D track of the Commonwealth Peoples Forum and feed in results from the WSIS meeting being held in Tunisia in November 2005, to the Commonwealth People's Forum and CHOGM; 5. Participate in the national consultations and e-conference to identify national ICT4D needs which the Commonwealth might address; 6. Keep the Commonwealth Foundation informed of national, regional or international events and developments that may be relevant to the Commonwealth Action Programme on the Digital Divide.

Role of the Commonwealth Foundation:

In facilitating civil society input into CAPDD, the Commonwealth Foundation will: 1. Liaise with the Commonwealth Secretariat to keep track of progress on the CAPDD; 2. Facilitate links between the working group and the Governance and Institutional Development Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat; 3. Facilitate links between the working group and other members of the Digital Divide Task Force (Commonwealth of Learning, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, Commonwealth Business Council, and COMNET-IT); 4. Facilitate civil society participation in the High Level Forum on the CAPDD in London from 22 - 24 June; 5. Link the working group to Commonwealth regional meetings (Caribbean in May, Malta (for Africa and Asia in June) on the CAPDD to enable them to participate if possible.

While we attended the meeting in May, Barbados did not have that consultation as yet. However, more important is the call for proposals to meet the June 22 - 24 deadline. Those who have concepts for proposals should contact BANGO as soon as possible to get your proposal on the agenda for the CHOGM.

Roosevelt O. King
Secretary General
admin@bango.org.bb