Senior officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal have agreed to collaborate on a subregional information communication technology (ICT) project to improve connectivity among the four countries.

The agreement by the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) countries was reached at the fourth ICT working group meeting to discuss the proposed SASEC Information Highway Project in New Delhi, India on 8-9 October 2007.

The joint statement issued at the meeting reassured the four countries' commitment to promote closer cooperation for development and applications of ICT, and to improve social and economic participation through better access to appropriate support and infrastructure. The project will mark the first multi-country investment project in South Asia supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), if it is approved by ADB’s Board of Directors in December.

“The SASEC Information Highway Project will help SASEC countries more efficiently and effectively connect to each other by broadband and bring the much needed social goods to communities in South Asia – especially to often underserved rural areas,” said Mr. Kunio Senga, the Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department at the conclusion of the meeting.

The SASEC Information Highway Project consists of three key components. It will establish the SASEC regional network to integrate member countries and reduce Internet costs, particularly for the land-locked countries of Bhutan and Nepal. It will also build the SASEC village network to expand broadband wireless connectivity to rural communities and enable them to better access services such as tele-medicine, distance learning, and e-government services. In addition, it will set up the SASEC regional research and training network to facilitate the flow and integration of information, knowledge, and services among member countries through directly linking communities, businesses, and research institutes.

These networks will be established and operated through the public-private partnership with a strong focus on entrepreneurship development.

The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation was established in 2001 by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal with ADB’s support. It aims to promote the subregion’s economic cooperation in the priority areas, including transport, tourism, and ICT.

Source: http://www.adb.org

Soon after returning back from the Consultative Meeting for the Establishment of Regional Knowledge Network of Telecentres in Asia-Pacific, 27-28 September 2007, Bangkok, Nepal Rural Information Technology Society (NRIDS) organized a ICTs Workshop in Syangja on 4th and 6th October 2007 in coordination with District Development Committee Syangja, Ministry of Local Development, Nepal Government. Village Development Committee (VDC) Secretary form 60 VDCs took part in the workshop. The Workshop focused on the ICTs promotion in the rural areas and E-Governance. I was found that most of the VDC secretaries were not well acquainted with usage and importance of ICTs. So first of all the VDC Secretaries were briefed about the Importance of ICTs in Syangja District context. Photos, videos and audios of the activities of NRIDS in Syangja were demonstrated. Then the activities of other related projects in Nepal were demonstrated. The experience shared and knowledge gained from the Consultative Meeting in Bangkok organized by UNESCAP was also shared among the Secretaries of VDC. Local Development Officer, other NGOs representatives, Journalists were also present in this workshop. As the outcome of this workshop the all the VDCs agreed to prepare Village Profile. Also the agreement has been done to make the District web portal to manage all the VDCs activities. All the VDCs agree to establish Community Information Centers (CICs).

There was an agreement between NRIDS, Syangja and District Development Committee, Syangja to jointly carry out the ICT promotion activities in the whole district. Both organizations agreed to establish 10 new Community Information Centers (CICs) in the remote areas of Syangja district. Also 40% investment responsibility is taken by DDC, Syangja. However remaining 60% is to be managed by NRIDS by Lobbying with the donor agencies or by any other means. In this regard we seek relevant assistance from all the concerned donor agencies.