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ICT and E-Business Strategies for Development

High-level Regional Conference for Transition Economies
Geneva, 20-21 October 2003

Organized by the 

 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
and the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Background

UNCTAD and UNECE are co-organizing a Regional Conference for Transition Economies on "ICT and E-Commerce Strategies for Development". This initiative is part of UNCTAD’s work on information and communication technologies (ICT) and e-commerce for development and UNECE activities regarding international standards for e-business and global supply chains, as well as the development of the knowledge-based economy in transition countries. The work of both UN agencies in the area of ICT and e-commerce strategies for development provides policy guidance to member countries in their drive to embrace modern ICT and Internet based e-business and e-government practices. The goal is to make transition and developing economies and their enterprises more competitive and able to produce and sell higher-value-added products and services through global e-marketplaces.

Topics

The Conference will focus on the development of ICT, e-business and e-commerce in the transition economies and will consider appropriate policies and strategies that can enhance the capacities of these countries to use or even produce ICT-related technologies, primarily in the area of e-business and in particular e-trade applications. Participants will share local, regional and global experiences in policy formulation and implementation of ICT and e-commerce strategies.

Proceedings and outcome

The Conference will start with keynote addresses and will conclude with a High-level Round Table. The Conference sessions will include discussions of national ICT and e-commerce strategies and practices, regional cooperation in that domain, and the state of e-business and e-finance. The Round Table is expected to close with general conclusions that position transition economies vis-à-vis international initiatives related to ICT and e-commerce. In this connection, the Ministers in charge of ICT and e-commerce policies and strategies in transition economies, having adopted a set if principles and priorities for action towards an information society at the Pan European Regional Ministerial Conference at Bucharest on 7-9 November 2002, might wish to complement the efforts of their counterparts from Asia and Africa, who have already adopted declarations within the framework of similar UNCTAD regional conferences, and thus draw the attention of the international community, and in particular the World Summit on the Information Society, to the role of e-business and e-commerce in transition economies.

Participation

Governments are invited to designate delegations composed of high-level government representatives and experts from the public and private sectors to participate in this conference.

Working languages

The working languages of the Conference will be English, French and Russian.