TaskForceonFinancialMechanisms-finalreport-ITU.doc

Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Findings 2 Conclusions 8 1.0 The Financing Issue in the WSIS-Geneva Context 14 2.0 Context and Framework for Financing ICT for Development 15 2.1 The Development Rationale for a focus on ICT 15 2.2 Leveraging ICT for Development 16 2.3 Financing ICT for Development 18 2.4 Recognizing Achievements Exploring Financing Challenges and Gaps 20 3.0 Financial Mechanisms: Approaches and Experience 22 3.1 International Resources and Mechanisms 22 3.2 Domestic Resources and Mechanisms 46 4.0 ICT for Development and Financing: Challenges Promising Practices 61 4.1 Defining Policy Frameworks and Implementation Strategies 61 4.2 Building Backbone Infrastructures 67 4.3 Ensuring Effective Access 72 4.4 Enriching Development: Applications and Content 78 4.5 Strengthening Human Resource Capacity, Promoting Opportunity 83 Conclusions: 89 Acknowledgements 95 Task Force Members 95 Annex 1 Definitions of ODA, OOF and Private Flows 97 Annex 2 The Monterrey Consensus and Efforts of DAC Members 98 Annex.3 Summary of available instruments at MDBs 100 Annex 4 Donor ICT for Development Programmes and Expenditures Summary Table (as of September 2004) 103 Annex 5 Selected Donor Programmes and Initiatives 109 Annex 6 Selected UN organizations Activities/Initiatives – Summary Table 117 Annex 7 Example of Complexity of Financing 118 Selected References 121 Executive Summary WSIS Context The WSIS Plan of Action requested the Secretary General of the United Nations to create a Task Force to study the issue of financial mechanisms for ICT and present a report to facilitate the discussions on the subject in preparation for phase II of WSIS: “While all existing financial mechanisms should be fully exploited, a thorough review of their adequacy in meeting the challenges of ICT for development should be completed by the end of December 2004. This review shall be conducted by a Task Force under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United