Lebanon

ICT for Development

The penetration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in all facets of human existence has and continues to change the way people interact with the state and within society. The world has moved from the technological age and into the information age. Thanks to the proliferation of information, knowledge, and the reduction of time and space, introduced by Information technology; citizens, communities and businesses are in a better position to make Informed Choices. They are increasingly more aware of their rights and of the opportunities that lie ahead of them.

E-governance strategy is not about technology but about information access. Rather than think of IT projects, e-Governance moves beyond old "IT"models. ICT must be integrated with, and driven by broader governance objectives. Whilst recognizing that ICTs can be a valuable lever to reform, e-governance components must use ICTs as a means to those ends not as an end in themselves.

Access to Information and Knowledge forms the basis of decision-making and concerted action. Judicious and well-informed decision-making is dependent on the quality and timeliness of information. Circumscription of information and knowledge with a few levels opens up avenues for its manipulation for exploitative purposes. Capacity building is also a major factor to succeed.

Since 1993, UNDP has been actively at the vanguard of ICT for economic and social development. UNDP's critical contribution at the global level has been the recognition of ICT as a powerful enabler for development, and as a catalyst to help achieve the international development targets agreed by the world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit. The Sub-Regional Facility for Arab States (SURF-AS) on Governance is actively supporting countries to promoting and mainstream ICT for Development programmes.

In Lebanon, UNDP helped the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR), establish the Technical Coordination Unit whose primary mission is to promote e-government, through the introduction of technology and the simplification of processes in the public administration. An initiative to formulate a national E-Strategy for Lebanon is also being launched with support from UNDP Thematic Trust Fund on ICT for Development funcded by the Government of Japan.

UNDP is also proud to be associated with the Ministry of Finance in facilitating the implementation of COMAP in The Directorate of Land Registry and the Najm Project in the Custom's Administration, which were funded, by the World Bank and bilateral donors.

UNDP supports similar initiatives and approaches with other line Ministries as well as partners in the private sector and civil society. UNDP introduced the concept of the Technology Access Center in the liberated town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, in partnership with the Council for Development and Reconstruction. Equipment was donated by the private sector, notably CISCO Corporation. The purpose of the Center is to facilitate access for the local communities who otherwise have limited means or interest in accessing the Internet, or in using the computer for otherwise manual, labor intensive or time consuming practices. More centers are envisaged.