AN EXPANDING REGIONAL CONSENSUS

The diversity of the experience that Latin American and Caribbean countries have accumulated during recent years in working with information and communication technology is reaching a "critical mass." In the process, momentum has been building as 21st-century leaders in the Region have recently used various international forums to express their political commitment to make sure that information and communication technology contributes to achieving national and regional development objectives.(AMERICA XXI)

Recent regional declarations related to information and communication technology for development at the United Nations, the South American Summit and Rio Group reflect the enormous amount of activity and increasing political will of countries throughout the Region. Specialists in the information field have been expressing similar messages for many years. The message is now being communicated in growth and development terms by senior officials in political positions.

A High Level Segment on "Development and International Cooperation in the 21st Century: the Role of Information Technology in the Knowledge-based Global Economy" took place during the July 2000 session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In anticipation of the ECOSOC segment, a regional preparatory meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean took place during June of this year in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. In the Florianopolis Declaration, senior individuals responsible for information technology for development in various countries in the Region acknowledged that: information technology represents the central foundation for the construction of the global, knowledge based economy and, therefore, constitutes the basis for new forms of organization and production on a global basis. In addition, they asserted "the shared aspirations of the Latin American and Caribbean countries to become full-fledged members of the information society by the year 2000 on an efficient, effective and sustainable basis within the framework of the global knowledge-based economy."

When President Iglesias spoke during the ECOSOC Special Segment, he expressed the Bank's support for the Florianópolis Declaration. He indicated that the expression of the IT leaders was an important political step towards a regional IT for development strategy. He told the attendees that the Bank is ready to support such efforts. Towards this end, he instructed the Information Technology for Development Division of the Bank to prepare a response to the Florianoplis Declaration (in Spanish) The Bank's response was initially distributed during a seminar on "Mercosur in the 21st Century: Information Technology for Development and Integration" (in Spanish) which IDB organized during July with the Government of Uruguay.

The Declaration of Summit of South American Presidents (in Spanish) (Brasilia, September 2000) included a major section on "Information, Knowledge and Technology." In this Declaration the Heads of State: acknowledged the importance of the Florianópolis Declaration; called for acceleration by their countries of access to the information and knowledge society and proposed the creation of a South American Fund to stimulate this process.

Judging from preliminary preparations, it appears that the subject of information and communications technology in development could become an important consideration during the third Summit of the Americas that will take place in Quebec City, Canada, during April 2001.

Connectivity was a major theme during the III Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, Canada. During the Summit, the IDB release a document "Summit of the Americas, Strategic Programs. The Agenda of the IDB." It includes a section on "Connectivity and Development."

Conscious that the development of the Region depends on taking advantage of the “new economy” and the need to overcome a technology gap, the Rio Group met in Santiago, Chile, at the end of March 2001, to begin preparing an Action Plan in these areas. Members of the Group recognize that Regional integration into the Information Society is provoking changes in the structure and composition of international trade and employment. The Ministers hope that their proposal for a transition to “new economy” will receive support from coordinated actions by the public, private and educational sectors. A Working Group is preparing the plan for consideration during the XV Summit of Chiefs of State and Heads of Government of the Rio Group during August 17-18 in Santiago.

THE EMERGING KNOWLEDGE BASED ECONOMY IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: A COMMON DENOMINATOR IN DEVELOPMENT

AMERICA XXI