eASEAN,
Development and Challenges for Cambodia
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eASEAN,
Development and Challenges for Cambodia |
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I.
Background The
e-ASEAN Task Force was created by ASEAN in late 1999 to develop a broad
and comprehensive action plan for an ASEAN e-space, and to develop
competencies within ASEAN to compete in the global information economy.
In developing the action plan, the Task Force has been asked to examine
the physical, legal, logistical, social and economic infrastructure
needed to create the basis for ASEAN's competitiveness in the 21st
century. II.
eASEAN Framework Agreement
Leaders
of the ten member countries of ASEAN signed on the 25th of November
2000, the eASEAN Framework Agreement on Information and Communications
Technology Products, Services and Investment to begin a collective
effort to plug ASEAN into the global networked economy. The e-Agreement
acts as binding mechanism for actions in 5 areas whose policy advocates
work with pilot projects: 1.
Facilitation of the establishment of the ASEAN Information
Infrastructure Pilot
project: 2.
Facilitation of the growth of e-Commerce Pilot
projects:
3.
A common marketplace for ICT goods and services ASEAN
governments commit to facilitate the flow of ICT goods and services in
the region and promote investments in the sector. Duties and non-tariff
barriers on intra-ASEAN trade in ICT products will be eliminated in
three stages. Liberation for most goods will be completed over a
three-year period beginning January 1, 2003. Cambodia, Laos, Mayanmar
and Vietnam will undertake the same measures beginning on January 1,
2008. Moreover, ASEAN will conclude mutual recognition arrangements
covering ICT products. 4.
Capacity building and e-Society Pilot
projects:
1.
e-Government Cyberlaw
Training Workshop hopes to provide legislators, government counsels and
judges of CMLV an overview of the issues and proposed solutions to
problems posed by e-commerce and the advent of the information industry. III.
Challenges for Cambodia In
working to formulate the New Economy development strategy and plan for
Cambodia, three key issues need to be focused on: 1.
Enhancing the country’s information infrastructure Developing
the information infrastructure is critical for the country
competitiveness, which allows affordable access to information and
communication services anywhere in the country at any time. The task at
hand is to build a network of broadband multipurpose networks around the
country.
2.
Creating a legal and regulatory environment In
order to converge into a single economic market based on digitization
and networking, the challenge for the government is to involve a process
of market and industry restructuring. The integration of the content and
information industries will lead to radical changes and requires a shift
in how policy is made and industry is regulated. Most
laws in communications were enacted with the assumption of single
networks for specific services. In view of the globalization of the
market place through digital information, it is important that these
laws and regulations will be changed to make them more relevant to
current economic and technological realities: in the area of e-Commerce
implementation, there would be a legal enactment convergence in:
In
addition to these convergence laws above, a government policy maker
agency for the ICT sector as well as a regulatory body for this sector
needs to be created to support this New Economy strategy. 3.
Developing human resources ICT
continues to penetrate and transform the organization of markets and
workplace and has shown an increasing demand for technology knowledge
workers. This poses challenges to all educational institutions to be
able to adapt the content and the method of training to prepare students
for this digital economy. Clearly,
basic computer literacy for all Cambodians is very important, but the
development of higher order skills of learning such as abstracting,
planning, critical thinking and problem-solving among our students must
be nurtured in this most complex, competitive and highly flexible
environment. IV.
Activities pertinent in Cambodia 1.
The 8th e-ASEAN Task Force, e-ASEAN Working Group and the Road Show
meetings will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia on July 4-6, 2001. 2.
The ASEAN SchoolNet was approved by a grant from Japan Social
Development Fund (JSDF) for US$ 2 million over 2 years for Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam. The JSDF is a special fund
established by the Japanese government and the World Bank to assist Work
Bank clients in tackling the poverty and social consequences that
resulted from the 1997-1999 financial crisis.
3.
On the subject of e-Commerce legal infrastructure; only 3 out of 10
ASEAN countries have e-Commerce laws. Like the rest of the ASEAN
countries, Cambodia is urged to work on e-Commerce laws by using the
UNICITRAL Model Law as the baseline and the Reference Framework as the
guide to minimum requirements. The Reference Framework for e-Commerce
Legal Infrastructure has been endorsed by the e-ASEAN Task Force. V.
Promise for Cambodia The
challenge that Cambodia faces in laying out the foundation for
prosperity in the New Economy is not unique. The promise of the
information economy remains a dream for the majority in the developing
world. Access to advanced information and communication services is
limited to those in developed countries or those in the urban areas of
the developing countries. While
skills required to be employed as a knowledge worker are still farther
away in our country, we should start from the beginning by promoting
mass ICT awareness to selected groups, which includes ICT sensitization
of decision makers and government workers and the introduction of PCs in
schools. Fortunately,
there are concerted efforts in ASEAN whose governments respond to the
challenges of the New Economy. The eASEAN Agreement is by far the only
coherent strategy for regional ICT development among developing
countries. Furthermore, Cambodia, as the new member of this Association,
can take advantage of the best practices done by their advanced members
to develop its ICT plan and strategy into the New Economy. Sorasak
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