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“Recent developments in the fields of communications and information technology are indeed revolutionary in nature. Information and knowledge are expanding in quantity and accessibility. In many fields future decision-makers will be presented with unprecedented new tools for development. In such fields as agriculture, health, education, human resources and environmental management, or transport and business development, the consequences could be really quite revolutionary. Communications and information technology have enormous potential, especially for developing countries, and in furthering sustainable development.”
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (1997:1)

These words of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan underline in no uncertain terms the critical role that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can play in furthering and enhancing sustainable development. Everywhere in the developing world, especially in Asia, governments are launching ambitious ICT infrastructure initiatives, radically changing their communications policy frameworks and situating ICT at the heart of their development programmes and strategy.

ICT has become an indispensable tool in the fight against world poverty. ICT provides developing nations with an unprecedented opportunity to meet vital development goals such as poverty reduction, basic healthcare, and education, far more effectively than before. Those nations that succeed in harnessing the potential of ICT can look forward to greatly expanded economic growth, dramatically improved human welfare and stronger forms of democratic governance.

Millennium Development Goal 8.

• Develop a global partnership for development

Target 18 : In co-operation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

 Millennium Development Indicators 47:

• Telephone lines and cellular subscribers per 1000 population

• Personal computers per 1000 population
• Internet users per 1000 population

Source: 3rd World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Meeting
Geneva, 15-17 January 2003