• Suggest Subject : UN plans e-Centre by 2011 to boost development goals
  • Date : 28-Jun-2010
  • Text :


    By Ourouba Hussein

    The policies, approaches and plans of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals are to be introduced through a virtual one-stop shop, which will act like a comprehensive e-Centre and a vital resource to speed up development efforts, a senior UN official has said.


    Speaking at a press conference yesterday, UN-Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-GAID) chairman Talal Abu-Ghazaleh said that the UN e-Centre called “Millennium Development Goals (MDG) e-Centre” would provide informational and decision support tools which could be useful for all ICT and non-ICT players involved in development, particularly in developing countries.


    “When fully operational in 2011, the e-Centre will also enhance transparency and provide a platform for exchange of knowledge and experience among different players,” he said, adding: “It will also help governments in strategic integration of all policy matters related to the use of ICT in national development strategies.”
    The official pointed out that the centre would be virtual and would be managed at the UN headquarters in New York City.


    Abu-Ghazaleh noted that the announcement of the launch the UN e-Centre took place in Qatar, thanks to its powerful media, such as the Aljazeera Network.


    He explained that the prototype of the MDG has been presented in the WSIS Forum in May, held in Geneva, as well as at a seminar organised by the Secretariat-General of the GCC in June, held in Saudi Arabia.
    “There was a very positive feedback and strong support from all stakeholders,” he said.

     
    The official further explained that an active user group consisting of over 20 members from more than 16 countries had been formed, to help in further development of the tool.

     
    He pointed out that the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) to advance the core Millennium Development Goals priority areas, was an effective tool to speed up and strengthen development efforts.


    Highlighting the e-Centre’s key capabilities, Abu-Ghazaleh observed that they featured a matrix that captured the ICT solutions for the Millennium Development Goals advancement, serving as the core knowledge base of the e-Centre.

     
    “The matrix is being developed and populated in open and inclusive collaboration with all stakeholders,” he stated.
    The e-Centre also features learning capabilities which include a portal of portals, with yellow pages, displaying the content of major existing portals of value to the MDG.


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