Global Knowledge Conference
Toronto: 22-26 June 1997

The Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP): 1992-1997 Chuck Lankester and Richard Labelle New York, 20 June 1997

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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  II. BACKGROUND  III. SIGNIFICANT FACTORS WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED SDNP'S PROGRESS IV. ACHIEVEMENTS  V. LESSONS LEARNED  A. Information Sharing IS Power  B. An Oversight or Steering Committee  C. A Market Niche  D. Institutional Inertia E. The Use of Private Networks  F. Connectivity  G. Project Management H. Local vs Other Knowledge I. Level of Technology  J. The Herd Factor  K. The Value of a 'neutral' organization  VI. OUTLOOK  Annexes: 1. List of Acronyms and Abbreviations 2. SDNP Country Status Report as of 20 June 1997  3. The Benin Model for a National Internet

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Launched in 1992 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with $1.4 million the SDNP sought to develop a networking model that would enable participants in developing countries to access information to facilitate their efforts to achieve sustainable development. Pilot activities in 12 countries during 1993/94 have been expanded to 33 countries by June 1997: in addition, other special initiatives undertaken for small island developing states and a hemisphere network in the Americas have also been initiated. UNDP's Regional Bureaux have begun to embrace or mainstream SDNP's principles in their own regional programme initiatives and to allocate significant additional resources so a sunset clause for SDNP at the end of 1999 is under consideration.

2. SDNP has witnessed a rapidly changing development paradigm over the last five years and has needed to adapt to remain relevant. Initial indifference within both development agencies like UNDP and in developing countries to the importance of communications and information in development has for the most part been replaced by focused enthusiasm and the allocation of significant financial resources. The necessary early focus on connectivity has shifted to content provision and capacity building, ensuring there is solid content in the information being exchanged over networks to be used by decision makers and other key representatives of civil society. The quasi-monopolistic circumstances in which many SDNP national projects were initiated have yielded to sharp competition among commercial service providers.

3. Successful SDNP models have demonstrated under varying economic, social and technical circumstances how simple and how rewarding it can be to provide a "meeting place" for organizations and individuals engaged in sustainable development. SDNP continues to seek partnerships and financial resources since a further 44 countries and territories have expressed interest in the programme.

II. BACKGROUND

4. The need for and value of relevant information to improve decision making about development alternatives has long been recognized and acted upon by several development agencies including UNDP. However, it took the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio in June 1992 to stimulate a specific initiative aimed at networking individuals and organizations concerned with attaining sustainable development.

5. During Earth Summit in Rio, UNDP launched Capacity 21, a programme aimed at removing constraints faced by developing countries as they moved forward to prepare and implement their own national Agenda 21 programmes. Securing access to information was a key objective for Capacity 21, so SDNP became a component of the programme even though it has been managed as a separate entity. Capacity 21 has contributed to the financing of SDNPs in 20 countries with Capacity 21 initiatives. Indeed, the importance of information as agreed at the Rio Conference and mentioned in Agenda 21 is a key reason for the existence of the SDNP. The SDNP is a support mechanism for the implementation of Agenda 21.

6. SDNP began field activities in late 1992 following consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. SDNP started as a pilot project. The SDNP sought to promote greater use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by focusing on connectivity, content and capacity building. This was achieved in the following ways:

• through awareness promotion and through lobbying;
• by establishing accessible electronic mail, electronic conferencing and then Internet hosts, including Web hosts;
• by connecting stakeholder groups to these hosts:

m by building the capacity of these stakeholders to select, use and apply these technologies as tools to help the decision making process in the development community. This involves extensive training in using and managing ICTs and especially in how to access and use the Internet;

m by encouraging users to provide and make available information using Internet technologies, especially using Web servers. This creates and disseminates local knowledge resources relevant to sustainable development; and

m by providing access to national and regional information sources on sustainable development to key sectors of society.

7. As a result of its experience, the SDNP has evolved a model or concept that adapts these objectives and activities to the different needs and circumstances of participating countries. This model is based on a set of principles and a management approach which are summarized below.

A. The principles

8. The following principles were established for the SDNP in 1992:

(i) Transparency and affordable access to information through national SDNPs

All stakeholder groups, including the public and private sectors, academia, research institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), special interest groups for women, youth and the disabled, the media, and concerned individual citizens and families should have transparent and affordable access to information through their national SDNP operations;

(ii) SDNP's contribution is catalytic

SDNP aims to raise awareness and to promote action about the importance of information access. SDNP's assistance may be considered as venture capital, providing an opportunity during 2-3 years to sensitize a wide audience to the value of information, and especially to the importance of having access to information. When SDNP's assistance, typically USD 150,000 per country, is concluded, a user community should have been developed which is well on its way to financing the network with subscriptions or other support;

(iii) The operation is established by nationals on the basis of a feasibility study

The study prepares the ground and sensitizes national consultants and stakeholders about the nature of the SDNP. This typically two month long assessment is essential to obtain a true picture of the opportunities and constraints;

(iv) Stakeholder groups and other actors in the development process are involved from the start

A consultative group or ad hoc Steering Committee is usually set up once real interest and support for the initiative is confirmed. This consultative group brings together interested actors in the development process. This is a key indicator of commitment from the government, NGOs, and other stakeholders, including organizations from the donor-lender and international communities. The consultative process helps build ownership. Usually this group evolves into a more permanent Steering Committee which is responsible for general oversight of the national SDNP operation;

(v) The technical and hardware solutions proposed must be cost effective and be appropriate

Web and Internet solutions are the norm. However, SDNP avoids recommending high-end solutions for an extended SDNP network in countries or regions where there is little expertise or capacity available, or a high-end connectivity solution where there are no telephone lines and costs are exorbitant. Low-end solutions can be appropriate under given circumstances. SDNPs must remain aware of options and of other experiences. In some cases, a local intranet without any initial global connectivity, may be appropriate;

(vi) National SDNPs are run on a business-like basis

The challenge is to find individuals with leadership and entrepreneurial skills, as well as key collaborators, that together create the value that will make SDNP a success. Success may be measured in terms of sustainability or self reliance, or by the impact of the project in promoting greater access in the community or in society at large. Cost recovery building to self-financing is seen as a key objective of each national initiative;

(vii) SDNPs work in collaboration with existing initiatives

During the feasibility study phase, special emphasis is given to enhance existing initiatives and to avoid any duplication of effort with other donors;

(viii) SDNPs must be demand-driven, cost effective and provide value added services if they are to be successful

These are essential objectives if SDNPs are to succeed in their market niche of sustainable development;

(ix) SDNP needs to focus on national networking initiatives

This can be done by promoting fair and equitable access to the Internet, especially for elements of civil society that may not have the means to connect, sometimes because they do not have the capacity, or because they are located up country and far away from telephones or computers.

B. The management approach

9. SDNPs are based on need, interest and some commitment and capacity. Governments must agree with the idea. The process starts with a statement of interest, a pre-feasibility study and the creation of a consultative group or ad hoc Steering Committee made up of key representatives of elements of civil society.

10. The feasibility study is commissioned by the Steering Committee and undertaken by national consultants. A report and proposal for funding are developed. Interest and participation is elicited through a series of consultations and sometimes public manifestations of various types. UNDP Country Offices oversee the project, and together with SDNP headquarters in New York, guide it through the feasibility study stage and into implementation.

11. The project, once funded, is managed by a small secretariat, typically two professionals and support assistance. Choices for the location of the secretariat, preferably in an existing and accessible organization acceptable to all stakeholder groups, are identified during the feasibility study.

12. This general model has been widely applied. The role of the Steering Committee is critical. It determines the preferred host organization and selects a National Coordinator though open competition. The performance of the Steering Committee is an early indicator of success. Strong entrepreneurial, communication and leadership skills are emphasized in the recruitment process of the National Coordinator.

13. Although these general guidelines remain valid, the operating circumstances for many national SDNPs have altered considerably since 1992. For example, SDNPs insistence that the spirit of Rio be observed whereby all sectors of society be involved and have access to information, has been difficult to maintain in some countries. Three of the over 100 countries with which SDNP has had serious discussions experienced delays of many months while this matter was debated. Interestingly, these countries today operate successful SDNPs, although host sites are within government ministries and some controls over access remain.

14. Another example of the different circumstances has been the steady shift away from monopolies that controlled telecommunications toward privatization of the industry, a shift that some SDNPs initiated or accelerated. This latter shift has in turn impacted on the market for SDNP products. Thus when consultations were initiated in Morocco in 1994 to establish an SDNP there were no commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and prospects were excellent for cost recovery from 'selling' consultant services, training people to use the web, and providing the SDNP user community with information. However, by May 1997 there were 40 ISPs in Morocco with cyber-cafes opening in principal cities, and the SDNP now faces stiff competition. It is clear, that there is still a need in the development community for services. In order to survive beyond the period of 3 years during which the Moroccan SDNP will enjoy financial support, it must focus on its market niche. This niche is made up of the community interested in sustainable human development issues and SDNP must provide it with value-added services such as informed counselling and guidance for data acquisition and interpretation, setting up and managing discussion groups, newsletters, offering competitive pricing, and reliable connectivity. Some SDNPs, such as the Philippines, have already formed strategic alliances with a commercial ISP and others, including Morocco, may follow. In Indonesia for example, the SDNP Coordination Unit has been located in the State Ministry of the Environment while the server and sometimes the technical staff are located in the offices of a commercial ISP. The Lebanese SDNP has just followed a similar pattern with the American University of Beirut.

15. Overall, circumstances influencing whether an SDNP-type service will be established in a country have significantly improved since 1992. As the magnitude of the challenge to reconcile economic growth with sustainable development deepens, so the importance of affordable access to 'development information' has become more widely recognized. In a very few cases, and thanks to the relative impartiality of UNDP, the SDNP, through its Steering Committee mechanism, has been able to bring together individuals and organizations that would not normally meet let alone collaborate. The challenge has been to continue to keep them involved. Using computer mediated communications and the Internet, this is more and more possible.

16. Furthermore, both bilateral and multilateral donors have become more interested in providing assistance in this field. Information about SDNP's model and considerable field experience under varying conditions is available for other donors and as a basis for varying forms of partnership including co-financing (see Web site: http://www3.undp.org).

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III. SIGNIFICANT FACTORS WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED SDNP's PROGRESS

A. Some Recent Developments

17. The most noteworthy development since 1992 has been the growth in Internet access among developing countries, especially in urban centres. Even countries at the bottom of the Human Development Index (HDI) are now encouraging or providing access to the Internet.

18. Some countries are offering access at very competitive rates. Sometimes this is undertaken through joint ventures with telecommunications operators such as France Cable as in Niger and Central African Republic; sometimes with their own funding as in Burkina Faso; and sometimes with other development initiatives, such as the US Government's Leland Initiative which aims to assist 21 countries in Africa South of the Sahara over a 3 year period. In Africa, fully interactive access to the Internet is expected to be available in the capital cities of over 35 countries by the end of 1997, and the corresponding number was only 11 in January 1996.

19. In some countries government policies are being formulated to specifically promote wider access to the Internet. In Burkina Faso for example, authorities have recognized the importance of the Internet and have decided that tariff structures should not constitute an impediment for users to connect. In other countries, marketing and business planning are part of the aid provided in promoting access to the Internet, for example under the Leland initiative.

20. Some administrations are applying uniform telephone rates across the country. Many countries have modernized their telephone infrastructure. Telephone exchanges are being digitized in many parts of the world. In many countries in which the SDNP works, privatisation is ongoing, for example access to cellular telephones and the Internet. Where entrenched monopolies remain, users in all sectors of the economy are voicing concern and vigorously lobbying for more liberal policies and affordable rates.

21. The rapid growth of ISPs in some of these countries is usually being spearheaded by the private sector. Sometimes private sector ISPs have provided services well before the national Posts Telephone and Telecommunications authority (PTT) grasp the significance of the Internet. In Pakistan, several privately operated network services have established themselves after the government raised the idea of liberalizing the telecommunications sector. The same can be said of Zimbabwe, Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras. Private sector operators are taking a gamble in the face of administrative indecision and a legal void in the hope that once presented with a 'fait accompli', there will be no going back.

22. In some countries, progressive policies are already in place and encourage the development of the Internet. In Senegal for example, ENDA, an environment / development NGO, has become an ISP in collaboration with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). In many capital cities, including Maputo, Dakar, Bissau, Guatemala City, San Jose, Lima, Rabat, etc., there are now Internet kiosks operated privately by universities or by the national PTTs.

B. From connectivity to national IP networks, Web servers and more local information content

23. Between 1992 and 1995, SDNPs were concerned with providing connectivity, especially dialup access to electronic mail and electronic conferencing on local servers. Store and forward technologies were used to connect computers over international telephone lines. Other international organizations, such as the APC and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, have been supporting networking initiatives in several countries for many years.

24. Since 1995, and as more countries acquire access to the Internet, SDNP projects have focused on helping them develop national IP networks. Internet servers which focus on issues which provide content related to sustainable development are being established. These national backbones are intended eventually to connect key sectors of the economy and of society, throughout the country.

25. Supporting Internet development and associated management practices encourages sustainable development. This support is manifested by facilitating more informed decision making and transparency as well as by helping stakeholders to participate in decision making. For example, in Togo, the SDNP feasibility study has proposed establishing the main server at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry even though no ISP exists in the country. This has promoted awareness of the Internet in the expectation this will stimulate demand and a market for potential operators. SDNP would then focus on developing the servers and Internet services in the different social and economic sectors. Connecting local servers to the main node using leased lines is a part of this initiative. A second example comes from Benin, where a national IP network has been proposed to link over nine nodes located in different sectors of society and of the economy. The model is reproduced as the Benin Model for a National Internet in Annex 3.

C. Beyond international connectivity

26. At present, in many countries in the developing world, commercial or other ISPs, such as PTTs are starting to meet the need in large urban centres for connections to the global Internet. It is only a matter of time before most countries will be connected. Some development practitioners believe that to bring a country into the 21^st Century, it may only be necessary to provide the pipes and boxes, along with a bit of training. This is not the experience of SDNP. Unless far more is put into developing human resources and infrastructure, there will be no capacity in these countries to take advantage of these new technologies. Similarly, mots of these developments ignore rural users.

27. The focus on getting countries connected has to take two things into consideration:

• is there a market or an appropriate environment to foster a demand for value added telecommunications services, and especially the Internet? and
• what is the capacity of the country to use and apply Internet technology.

From a marketing standpoint, some considerations include: fiscal measures to reduce import duties on modems, PCs and related hardware and software; the promotion of public access sites at reasonable rates; the promotion of affordable Internet access as well as uniform tariffs for telephone communications; and the lack of telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas. As an example, the national PTT in Burkina Faso has agreed to promote uniform and affordable access both for Internet use as well as a uniform national telephone tariff.

With respect to the capacity to use new ICTs, the lack of expertise to plan, establish and operate an Internet service, and especially an Internet server, is a major limitation. Also, a lack of understanding of the value of the Internet for local, national, global and other applications is a major impediment.

28. The spectacular growth of the Internet has been widely reported. The consistent experience of SDNP is that once decision makers have understood the contribution of this technology to economic and social development, and minimal human resources have been developed and minimal connectivity established, there is no turning back. Spectacular growth will follow. While growth starts in urban centres, new wireless technologies suggest that it could easily extend to rural areas as well.

29. In this regard, it is important to note that countries in which SDNP has been operating have repeatedly emphasized that the value of the Internet comes not so much from their ability to log on to distant servers operating in foreign languages with information of limited relevance to local needs and circumstances. The real value lies in the role the technology can play in promoting greater information exchange within their own countries. Access to local news and views, presented in a fashion consistent with the cultural and linguistic coordinates of the end users is valuable, thus SDNP seeks to build local capacity to exploit the Internet in local language(s) and for local users. Global connections add value.

30. The Leland Initiative, as well as a newly proposed regional programme of UNDP's Bureau for Africa, focus, however, on issues of external connectivity. Typically they are developing bandwidth from no connectivity to a minimum of 128 kbps and greater. Such initiatives have an important role to play, but will necessitate a major increase in SDNP type initiatives in all these countries to ensure that this new connectivity is utilized to its full potential.

31. SDNP seldom funded international satellite leased line connections to the global Internet. This is not so much an issue of cost, but of the efficient use of the capital available because it has been observed that once the demand is manifested, the private sector usually steps in to meet the demand. However, SDNP recognizes that every national situation must be carefully considered on its own merit.

32. The Cameroon illustrates the adaptability of the SDNP to local circumstances. In this country, Internet access was unavailable until very recently (and remains unaffordable because at present, a 64 kbps local leased line to the ISP is the equivalent of about USD 4,000 / month; an exorbitant amount for non-commercial users). Here the SDNP associated with a small local or metropolitan IP network that is not directly connected to the global Internet. Connectivity is based and will remain based on the use of store and forward technologies until more reasonably priced local leased lines become available.

33. While the need has been expressed above to invest heavily in capacity building, the gravity of the situation continues to be greatly underestimated by development agencies. Thus for example, in the Congo Basin, UNDP and the World Bank in a joint project to connect environmental managers with electronic mail initially, could only find one consultant with the high level unix skills necessary to set up the servers in situ.

34. Some proponents in the donor community continue to preach the Internet as a panacea: all that counts is the international connection. SDNP believes it is critical to go beyond the international dimensions of this technology, and to consider how ICTs can be used in country, to enhance local networking and commerce, and to help countries to be not only users of information, but also providers of information and knowledge. It is this need that Chapter 40 of Agenda 21, the Information Chapter, addressed and it is this need that SDNP seeks to resolve.

D. The rapid rise in countries directly connected to the Internet

35. A notable and rapid increase in the rate countries are connecting to the Internet has been noted. This is due to a number of factors:

• the extensive use of the Internet for commercial and administrative purposes, and for international business transactions by users worldwide. For example, in many countries, there is strong interest in using the Internet to connect host countries with their embassies and legations overseas;
• globalization, or the increasingly complex and interlinked nature of all human affairs, private, public and otherwise. Acquiring connectivity and staying connected is essential;
• global pressures for more transparency and accountability;
• the notable interest of the international and national media in many countries in the Internet;
• the realization by governments that they can also use the Internet to project their views, values and beliefs to the world;
• the realization that the Internet can be an important development tool, permitting access to knowledge and expertise, and, eventually, to goods and services from around the corner and around the world;
• greater awareness by key decision makers in nearly all developing countries where the SDNP has been operating of the importance of the Internet;
• more and more countries are realizing that the Internet cannot be avoided. It is inevitable and it must be embraced to understand and control it;
• in some countries, the willingness to test the hypothesis that the Internet can generate income, boost tourism and local arts and crafts, as well as commerce in general.

36. This striking increase in awareness of the Internet has, in most but not all cases, been accompanied by policies that provide for local access tariff structures that conform to the realities of the local market. Access to large sectors of the population will still have to wait some more time, but NGOs, small and medium sized enterprises, local and community groups, etc., can begin to use these technologies because they are increasingly affordable.

37. In some cases, donors have helped countries not only to acquire the skills to establish and maintain an Internet connection but to also provide local services. These donors have also helped ISPs develop tariff structures based on sound marketing and business planning principles that ensure that the needs of users are more likely to be met and that prices remain realistic if not competitive. The US Leland initiative is an example applied to Africa. In some countries where the Leland initiative is being implemented, the SDNP has been developing synergistic proposals for building local networking capacity.

E. What does the SDNP do?

38. The SDNP staff in their respective national project initiatives seek:

• to raise awareness of the services they are helping to establish;
• to encourage users to connect;
• to ensure that the SDNP will be financially viable in the long term, or that they have a long term benefit;
• to help users gain beneficial access to the Internet through training in Internet searching and navigation; and
• to help users develop local content on their servers, especially locally relevant Web pages.

• 39. The focus in these initiatives is threefold: content, connectivity and capacity. SDNPs build local information content using ICTs and the Internet. To do so, they must first promote awareness and build capacity. SDNP considers it a priority to enhance local connections for information sharing between local development actors, so connectivity is also an important activity.
• 40. SDNP also finances training as well as some equipment to be located in the selected host organization. The cost of local leased lines between servers and ISPs may also be financed. Awareness promotion activities and more traditional communications activities are also supported.
• 41. Cost is not the only consideration that has driven this tendency to focus on national networking. In most countries in the South, local and regional information is essential for decision making and more difficult to obtain than information offshore. Furthermore, access to the global Internet is increasingly provided by local ISPs.
• 42. Training in networking, html and Web server development and management, as well as the encouragement of key organizations to make information available through the local Internet, are likewise important objectives. It is essential to publish local information on national servers. Making key national data sets and databases available is a major objective, and not an easy one to achieve considering a reticence to share knowledge and information that still prevails in many countries. SDNPs encourage subscribers to be users as well as providers of information. 

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IV. ACHIEVEMENTS

43. Significant accomplishments over the past 5 years include the following:

(i) Some statistics: National SDNPs are operational in 33 countries; a network for the Small Island Developing States is also operational. In addition, SDNP is engaged in consultations with a further 58 countries. Taken together, these countries account for over 80 % of the population in developing countries.

Since 1992 SDNP has benefited from USD 6.5 million of UNDP's core resources. Although initial cost sharing and co-financing attempts were seldom successful, the situation significantly improved by 1995. For projects approved in 1997, SDNP has been able to typically leverage USD 5-10 for each USD of core resources and there are an increasing number of examples where SDNP has only financed the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies.

(ii) Sustainability: In several countries, such as the Philippines, Bolivia and Pakistan, the operation is 3-4 years old and becoming self-sustaining. In several cases, the SDNP has achieved a sustainable status from revenues derived from subscriptions, consultant services and training activities. These have been supplemented in several other countries by governments in recognition of the important contribution SDNP is making to sustainable development. Such support is an acknowledgement that services as: electronic mail, electronic conferencing relevant to local issues, and some Web pages, etc. popularize networking and the Internet and promote awareness about the evolution of these technologies in and across the country. This is accomplished by organizing workshops, participating in fora of various types and in consultative groups, communicating messages and opinions in the media, and participating in national and international events and conferences.

(iii) Information content: The establishment of several newsgroups and electronic lists, supplemented by a selection of conferences on development issues provided by the APC. These lists are shared with other service providers free of cost. Several BBS' have been established with the help of the SDNP and their users can access SDNP's services.

(iv) Training and capacity building have been key objectives, with on average 23% of SDNP resources allocated for these objectives. Four global workshops for SDNP National Coordinators have been held as well as 8 regional workshops. SDNP has also financed the participation of national staff in several training programmes including about 50 persons for the INET series.

(v) The Americas: In December 1996, the Heads of State of the Americas held a summit in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on issues of sustainable development. One clause in the Summit Declaration calls on SDNP to establish a hemispheric network for sustainable development. As a part of SDNP's response an initial phase of data collection and analysis on present connectivity and networking activities in all 35 countries has been completed as the basis for subsequent recommendations for action. The full report of the initial phase is expected to be posted to SDNP's Web site by 10 July.

(vi) Public/Private Sector Cooperation: On 10 July, 1996, SDNP concluded an agreement with the Hewlett-Packard Company for a cooperative programme over 2 years. The agreement was precedent-setting for both organizations. Hewlett-Packard is providing state of-the-art equipment to 16 national SDNPs while in return it receives access to information which can be used in media outlets to illustrate how the use of the company's equipment contributes to economic and social progress. The company has established its own website advocating sustainable development and taken steps to inculcate its own workforce with an appreciation of the challenges and complexities of achieving sustainable development. To date, equipment has been deployed in Mexico, China, Colombia. and the Philippines, with India, South Korea, Hungary, Poland, Morocco, and the Dominican Republic being probable additions by 15 August 1997.

(vii) Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSNet): The UN Conference for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States in March - April 1994 charged UNDP with the preparation of a feasibility study for establishment of SIDSNet and to report to the 49^th Session of the UN General Assembly in September of that year. This task was completed by SDNP on behalf of UNDP, but the substantial estimated cost of USD 28 million attracted insufficient donor support even though this cost was over 5 years and covered 35 countries. An updated study in July 1996 was undertaken at the request of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and provided several alternative approaches for SIDSNet, but even the approach that enjoyed most support had an estimated cost of over USD 10 million. In January 1997, SDNP met with the representatives of AOSIS and proposed that some pilot operations begin, even though drastically curtailed in scope, in the hope that SIDS would quickly appreciate the value of the product and coalesce to put pressure on donors to implement a more ambitious version. This approach was encouraged by AOSIS and since January an initial contribution of USD 200,000 by SDNP has been matched by UNDP's Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, a project manager has been appointed and an initial programme of work has been presented to AOSIS and approved on 29 May.

(viii) The Global System for Sustainable Development: The Department of Political Science is spearheading an effort by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop a specialized search engine to facilitate access to information relevant to Sustainable Human Development. The program is known as the 'Global System for Sustainable Development' (GSSD). SDNP has been collaborating with MIT in the beta testing of the GSSD at some half dozen sites particularly in Central America.

(ix) Local networking: The SDNP has fostered increased information exchange between stakeholders for sustainable development by encouraging free discussion lists and conferences. The very tools that help create 'virtual communities'. This was clearly demonstrated by the PrepComs that were part of the 'UNCED process' and now SDNPs are intensifying this process. In many countries the SDNP has a special relationship with and responsibility toward National Sustainable Development Commissions or Committees. The Romanian SDNP, which was approved on 9 May 1997, places the SDNP operation within the newly established National Centre for Sustainable Development.

(x) Awareness promotion: The SDNP has raised awareness of the importance of new information and communication technologies, and especially the Internet. SDNP has undertaken an extensive and active promotional campaign in the local media to try to raise awareness of the importance of appropriate policies that will permit greater use of information technology and of the Internet.

(xi) Operational management model: The SDNP has developed an operational model for bringing the Internet to countries at various stages of development. The model is being put to the test on an ongoing basis.

(xii) Strategies for developing an Information Society : SDNP is partnering with authorities in order to develop and implement a national strategy to bring countries into the 'Information Age'. In countries where the UNDP is particularly important, because international development aid occupies an important place in the national economy, the SDNP has been able to have an important influence in changing behaviour and opening up attitudes. This is particularly so in the countries that occupy the lower ranks of the Human Development Index (HDI). 

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IV. LESSONS LEARNED

44. SDNP has gained important experience since 1992, which is applied during consultations with developing countries that are now requesting assistance.

A. Information sharing IS Power

Inevitably, access to information can make those already powerful more powerful. SDNP's insistence on a participatory and transparent process throughout the cycle of each project has been key. Once SDNPs become operational, there is a financial incentive to continue to build and expand their user community. The general feedback from NGO groups and concerned citizens who have utilized their SDNPs has been most positive. Access to information has enabled debates about development alternatives to take place on a more equal footing than was previously possible. Success then becomes heavily dependent on making access affordable and in publicizing its existence as widely as possible.

B. An Oversight or Steering Committee

Whenever a small oversight or steering committee representing different user groups of like-minded "champions" of the new technology can be formed to provide policy/managerial guidance to the National Coordinator it has proven useful. National Coordinators or Managers of the SDNPs have usually not served as members of the committee, but rather as 'secretaries' to them. Steering Committees ensure local ownership in many instances.

C. A Market Niche

Although the environmental sector is an important user and provider of information in most countries, the SDNP is not an environmental network per se. The focus is on sustainable human and economic development. Thus, agencies active in the fields of health, commerce, housing and education are also major users. Decisions on the focus of activities rest essentially with the user community in each country, but managers have been encouraged to excel in the market niche of sustainable human development.

D. Institutional Inertia

SDNP was established as a semi-autonomous project with direct access to UNDP's top management. Working with staff responsible for information management, it has been a hard struggle to gain the attention of most programme managers to the opportunities offered by the new information and communications technology and the urgency for utilizing it in and between Headquarters and the 134 Country Offices operated by UNDP. Regrettably, several opportunities for accelerating the SDNP programme were lost, particularly in 1994-95, when interest was rising. The turning point came in 1996, spurred on by a thorough internal examination of UNDP's objectives, priorities and methods of operation. Significant new initiatives and fresh financing are now forthcoming as SDNP-type activities are 'mainstreamed' by the five Regional Bureaux with line authority for programming. This provides the opportunity to consider a sunset clause for closing SDNP as a special project.

Recent discussions with programming staff in several Country Offices suggest there is still room for more creative and strategic use of information and communication technologies to further UNDP's own development priorities on gender balance, sustainable livelihoods, eliminating poverty, improving the environment and sound governance.

E. The Use of Private Networks

The amount of grant financing allocated by development agencies to support information and communications activities in developing countries is rapidly increasing, with an estimated tripling since 1994. However, expenditures by the same agencies on strengthening communications between their respective headquarters and field offices still substantially exceed the assistance provided to their clients.

Typically most overseas representatives in the capitols of developing countries rely on their own 'private networks'. Thus, there is considerable duplication, but also an opportunity to share networks and redirect funds to better support local development initiatives. National SDNPs are seen as well suited to meeting the information and communication needs of development agencies in the field. Indeed, where this has been arranged, their contributions or subscriptions contribute significantly to ensuring the long term viability of national SDNPs.

F. Connectivity

In SDNP's earliest days the need to focus on removing policy and managerial issues that constrained international connectivity received much attention. SDNP has not, however, invested significantly in international connectivity. Since 1993/94 the private sector has moved aggressively to provide Internet connectivity and SDNP would now only intervene as a donor of the last resort. An ongoing study on connectivity and networking in the Americas that is financed by SDNP shows, however, that regulations and tariffs remain formidable barriers and constraints to low cost networking activities both within and between countries.

G. Project management

Most projects have been executed by the UN's Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and although SDNP remains open to proposals for national project execution, experience has not always been encouraging. Hands-on configuration of equipment by SDNP advisers on a project-by-project basis, the purchase, configuration and testing of equipment in New York before shipment overseas, has been a successful undertaking and resulted in savings of typically 25-45% over local purchases. This has also ensured conformity between SDNP sites, with considerable advantages as far as training, sharing of experiences and SDNP technical support is concerned. Good service contracts with local agents must, however, be negotiated.

Routine monitoring and evaluation of progress are important management tools for National SDNP Coordinators, and reporting procedures are established in each project agreement. Regular feedback on progress and problems encountered is also vital for the overall management of SDNP to monitor trends, account to donors for the use of funds, and to augment financial support. Compliance has been spotty, and needs improvement. Part of the problem is that National Coordinators are striving to attain financial autonomy and are working long hours to market the services of their SDNP. A contributing element may be that over-ambitious reporting targets were set in terms of content and frequency. Simplified reporting forms are being introduced and compliance will be monitored more closely.

The SDNP listserv (sdn-coor@ff101.undp.org) has been very useful for broadcasting to National SDNP Coordinators, and for obtaining their input.

H. Local vs other knowledge

In countries without an information culture, promotion of the Internet will take some time. It is even more difficult to interest potential users when the vast majority of the knowledge and information available on the Internet is in a foreign language and refers largely to values and messages that can be foreign to users.

Creating local Internet servers that are locally accessible via the telephone network has worked in some cases. Users are interested in logging into the local newspaper and other local information resources they know and which relate to their daily lives. Local information is a priority and building the capacity to develop local servers, to develop local content, etc., are priorities for the SDNPs.

I. Level of Technology

Initially SDNPs did not always focus on providing full access to Internet, but rather introduced technology that was appropriate and took into consideration the cost/benefit of other systems and the growth rate of each user community. Thus SDNP has shown for countries as diverse in their information needs as Pakistan, Chad and Congo (Brazzaville) that store-and-forward or uucp technology that provides connectivity to the Internet through SDNP/NY represents a quantum leap in information access at affordable prices. For civil society in these countries, this can be a hugely important first step forward.

J. The Herd Factor

When a programme with quasi-global ambitions is launched, but its proponents have few on-going projects to point to as evidence of progress, then suspicions and hesitations abound. A critical mass appears to be about 25 operational projects, at which point concern about being "left out" begins to take over. The SDNP has passed into this second phase, and it is especially important that each new initiative be evaluated on its own merit, taking past experience into careful consideration. By December 1997, some 45 national SDNPs may be operational, plus the SIDSNet. A significant positive outcome from this expansion has been the formation of clusters of neighbouring countries that are interacting and exchanging information such as Central America, The Baltics, South Pacific, West Africa and the Maghreb. Other clusters in Eastern and Central Europe can be expected to form in late 1997 and 1998.

K. The value of a 'neutral' organization

As a programme, the SDNP has benefited from UNPD's neutrality in its relations with developing countries.

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V. OUTLOOK

45. There are many challenges before SDNP. Some of the more significant are listed below:

(i) Leveraging existing operational funds: Organizations of the international development community, including the UN system, spend significant amounts on telecommunications. Some lease or set up dedicated telecommunication networks. Increasingly, these organizations are using the Internet.

More arrangements could be negotiated between UNDP and other organizations in the donor-lender community, for the provision of connectivity through operations such as the SDNP. This would further local capacity to use the Internet and related technologies, optimize the use of limited resources, and help empower these organizations with the information and knowledge they need to achieve shared objectives. From a financial perspective, the SDNPs would benefit if the donors became members of the respective networks, while the donors themselves would save both capital and operating costs. As long as the SDNPs can perform competitively, this would be a win - win situation for all parties. SDNPs must, however, provide value added services to stand out from the competition.

In some countries several organizations occupy common premises and have agreed to set up an Internet connection through at least a 64 kbps line. Costs will be shared among the organizations. Most Internet traffic will occur during office hours, so the network remains underused for many hours on working days and on weekends and on public holidays. An alternative would be for the UN agencies to obtain full Internet service from SDNP. In this way, the 64 kbps bandwidth for international connectivity would be more fully utilized by the public as well as the UN system, its many projects, NGOs, development agencies and relevant government departments around the country. Moreover, the UN system would in turn be able to connect with its in-country projects through SDNP's network. The SDNP could manage a Web server with developmental information of relevance to national and international users. As SDNP moves towards the provision of information, the availability of 64 kbps bandwidth becomes essential.

There are also models outside of the intergovernmental donor community. For example, in Dakar, Environment and Development Action in the Third World (ENDA) is the APC local affiliate and is an ISP to the development, NGO, social and community action communities in Senegal. ENDA s objective is to enhance the use of the Internet as a tool to support local and community development initiatives. A case could be made for UNDP and other development organizations to contract for the provision of Internet services through ENDA in a fashion similar to that for the SDNP in some countries. SDNPs could then be associated with these organizations in helping to extend national networking and information services.

(ii) Train users in networking and information technologies and associated subjects. A variety of training options need to be considered based on a sound marketing and business planning strategies. Collaboration with universities or other training centres could be considered. Provide training on searching the Internet on locating, storing and managing information retrieved on the Internet, and conversely, on how to communicate information using the Internet.

(iii) Undertake consultancies and/or manage projects to establish networking or Internet based information services for sectors related to sustainable development: for example, a business and development network for a local Chamber of Commerce or a national export development agency, or a basic public health Information network, educational resources servers; etc.

(iv) Focus on providing networking basics to organizations which are open, have an entrepreneurial approach (such as NGOs) and that are accessible to the public (universities, NGOs, public libraries, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, etc.).

(v) Help develop knowledge resources supportive of sustainable development on local Internet servers, especially web servers. Provide consultancy and training services for this.

(vi) Focus on access and effective use of information by specific groups such as non privileged communities in urban and rural areas, to associations and NGOs active with gender and/or youth issues. The concept of fair and equitable access to information among especially the underprivileged and those outside urban centres where telecommunications facilities and ISPs are concentrate needs to be recognized and acted on.

(vii) Involvement in the development of specialized applications in tele-medicine, long distance learning and the use of telecentres for example: these are applications of ICTs that the SDNP should become involved with to promote sustainable development among stakeholders wherever they may be located.

46. Finally, although SDNP may not have the resources to directly follow through on a number of initiatives noted above, it should continue to influence policy debates to the extent possible on key issues. These issues include: closing the gap between clients and their end users to ensure that important development information is transmitted with as little delay as possible, with as little dilution as possible and with as little control as possible; working for the acceptance of common tools and protocols which will simplify networking activities and make them more affordable; focus on the content and authenticity of information which is of significance to practitioners and decision makers engaged in sustainable human development activities; and following the goals of the United Nations recent statement on universal access to basic communications and information services. 

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Annex 1

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations AOSIS   Alliance of Small Island States  APC  Association for Progressive Communications  BBS  bulletin board systems  ENDA  Environment and Development Action in the Third World  GSSD  Global System for Sustainable Development  HDI Human Development Index  html hypertext mark-up language  http hypertext transfer protocol  ICT information and communication technologies  IDRC International Development Research Centre  INET Annual world conference and training workshops of the Internet Society  IP Internet Protocol  IRSIT Institut Régional des Sciences Informatiques et des Télécommunications (Tunis)  ISP Internet service provider  IUCN   - The World Conservation Union  kbps kilobits per second  MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology  NGO non-governmental organizations  NY New York  PC personal computer  PrepComs meetings of the UNCED Preparatory Committees  PTT Posts Telephone and Telecommunications authority  REIMP Regional Environmental Information Management Project  SIDS Small Island Developing States  SIDSNet Small Island Developing States network  SDNP Sustainable Development Networking Programme  UN United Nations  UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development  uucp Unix to Unix CoPy program  UNDP United Nations Development Programme  UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services  USD US dollars  Web World Wide Web  WWW World Wide Web  www World Wide Web

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