(Lima, 23 November 2010) Today in Lima, Peru, ministerial authorities and government representatives from Latin America agreed to implement a regional Plan to make access to the information and knowledge society a universal right, to promote integration among countries and to coordinate global targets with the needs and priorities of the region.
The plan, known as eLAC2015, was approved by delegates by means of the "Lima Declaration", at the end of the Third Ministerial Conference on the Information Society of Latin America and the Caribbean, which was held from 21 to 23 November in the Peruvian capital.
Participants reaffirmed their conviction that public policymaking must incorporate the mainstreaming of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for countries' development.
They also resolved to continue strengthening regional research networks, technological development, innovation and growth, and the promotion of tangible solidarity and assistance actions to facilitate access to the benefits of ICT use for the region's less developed countries (particularly Haiti and other small island States).
The delegates also thanked ECLAC for its work as the technical secretariat of eLAC201, and agreed to work to identify financial mechanisms to support the region to carry out the activities included in the Plan.
The following eight actions lines relating to ICTs are included in eLAC2015: access, e-government, environment, social security, productive development, innovation, enabling environments and the institutions for a State policy.
In terms of access, the Plan prioritizes progress towards universal broadband, which implies increased direct investment in connectivity, so that broadband is available in 100% of public institutions and that the costs are accessible for households, companies and public access centres.
The Plan also advocates the implementation of e-government, which is seen as an obligation of governments towards their citizens that guarantees access to the maximum amount of data, information, administrative procedures and services on-line.
To promote productive development and innovation, eLAC2015 suggests working to narrow the digital divide between small, medium-sized and large enterprises, so that they all have access to broadband.
In education, the idea is to develop ICTs for an inclusive education, such that all educational establishments can be connected to the Internet and introduce interactive applications and produce multimedia public content.
Lastly, the delegates agreed that the Fourth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society of Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 2013.
For more information, visit the website of the Conference.
For any queries, please contact the ECLAC Public Information and Web Services Section.
E-mail: dpisantiago@cepal.org; telephone: (56 2) 210 2040.
