Description of ICSTD ...              

ESCAP prepares for regional disaster management meeting and WSIS   

	ESCAP, in cooperation with partners, has successfully organized a regional expert group meeting on disaster management in Bangkok from 22 to 24 June 2005......... more
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	ESCAP has organized a number of conferences in Asia and Pacific in preparation for the Tunis phase of the World Summit on Information Society. Deliberations from these conferences will form as regional inputs to the global debate on the issues, and possible projects for implementation in the future. ........more

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Description of Information, Communication and Space Technology Division
, ESCAP
The Information, Communication and Space Technology Division (ICSTD) was officially established on 1 July 2002. It comprises three sections - the ICT Policy Section, the ICT Applications Section and the Space Technology Applications Section. The division has been established with one main objective in mind, that is, to strengthen the capacity of ESCAP members and associate members to create enabling environments that improve access to, and application of, information, communication and space technology.

ESCAP’s previous work in the area of information, communications and space technologies has shown that the Asia-Pacific countries are in need of support related to the development of cross-sectoral policies that enable them to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by these technologies. We view such policies to be critical to determining the ability of our member countries to fully participate in, manage, and benefit from, the process of globalisation, as well as to overcome key development challenges in a cost effective manner.

At the same time, there is not enough awareness of the real and positive impacts that the application of these technologies can have in key areas of economic and social development, including inter-alia, commerce, effective and transparent governance, disaster reduction and efforts towards sustainable development and poverty reduction.

We are therefore focusing on supporting the development of cross-sectoral policies and strategies, and on promoting ICST applications in key sectors, through support to key national institutions. We are also promoting regional cooperation geared towards making the resources of the many relatively advanced countries of the region available to the less-advanced countries, and to address critical issues requiring regional cooperation.

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