Bangkok--6 Aug--UNISBKK UN Helps Land-locked Mongolia to Tap the Internet for Development UNESCAP Held Internet Governance Seminar in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia has seen its mobile phone market growing at a remarkable rate of over 100% per year since it embarked on telecommunications reform a few years ago. The land-locked country also has an ambitious e-Mongolian strategy, usinginformation and communication technology (ICT) to integrate more closely into the regional and global economy. To help the country in this endeavour, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) held a national seminar in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, from 1 to 2 August. The seminar, held in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) of Mongolia, specifically addressed challenges the country faces in Internet governance. Since the enactment of telecommunications reform, Mongolia has made significant progress in establishing an enabling regulatory framework for ICT development, including setting up an independent regulator. Competition has been introduced in both fixed and mobile telephony, the Internet, and more recently VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) which enables people to talk to each other through the Internet. However, some issues remain and new challenges have emerged. In the opening address, Saikhanbileg Chimed, Chairman of ICTA, presented key aspects of the e-Mongolian strategy, stressing that ICT has become a powerful tool for economic integration of the country into the global economy. He cited the service sector’s growing share in the economy and the population’s high literacy rate as factors favourable to ICT development. Srivasakaran Thampi, Director of the Information, Communication and Space Technology Division at UNESCAP, stated that Mongolia had demonstrated how the e-transition process could be managed in an efficient manner, whichwould create potential for moving into a knowledge-based economy. Over 50 participants took part in the two-day meeting which was divided into several training modules dealing with e-business development, policy and regulatory frameworks, data protection, laws governing cyber space, andonline security and consumer protection. A special roundtable, moderated by Daewon Choi, Chief of ICT Policy Section, UNESCAP, focused on further development of broadband infrastructure, human resources, regulatory frameworks for ICT convergence, and formulation of new ICT policies for knowledge economy development. For further information, please contact: Mr. Cihat Basocak ICT Policy Section UNESCAP Tel: +66-2-288-1523 Email: [email protected]