e-APEC Strategy: Goal of Community-Based Internet Access for APEC's 2.5 billion people by 2010
An independent report has found that APEC Member Economies are making significant progress towards the APEC goal of achieving at least community-based access by 2010.
In its assessment of progress on the e-APEC strategy, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) also notes that the number of people with individual access to the Internet in the APEC region is likely to at least double between 2000 and 2005.
The report was delivered to APEC Ministers during their meeting this week in Santiago, Chile.
The PECC report states that the goal of achieving at least community based Internet access, established by APEC Leaders in Brunei in 2000, is within reach as new generation wireless technologies become available for widespread use.
With the Leaders urging, efforts have increased in intensity and PECC has found that the APEC region is on track to meet the 2010 connectivity goal.
The report notes that the e-APEC Strategy is increasing in importance because the region is tending to integrate through ICT-driven systems. The report notes that the economies that will benefit most from rise of the digital economy are those economies that cooperate and coordinate in developing these ICT-driven systems.
Ministers acknowledged that expanding the infrastructure and skills required to enable at least community based Internet access requires a concerted effort from economies and APEC fora.
Indonesia's Trade Minister, Dr. Mari Pangestu, said at the Ministers' Meeting that expanding Internet access over large geographic economies such as Indonesia has its challenges but is imperative for its people to engage in the digital economy.
"The Government is committed to expanding Internet across the country in accordance with the e-Apec Strategy," Dr. Pangestu said.
"But to ensure universal benefit from this process we also need to build skills capacity of our people to use this new technology."
It is envisaged that the ultimate results of all people in the APEC region having at least community based access to the Internet will have a profound impact on the delivery of health, education and government services. It is hoped that developing areas that currently do not have access to some essential services will see significant increases in their standards of living.