"The information technology is playing a greater role in building up a Community of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) based on three main pillars namely ASEAN economic community, social-cultural community and security community," Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the opening session of TELMIN-5. However, ASEAN member countries, almost all of which are developing countries, are still facing a shortage in human resources, financial backing and technology when promoting the application of telecom and IT services, Deputy PM Dung said. He expressed his hope for "pooling greater cooperation and assistance from dialogue partners in doing so".
In the IT field, ASEAN has received cooperation and assistance from its three dialogue partners - China, Japan and the Republic of Korea - that sent their representatives to the event, which brought together a total of 150 delegates.
The Vietnamese leader reiterated that Viet Nam always regards developing the IT and communication industry as a national policy and one of the key weapons to combat poverty.
"The Vietnamese Government defines the IT and communication industry is one of the most important engines backing national development. The application of IT advances has helped hasten the country's international integration, refine the competitiveness of the national economy, improve the people's living conditions, and ensure national security and defence," the Deputy PM said.
ASEAN Ministers of Posts and Telematics are to discuss the Ha Noi Agenda, which consists regional strategic development orientations and specific programmes in the coming time.
Also high on the TELMIN-5 agenda is the discussion and adoption of an ASEAN Information and Communication Technology Focus 2005-2010.
Under the programme, 40 projects will be carried out. Projects cover the promotion of e-commerce, IT infrastructure development, the narrowing of the digital divide, and the establishment of e-government and e-society in member countries.
The Ministers will deliberate and adopt a proposed Ministerial Statement on Internet Governance, a regulation to deploy ASEAN Information and Communication Technology (ICT) fund, and ASEAN ICT Cooperation with Dialogue Partners.
They will also hear proposals and initiatives sent by ICT businessmen and students.
Quelle: Viet Nam News Agency, 26.09.2005
