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CAPACITY-BUILDING WORKSHOP ON MEASURING THE USE AND IMPACT OF ICT ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARAB REGION

17
-
18
December
2013
Location: 
Tunis



As ICT infrastructure developed and its use became widespread, the potential impact of these technologies on individuals, businesses, governments, communities and socio-economic development in general became apparent. To fully benefit from the advantages of ICT, statistics should be collected and analysed. In order to ensure that these statistics would be available, measuring the use of ICT and its impact became paramount. Through these indicators, it became possible to measure the accessibility and availability of ICT, a necessary step towards assessing the progression towards the information society.

 

As the information society gives way to the knowledge society and economy, the focus shifts toward the added value of products and processes. As individuals and communities become increasingly knowledgeable, they demand better governance and expect even better services from the government and industry. Understanding the use and impact of ICT, whether negative or positive, could assist in the development of improved services and initiatives tailored to the needs and expectations of various target groups, especially youth.
The objectives of the workshop are:
  1. to raise the awareness and build the capacities of relevant institutions in the region with regard to the understanding and application of ICT use and impact measurement.
  2. to examine available frameworks and measurement models and build the capacity of member countries in utilizing them to assess and measure the use of ICT and its services, specifically e-government, as well as its impact, especially on Arab youth.
  3. showcasing selected national experiences and practical examples, in order to facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned among participants.

Participants in the workshop will include representatives from ICT ministries, government institutions and agencies in charge of developing the information society, academia, National Statistical Offices (NSO), as well as decision-makers in the ICT sector.