Regional : Pacific Information and Communication Technology Investment Planning and Capacity Development Facility- Phase 2
The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) will address requests from several Pacific country governments seeking to strengthen their information and communication (ICT) capacities. The TA will support (i) advancing ICT policy and regulatory frameworks, (ii) ICT applications development, and (iii) adaptation of technology innovations and protection against cyber-crime. The initiative is a continuation of a similar TA program which successfully and efficiently addressed ICT infrastructure-related challenges for submarine cable projects.
The TA is included in the Pacific 2016-2018 Regional Operations Business Plan (ROBP) which outlines ICT applications for development of ICT-enabled services as key area of assistance. It is also listed in the current ROBP 2017-2019.
Project Details
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Project Officer
Nicholls, Peter F.
Pacific Department
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Regional -
Sector
- Information and communication technology
Related Projects
| Project Name | Pacific Information and Communication Technology Investment Planning and Capacity Development Facility- Phase 2 | ||||
| Project Number | 50409-001 | ||||
| Country / Economy | Regional Cook Islands Fiji Micronesia, Federated States of Kiribati Nauru Palau Papua New Guinea Marshall Islands Tonga Vanuatu |
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| Project Status | Active | ||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Technical Assistance |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Strategic Agendas | Environmentally sustainable growth Inclusive economic growth Regional integration |
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| Drivers of Change | Governance and capacity development Knowledge solutions Partnerships Private sector development |
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| Sector / Subsector | Information and communication technology / ICT industries and ICT-enabled services - ICT strategy and policy, and capacity development |
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| Gender | No gender elements | ||||
| Description | The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) will address requests from several Pacific country governments seeking to strengthen their information and communication (ICT) capacities. The TA will support (i) advancing ICT policy and regulatory frameworks, (ii) ICT applications development, and (iii) adaptation of technology innovations and protection against cyber-crime. The initiative is a continuation of a similar TA program which successfully and efficiently addressed ICT infrastructure-related challenges for submarine cable projects. The TA is included in the Pacific 2016-2018 Regional Operations Business Plan (ROBP) which outlines ICT applications for development of ICT-enabled services as key area of assistance. It is also listed in the current ROBP 2017-2019. |
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| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | The development of the ICT sector in the Pacific has come a long way in the last 10 years. The region is on an ICT adaptation path, and has overcome the initial hurdle of setting up effective infrastructure systems for the next phase of ICT engagements. While previously ICT adaptation was inhibited by limited quality of service and high costs of internet services, penetration rates have improved with the introduction of O3B 's low orbiting satellite services and submarine cable systems, providing greater and more reliable bandwidths at lower costs. As private sector investments were difficult to attract due to small market sizes and lack of financial feasibility, a number of countries relied on development partners including ADB and the World Bank to support their fiber optic cable projects. With broadband infrastructure in place or expected to be in place in next five years, Pacific islands have to manage the changes involved in adapting technological advances. ICT policy and regulatory frameworks in most countries are at a nascent stage, if at all established, and require further support in order to mature. While isolated progress has been made in the adaptation of ICT applications recently, general utilization of services is often limited to casual end-users and basic communications, impeding progress on a larger scale. At the same time, the region is making efforts to achieve its development goals in other sectors like health, education and private sector development, while struggling with geographic remoteness and lack of access to economic markets abroad. The TA seeks to ensure that the region receives support for essential ICT adaptations to tackle the issues described, and achieve its development outcomes more effectively. |
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| Impact | Access to ICT increased (ADB Pacific Approach, 20162020) Access to ICT applications for public service delivery improved |
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| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | Cross-sectoral service delivery through useof ICT innovations improved |
| Progress Toward Outcome | |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | ICT policy and regulatory framework supported Development of ICT applications supported Adoption of technology innovations and protection against cybercrime supported |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | |
| Geographical Location | Cook Islands - Nation-wide; Fiji - Nation-wide; Kiribati - Nation-wide; Marshall Islands - Nation-wide; Micronesia, Federated States of - Nation-wide; Nauru - Nation-wide; Palau - Nation-wide; Papua New Guinea - Nation-wide; Tonga - Nation-wide; Vanuatu - Nation-wide |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | |
| Involuntary Resettlement | |
| Indigenous Peoples | |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | |
| During Project Implementation | The subproject was approved on 16 March 2018. |
| Business Opportunities | |
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| Consulting Services | ADB will administer the TA cluster and will be responsible for consultant recruitment and procurement, in close consultation with the participating governments. ADB will seek concurrence from the participating governments for the recruitment of consultants. The government counterpart in each country will assist ADB in identifying the TA implementing agencies based on the scope of the requests. The implementing agency in each participating country, together with the consultants, will implement the TA. |
| Procurement | ADB will administer the TA cluster and will be responsible for consultant recruitment and procurement, in close consultation with the participating governments. ADB will seek concurrence from the participating governments for the recruitment of consultants. The government counterpart in each country will assist ADB in identifying the TA implementing agencies based on the scope of the requests. |
| Responsible ADB Officer | Nicholls, Peter F. |
| Responsible ADB Department | Pacific Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | PASP |
| Executing Agencies |
Asian Development Bank |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 14 Aug 2017 |
| Fact Finding | 05 Jun 2017 to 09 Jun 2017 |
| MRM | - |
| Approval | 12 Sep 2017 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 11 May 2023 |
TA 0024-REG
| Financing Plan/TA Utilization | Cumulative Disbursements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADB | Cofinancing | Counterpart | Total | Date | Amount | |||
| Gov | Beneficiaries | Project Sponsor | Others | |||||
| 1,000,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,000,000.00 | - | 0.00 |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
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| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Information and Communication Technology Investment Planning and Capacity Development Facility (Phase 2): Technical Assistance Report | Technical Assistance Reports | Sep 2017 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
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Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
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Related Publications
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