SASEC nations agree to collaborate on mega subregional ICT project

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Naim-Ul-Karim
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal have agreed to collaborate on a mega sub-regional Information Communication Technology (ICT) project aiming to improve connectivity, reduce cost of business and expedite the economic growth of those countries.
Sources said the agreement by the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) countries was reached at the fourth ICT working group meeting to discuss the proposed SASEC Information Highway Project in New Delhi, India on October 08-09.
The SASEC was established in 2001 by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal with Asian Development Bank's support. It aims to promote the sub-region's economic cooperation in the priority areas, including transport, tourism, and ICT, they said.
A senior government official, who attended the meeting, said the joint statement issued at the meeting reassured the four countries' commitment to promote closer cooperation for development and applications of ICT to improve social and economic participation through better access to appropriate support and infrastructure.
He said the project will mark the first multi-country investment project if approved by the ADB's Board of Directors in December.
"The SASEC Information Highway Project will help SASEC countries more efficiently and effectively connect to each other by broadband and bring the much needed social goods to communities in South Asia, especially to often underserved rural areas," the official quoted Kunio Senga, the Director General of ADB's South Asia Department, as saying.
When asked, he said the project cost will be assessed after feasibility study, which is expected to begin soon.
The SASEC Information Highway Project consists of three key components. It will establish the SASEC regional network to integrate member countries and reduce Internet costs, particularly for the land-locked countries of Bhutan and Nepal.
The project will also build the SASEC village network to expand broadband wireless connectivity to rural communities and enable them to better access services such as tele-medicine, distance learning, and e-government services.
In addition, it will set up the SASEC regional research and training network to facilitate the flow and integration of information, knowledge, and services among member countries through directly linking communities, businesses, and research institutes.
These networks will be established and operated through the public-private partnership with a strong focus on entrepreneurship development.