Guiding Principles/Objectives

Programmes

Experience shows that while ICT is by no means a panacea, it has the potential to make a powerful indirect (and sometimes even direct) contribution to poverty reduction.

DGIS has actively supported ICT and development for several years. During the 1990s, the Netherlands was one of the first bilateral donors to include ICT and development on its agenda.

DGIS supports both multilateral ICT programmes and NGO initiatives and also pays attention to ICT in the context of its bilateral sectoral programmes.

DGIS supports a demand-led approach and encourages developing countries to formulate their own ICT policies. The Dutch Government has expressly decided not to build up expensive expertise within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself, but to promote its development in developing countries themselves.

Most of the activities geared explicitly to ICT and development are financed from the Communication Programme, the purpose of which is to assist communication processes in developing countries that promote social involvement. It does so amongst others by encouraging a free press and freedom of expression and encouraging the use of modern ICTs.

The Netherlands also supports ICT components that form part of larger programmes, such as the bilateral sectoral programmes or the Co-financing Programme for Co-operation in Higher Education. Such activities are funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassies or various divisions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Funding of such ICT components is not administrated separately and therefore not included in the figures presented in the column on the scale of financing.

The Memorandum on ICT and development presented to the Dutch Parliament in May 2002 is available at: http://www.minbuza.nl and in the “Strategy papers and related documents” section.

Areas of Application:

n/a

DGIS's ICT strategy is implemented through partnerships:

The Building Digital Opportunities (BDO) programme brings various donors and partners together for purposes of exchange and creating synergy. DFID, DGIS and Swiss Development Co-operation are the main donors. Partners funded by DGIS and other donors are PANOS, OneWorld, International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD).

As a Dutch co-financing organisation, the Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos) receives the bulk of its funding from the development co-operation budget. Five percent of Hivos' budget is allocated to a special action programme on ICT.

Participation in Multi-donor Programmes:

► infoDev
► Development Gateway Foundation
► Fair Trade Assistance/Peoplink
► International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD)
► PANOS
► Communication Assistance Foundation
► Radio Netherlands Training Centre
► World Press Photo
► International Programme for the Development of Communication (UNESCO)
► Inter Press Service
► OneWorld

US$ 9 million in 2003 (not including 'mainstreamed' support to ICT)

Mr. Henk Molenaar, henk.molenaar@minbuza.nl