The international e-partnership summit aimed at narrowing the gap between those with access to information and communication technology (ICT) and those without in the Commonwealth took place in New Delhi, India, from 23 to 24 March 2007. The summit was inaugurated by India's President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Speaking at opening session on 23 March 2007, President Kalam said the telecommunications revolution with digital technology, broadband connectivity, internet and multimedia convergence, offers the key to realising socio-economic goals. He hailed Commonwealth Connects for acting as an initiative to draw together the collective wisdom and competencies in information and communication technology (ICT) among member countries to serve the development aspirations of their people. He stated that the endeavour to turn an information society into a knowledge society will lead to the production of value-added products for local and international consumption.

"The education system, instead of going by textbook teaching, will be promoted by creative, interactive self-learning -- formal and informal with a focus on values, merit and quality. The workers, instead of being skilled or semi-skilled, will be knowledgeable, self-empowered and flexibly skilled," the President said.

Dr Kalam recommended the establishment of a common telecommunication policy to share resources, network and infrastructure, and the development of a common information security policy. He encouraged the development of knowledge products and systems for the global market in education, health care and e-governance.

Speaking at the same event, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon emphasised that the goal of the Commonwealth over the next decade is to bridge the digital divide among its member states -- between those with access to ICT and those without -- in order to transform lives in a knowledge society.

"Our task ahead is to unleash human potential by sharing what we call our common ICT wealth across the 53-nation Commonwealth," Mr McKinnon stated. Commonwealth Connects, the Secretary-General said, serves as a launch pad for small, practical and sustainable ICT development programmes, including IT-based small businesses. This programme also acts as a matchmaker for those who require ICT assistance and those that have the skills to provide them. He added that Commonwealth Connects can help link far-flung communities together.

Mr McKinnon pointed out the Commonwealth Connects portal serves as a marketplace for skills and services, and offers a platform for online forums. It also provides access to a digital library depository of data on e-strategies and best practices, as well as free software.

The Secretary-General pledged that the association will work to fill gaps and give strategic direction to national ICT strategies. "A major study recently conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat found that only 15 of our Commonwealth member countries had coherent national strategies, and that the remaining 38 needed help."

The Commonwealth Connects Programme was launched following the endorsement of the Commonwealth Action Programme for the Digital Divide by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at Malta CHOGM in November 2005. The Heads also endorsed establishment of a Steering Committee and a Special Fund to enable implementation of specific activities under the programme. India is a major contributor to the Special Fund and is a member of the steering committee.

The programme is focused on building policy and regulatory capacity; modernising education and skills development; enhancing entrepreneurship for poverty reduction; promoting local access and connectivity; and improving regional networking, local content and knowledge.

The Summit in Delhi offered networking opportunities for all players in the ICT industry to work together in mutually beneficial ways to enhance the use of modern technology for development in the Commonwealth.

Full text of the President�s Speech