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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Bridging Broadband Barriers for SIDS sustainable development

International Telecommunication Union
#SDGAction39937
    Description
    Description
    The goal of this high level dialogue is to understand the issues of the digital divide, and bridge this divide through projects that focus on satellite connectivity providing broadband to remote islands and rural areas in small island developing states (SIDS) and foster partnerships to ensure concrete projects are created and implemented through partnerships between governments, private sector and academia are included in the post 2015 agenda. The main objectives are two fold - to improve social and economic development, and to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and emergency telecommunication when natural disaster strikes. Specific objectives include but not limited to:- creating regional and international genuine and durable partnerships for improving access and affordable access to broadband and information and communication for all. To do this, ITU as the United Nations specialized agency shall take the lead in creating genuine and durable partnerships to assist SIDS in improving connectivity in order to bridging broadband divide within SIDS. These partnerships are between governments, private sector, academia and civil society. - providing connectivity to remote islands and rural areas enabling access to broadband and the Internet for connecting and communicating to families and friends living in other islands and at the global level.- implementing concrete actions for SIDS to help in achieving social and economic development in these areas. - recognizing connectivity as a priority for SIDS, and to be included in the post 2014 agenda. - designing, develop and implement projects for connectivity with a goal of increasing capacity of SIDS in order to own such projects ensuring sustainability.
    Implementation of the Project/Activity

    Each partner will bring it their contribution to projects. Letters of commitment from each partner detailing their contribution are sent to the ITU. Governments will also provide letters of commitment that they wish to be a beneficiary country also detailing their commitment to the projects. ITU as the lead and implementing organization provides project management services and ensure that partners provide their contribution as stated in their letters of commitment.

    Capacity

    The key component of each project is transfer of knowledge and capacity building. ITU ensures that the project document details requirements for capacity building and that the call for partnership for capacity building is included.At the implementation phase, providers of required capacity building are sought from the beneficiary country first. Failing the availability of training skills for a certain capacity building need, then providers of such training services are sought from the region and international level.

    Governed

    The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will be the lead organization that will coordinate with Member states and sector members concerning the creation and development of partnerships. However, the implementation at the national level will be governed by governments and local partners under the overall management of the ITU.Cooperation Agreements will be signed between the ITU, partners and governments of SIDS, where the ITU will be the implementing agency, partners to provide contributions and governments to manage at the national level.

    Partners
    International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

    Goal 11

    Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

    Goal 11

    11.1

    By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

    11.1.1

    Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing

    11.2

    By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
    11.2.1

    Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

    11.3

    By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
    11.3.1

    Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate

    11.3.2

    Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically

    11.4

    Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

    11.4.1

    Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)

    11.5

    By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations

    11.5.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    11.5.2

    Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)

    11.5.3

    (a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters

    11.6

    By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

    11.6.1

    Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities

    11.6.2

    Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

    11.7

    By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
    11.7.1

    Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

    11.7.2

    Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months

    11.a

    Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

    11.a.1

    Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space

    11.b

    By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

    11.b.1

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    11.b.2

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    11.c

    Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials

    e-centers are established in remote islands or rural areas
    satellite connectivity to provide broadband are provided free of chareg for the first 6 months
    training for basic computers are provided at the local level
    regional training for satellite operation and maintenance will be actioned at the regional level
    Financing (in USD)
    680000
    In-kind contribution
    785,000
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Satellite operation and maintenance trainers will be sought from local and regional organisations
    Other, please specify
    Beneficiary governments selects locations of e-centers and also local partners
    Other, please specify
    Beneficiary governments selects locations of e-centers and also local partners
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
    False
    Action Network
    Small Island Developing States
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    Timeline
    01 June 2017 (date of completion)
    Entity
    ITU
    SDGs
    Region
    1. Africa
    2. Europe
    3. North America
    4. Asia and Pacific
    More information
    Countries
    Switzerland
    Switzerland
    Contact Information

    Mrs Gisa Fuatai Purcell, Head, LSE Division