As APEC members economies have striven to build the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure necessary for the development of the new economy, the phenomenon of the so- called 'Digital Divide' has also emerged.

To tackle this divide, Chinese Taipei proposed at the 11th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok in 2003 to establish an APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC). This proposal was welcomed and endorsed by leaders, and was reflected in the "Chair's Summary of Discussions at Retreat I and II, APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, Bangkok, 20-21 October 2003." Following this proposal, Chinese Taipei made two progress reports regarding ADOC during SOM I and SOM II in 2004. APEC Senior Officials welcomed the "proposed activities and encouraged member economies to actively participate in ADOC work." Furthermore, during the Joint Statement of the 16th Ministerial Meeting, 2004, Ministers "acknowledged that building skills and capacity in optimizing information technology is the most pressing need for APEC economies to reduce digital divide and to facilitate trade. In this context, they welcomed the progress that has been made by the APEC Digital Opportunity Center."

ADOC is working on realizing the "e-APEC Strategy" set out by APEC leaders. This strategy is aimed at: 1) Transforming the digital divide into a digital opportunity, and 2) Preparing APEC economies to use the Information Revolution as a passport to the New Economy. We hope this not-for-profit organization, funded by Chinese Taipei, will help APEC achieve the above mentioned goal.

Purposes

ADOC has the following purposes:

1. To realize the APEC blueprints for bridging the digital divide.

2. To help generate international e-Commerce Trade & Investment in the APEC region.

3. To serve as a platform for exploring digital opportunities by expanding digital capabilities among ADOC member economies.

4. To function as one of the enablers of the New by harnessing the full potential that Information & Communication Technology (ICT) brings.

5. To create a cooperative mechanism to strengthen the friendships between APEC member economies, both in the public and private sectors.

Milestones

ADOC aims to facilitate at least 6 APEC member economies advance their global e-Government rating by 2008. A series of milestones are envisaged to help meet the goal.

1. Establishment of ADOC Partner Offices
ADOC Partners Offices in participating member economies will be funded to act as local Information & Communication Technology (ICT) resource centers, introducing, localizing, promoting, and implementing state-of-the-art ICT applications. Partner Offices will be responsible for promoting good standards and practices with respect to Trade Facilitation and e-Business; they will also act as a coordinator between their center and other member centers.

2. Development & Design of e-Policy
Assistance will be provided to ADOC Partners to help plan and design e-Policy for the implementation of e-Government, Trade Facilitation and e-Industry programs.

3. Implementation of e-Training Programs
An extensive training program will be implemented by ADOC, training IT professionals in ICT applications as well as in subjects related to Trade Facilitation and electronic business. The target number of people receiving training over four years will be 200 trainers and 800 general professional trainees.

4. Promotion of Cooperation, Experience Sharing & Networking
ADOC’s networking activities are to include an annual ADOC Meeting, Forum, and Exhibition. The event, to be hosted by the ADOC Secretariat in Chinese Taipei, will allow ADOC partners to exchange their experiences and expertise. ADOC Partners will also have the opportunity to discuss future ADOC projects.

5. Generation of e-Trade
ADOC will promote and facilitate e-Trade to share the prosperity of the Information Age, by cooperating with various APEC Partners and business sectors. The target is 20 successful cases generating in excess of USD$11.6 million.

Strategic Approaches

The ADOC Secretariat aims to provide centralized support to all ADOC Partner Offices while also encouraging each ADOC Partner Office to work towards becoming self-reliant and competitive.

1. ADOC Service & Resources
The ADOC Secretariat provides a complete range of services and resources through a centralized system. Support will be provided on e-Business Readiness Measurement Methodology, e-Government Business Platforms, Trade Facilitation and e-Industry.

2. APEC Support
ADOC encourages resources and support from other APEC initiatives and organizations. Mutual cooperation with other leading APEC organizations such as the APEC Study Center Consortium, the Committee on Trade and Investment, the Electronic Commerce Steering Group of SOM, is welcomed. ADOC is always willing to collaborate with other international organizations to build mutually beneficial partnerships.

3. ADOC Spirit - Independence & Self-Reliance
ADOC strongly encourages Partner Offices to adopt a spirit of independence and self-reliance. Partners are expected to take a leading role in the design of their own ADOC projects as well as to meet their responsibilities and commitments to ensure the success of the projects.

All ADOC Partner Offices are expected to:

Invest the necessary resources in terms of manpower and budget.

Identify organizations or institutions with the capability of becoming an ADOC Partner Office.

Select trainers to attend courses organized by the ADOC Secretariat.

Assist in e-Government Readiness surveys as well as other administrative projects.

Introduce e-Policy decision makers for the IT Leaders Training Camp; decision makers need to be senior enough, at their institutions, to ensure the successful implementation of proposed policies. Decision makers also need to act as advisors to the ADOC Partner Office and help supervise the performance of the ADOC project.

ADOC Partners are also expected to support the APEC Digital Opportunity Center concept at all APEC events and meetings.

4. Program Sustainability
ADOC recommends its Partner Offices to proliferate its knowledge and expertise by the setting up additional ADOC sites in more rural areas to help ensure the success and sustainability of the program.

5. Competitive Spirit
ADOC encourages its Partner Offices to support healthy competition in the selection of decision makers for the IT Leaders Training camp. Participants should be selected on their ability to influence, plan and execute e-Policy for their specific needs..