Information Society: Next Steps

The new Development Gateway Special Report "Information Society: Next Steps", launching October 24,2005 looks at how the ICT landscape is changing in the developing world and what lies ahead.This year, the number of Internet users in developing countries is crossing the 500 million mark, surpassing industrial nations for the first time. By some estimates, more than 75% of the world's population now lives within range of a mobile network. Yet the long-heralded promise of ICT remains far out of reach for most of the developing world. For the information poor, economic and social gaps are in fact widening - both within and between countries. Following on the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) of December 2003, WSIS Phase II in November 2005 will assess progress and prompt further global action to capture the promise of ICT for all. Experts from governments, donors, NGOs and the private sector speak out about effective policies, promising applications and innovative business models. Interviewees include Charles Geiger, Executive Director, WSIS Executive Secretariat; M.S. Swaminathan, Founder,Swaminathan Research Foundation; and Jimmy Wales, Co-Founder,Wikipedia. Read the Special Report October 24, 2005 - January 15, 2006 More

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