Global Policies and Initiatives for E-Government in Pacific SIDs

Abstract

Because the Internet is a world-wide system of intercommunications, significant policy dialogue concerning its organization and functioning takes place at global meetings of governments, technical bodies, business, development agencies, and user groups. This “global architecture” for policy-setting covers both Internet governance and e-government. This chapter focuses on the latter, particularly on the interaction between global agencies and policy dialogue processes with SIDs (Small Island Developing States), more particularly those in the Pacific Islands. While small states, such as those in the Pacific, have not played a large role in decision-making at global level, their sharing of their experience, perspectives, and preferences has contributed to the gradual recognition of their distinct development context. Since Agenda 21, through to the recognition of SIDs as a particular category of developing states in global development assistance frameworks, the challenges of e-government have been given ever-closer consideration. At the current time building e-government capacity and capability in Pacific Island SIDs is shaped by the plan of action flowing from the third SIDs Conference in Apia in 2014 and by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a comprehensive set of development goals agreed at the United Nations for the period 2015–2030. Developing the capability of Pacific States has included increasing the extent of their participation in global e-government dialogue processes, as partners in development rather than as recipients only.