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- 016.30 UNDP
- by Lawrence Yeung <lawrence.yeung@nygate.undp.org> and
- Enzo Puliatti <enzo.puliatti@nygate.undp.org>
-
- UNDP believes that communications and information technologies
- are important elements in the process of development and
- integration. Many successful experiences show that the use of
- emerging inexpensive technologies that can be easily assimilated
- by developing countries could provide new models of development.
- An innovative approach consisting of an appropriate use of
- technologies can bridge the gap between developing and developed
- countries in many fields.
-
- The upcoming United Nations Conference on Environment and
- Development (UNCED) to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14
- June is a prime example of using communications and information
- technologies to address specific social, economic and
- environmental issues. It also provides a significant opportunity
- for researchers and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) to develop
- and implement new ways to disseminate information.
-
- Affirming that the protection and enhancement of the environment
- are major issues that affect the well-being of peoples and
- economic development throughout the world, UNCED is to elaborate
- strategies and measures to halt and reverse the effects of
- environmental degradation in the context of increased national
- and international efforts to promote sustainable and
- environmentally sound development in all countries.
-
- The UNCED Secretariat is supporting a proposal to enhance broad
- participation in the Conference, an Information Strategy Project
- in Rio (ISP/Rio) to establish a data communications network to
- allow efficient, low-cost and immediate information interchange
- between participants in the official site of the Conference and
- the sites where the NGOs' events will take place, as well as
- between these sites and other sites in Brazil and abroad. Linked
- to the Internet, this network will provide message exchange,
- database access and electronic conferencing to thousands of NGOs,
- researchers, journalists and other participants.
-
- An important role is played by AlterNex, a non-profit data
- communications system based in Rio de Janeiro affiliated with the
- Association for Progressive Communications. AlterNex is the
- result of a project between the Brazilian Institute of Social and
- Economic Analyses (IBASE, a research and consultancy public
- interest NGO), UNDP, and international donors through project
- BRA/88/014. UNDP has given full logistical support and part of
- the financial support to the implementation of AlterNex between
- 1988 and 1991. Also, through a regional project RLA/88/031 on
- Non-Commercial Data Communication Networks, UNDP is providing
- ongoing support to facilitate importation of necessary equipment
- and software for a major upgrade of the system to confront the
- enhanced needs of UNCED.
-
- ISP/Rio will have a 135 square meter room at the official site's
- (Riocentro) delegates hall, beside the NGO centre, equipped with
- workstations connected to AlterNex and the Internet. Similar
- installations will be available at the Global NGO Forum offices,
- at the NGO Communications Centre, the International Press Centre,
- the airport, the International Task Force office and at the
- AlterNex site. In order to use the system, individuals and
- organizations will need access to a terminal or workstation
- connected to some node of the ISP/Rio, or to a microcomputer
- connected to a standard phone line through a modem. Given the
- approximately 30 mile distances among the different sites of the
- Conference, the significance of ISP/Rio cannot be underestimated.
-
- Some of the documents and related papers on UNCED are kept at the
- UNDP INTERNET node for dissemination purposes among the
- registered users. Queries on access to this node can be directed
- to root@nygate.undp.org.
-
-