An Asia-Pacific information superhighway

ADVANCES in regional connectivity have generated substantial economic and social gains in terms of growth, trade and people-to-people connections. The global explosion of new technologies, especially in information and communication technologies (ICT), points the way to the next big leap for regional connectivity: an Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway.

Asia-Pacific countries are already well recognised for their success in structuring cross-border global value chains which, backed by infrastructure corridors, have helped to boost trade within and beyond the region. There is great potential, however, to further deepen connectivity and maximise socio-economic gains, by more effectively integrating ICT across all core infrastructure.

The urgency for this in Asia and the Pacific is apparent from the growing digital divide: in the developing economies of Asia and the Pacific, less than 15 per cent of people have high-speed Internet access. The situation is worse in many of our least developed, landlocked developing and Pacific island countries - where less than one per cent of people have broadband connectivity. And for women and girls - regardless of location, level of income or age - access is lower still.