Digital Reach

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EVOLUTIONARY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

could have a consid-

erable impact on development. It is therefore important to

consider the institutional realignments needed for this impact

to be effective. The digitalization of information and communica-

tion technology (ICT) offers opportunities to deepen understanding

of the functions that access to information and the application of

knowledge play in development. This understanding can contribute

to improving the effectiveness of efforts to achieve development

objectives.

Digital technology makes it possible to carry in one channel the

signals that previously used separate channels. By blurring the tech-

nological and economic distinctions among historically separated

activities involved in processing, storing, distributing, transmitting

and accessing information in text, image, audio and multimedia

formats, digital technology applications can bring into focus the

idea that all economies have been and will continue to be knowl-

edge economies. They differ in the degree to which they are

committed to human development and the creation of enabling

conditions to facilitate access to information and the tools people

use to build and apply knowledge to all economic, social and polit-

ical activities. In other words, advances in digital technology: provide

incentives for innovative applications of ICT, provoke changes in

institutional arrangements, and offer the possibility for strengthen-

ing the capacity of societies to manage change in a democratic

process of efficient, equitable and sustainable development.

Whether or not these incentives are implemented, the institu-

tional transformations realized and development effectiveness

improved depends on how each society integrates its understand-

ing of information and knowledge into a process of ongoing change.

Digital convergence may well reveal that ‘value-added develop-

ment’ has been and always will be the basis of efforts for achieving

sustainable economic growth while reducing poverty and promot-

ing equity, giving more and more people the possibility for an

improved quality of life without jeopardizing that possibility for

future generations. Indeed, this perspective may already be re-

shaping public, private and civil society partnerships in Latin

America and the Caribbean as well as the partnership between these

countries and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to

improve development effectiveness.

Digital convergence in development

Information is understood in the context of this discussion as an

input that people use to create and apply knowledge which, when

reproduced using other media, becomes information. The important

developmental challenge is the evolution of mechanisms for match-

ing an increasing and diverse demand for information and learning

opportunities with access to a supply of accurate, complete and

timely information and the quality learning environments needed

by citizens in all aspects of their lives. A crucial aspect of this chal-

lenge involves ensuring that the technological, legal and economic

safeguards exist so that all people have the basic resources needed

to participate in and benefit from an expanding marketplace for

information and access to the learning environments. In other

words, societies constantly need to make sure that incentives exist

Digital convergence and the development

paradigm: improving development effectiveness

in the IDB partnership with the countries of

Latin America and the Caribbean

Danilo Piaggesi, Chief, and Robert A. Vitro, Programme Development Coordinator – Intersectoral,

Regional and Special Programmes, ICT for Development Division, Education Science and Technology

Sub-department, Sustainable Development Department, Inter-American Development Bank

Training centre in La Paz

Photo: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)