International Cooperation Days 2015: "Universal Goals, Canadian Challenges"
Palais des Congrès, Place Du Centre, Boulevard Maisonneuve, Gatineau, Quebec
| Session: | ICTs, Development and the Post 2015 Development Agenda |
| Time/Date: | May 14, 15:00 to 16:30 |
| Room: | TBC |
| Sponsor: | |
| Speakers: |
Raúl Zambrano, UNDP Global Lead and Policy Adviser in the ICT for Development, Access to information and e-governance Jonas Mikkelsen, Head Finance and Strategic Planning, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Stockholm |
| Objective: | Discussion of technology, e-governance: The Internet, mobile technology and social media have the potential of enhancing human development by fostering universal service delivery and promoting the inclusion of stakeholders in policy and decision-making. However, current evidence on the impact of ICTs in development is mixed. Raul Zambrano, a recently retired e-governance specialist at UNDP advocates for ICTs to empower citizens and widen the quality and availability of services. Jonas Mikkelsen, of Stockholm-based International IDEA, argues that the promises of ICT remain to be fulfilled. |
| Notes: | |
| Documents: | Presentation File |
Biography:
 |
Raúl Zambrano is the Global Lead and Policy Adviser in the ICT for Development and e-governance team at UNDP’s Democratic Governance practice based in New York.
For the past 20 years, Mr. Zambrano has supported the deployment and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in nearly 100 developing countries to foster development agendas and promote social inclusion, working together with national governments, the private sector and civil society organizations.
Mr. Zambrano’s current focus is on mobile technologies and social networks to enhance access to public information, advance service delivery for under-served populations and promote the participation of stakeholders in public policy and decision-making processes. Mr. Zambrano is also working on open government open data, and the use of cloud computing by developing countries. Before joining UNDP in 1993, Mr. Zambrano worked in academia in the United States. Mr. Zambrano is a Colombian national and holds a BA in sociology from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a MA in Economics with a major in Economic Development from the New School for Social Research, USA. |
| Jonas Frørup Mikkelsen has worked in management of Inter-governmental organizations since 2005, when he joined the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in Rome, Italy. Previously he worked in the financial services sector in his native Denmark. He is currently Head of Finance and Strategic Planning at International IDEA. |