ICT and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean

SUSANA FINQUELIEVICH

Lyon

Congreso; World Summit of Cities and Local Authorities on the Information Society; 2003

Do information and communication technologies (ICT) have any incidence on local development and poverty reduction? Do ICT improve local development trough their application to social programs, or do they require a comprehensive e-economy policy to become development factors? Which are the conditions under which ICT can effectively contribute to social development? This paper shows the results of a research on the effects of ICT in poverty reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), from 1995 onwards1. The work identifies the national-wide strategies and policies used by LAC governments –particularly in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela - to implement ICT applications for economic and social development purposes, mainly in the areas of connectivity, e-government, education, and science and technology. It also reviews the strategies and actions implemented by LAC governments to fight poverty. It analyzes the relations between the two kinds of policies. These policies are confronted to the evolution of poverty in the Region. Finally, the paper proposes strategies in order to use ICT for social and economic development in developing countries.