Regulatory challenges and opportunities in the new ICT ecosystem

Published in 2018

The new ICT ecosystem has unleashed a virtuous cycle, transforming multiple economic and social activities on its way, opening up new channels of innovation, productivity and communication. The rise of the app economy and the ubiquity of smart mobile devices create great opportuni- ties for users and for companies that can leverage global scale solutions and systems. Technology design deployed by online service providers in particular often reduces transaction costs while allowing for increasing econo- mies of scale. The outlook for both network operators and online service providers is bright as they benefit from the virtuous cycle as the ICT…

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Powering the digital economy: Regulatory approaches to securing consumer privacy, trust and security

Published in 2018

I am pleased to present this report on Powering the Digital Economy: Regulatory Approaches to Securing Consumer Privacy, Trust and Security prepared by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The networked digital environment offers extraordinary and unprecedented potential for social and economic growth. It offers boundless opportunities for governments to create efficiencies and improve the lives of their citizens. And it offers businesses, large and small, new and better ways to connect with their users and consumers around the world. In this new era of the digital economy, data has become one of the world…

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Digital identity in the ICT ecosystem: An overview

Published in 2018

With digital transformation sweeping across sectors and the advent of new electronic identification (eID) technologies, there is a growing trend towards digital identity. In our increasingly digital envi- ronment, it is of paramount importance that citizens be in possession of a legal and digital identity if they are to access digital government services and participate fully in the digital economy. In 2018, of the 175 countries with a national ID (foundational or legal identification) system in place, 160 have a system that is at least partially e-ID. However, even in these countries a significant portion of the population still do…

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Global ICT Regulatory Outlook 2018

Published in 2018

Regulation has entered a new age. The days when regulators dealt with purely technological changes such as the analogue to digital transition are over. Today, digital transformation is sweeping across whole economies, changing our outlook forever. As mobile phones have become even more ubiquitous in their coverage and use, they have also become portals to a host of online services. Regulators find themselves grappling with an ever-growing array of challenges associated across different sectors including digital identity, data protection, blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Regulation continues to evolve rapidly. Far from falling behind or trying to catch up , I…

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Global ICT Regulatory Outlook 2017

Published in 2017

Over past decades the world has witnessed a digital revolution that is ushering in huge change. The rate of that change continues to accelerate challenging our governments and institutions to keep pace. The ICT regulatory landscape too is evolving and at an ever-increasing pace. This report measures and monitors changes taking place in the telecommunication/ICT market itself as well as in the regulatory environment. It identifies and analyses seven market trends and seven regulatory trends and takes an informed view on future regulatory direction. The report builds on extensive data captured in the ICT Regulatory Tracker. Of the many findings…

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Information and Technology Solutions Annual Report 2017: Working Together on Digital Innovation

Published in 2017

Open Archives Campus created to open the WBG Archives to the world. ePerformance system launched to support the entire performance management process. myTravel Portal launched as the destination for all travel-related services and information for WBG staff. ezConnect launched as WBG remote access solution to enable staff to access WBG systems from anywhere. Table of contents Retrospective on the FY15-17 Strategy Client Satisfaction with IT Client Satisfaction survey ITS by the Numbers Before and After the ITS FY15-17 Strategy Modern Operations Information, Knowledge, and Learning Modern HR Core Financial and Strategic Budget Systems End User and Work Experience Modern Foundational…

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IFC annual report 2017 : creating markets

Published in 2017

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Enabling the Digital Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa : What Role for Policy Reforms?

Published in 2017

I am glad to introduce the third edition of a series of reports aimed at discussing macroeconomic developments in the Central African Republic, Chad, Guinea, Mali, and Niger. This series intends to foster public debates on key macroeconomic and fiscal policy options in support of poverty reduction. It disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. One of the objectives of the series is to appraise regional trends and analysis quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. In short, this new series is a novel vehicle for the Bank…

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The Little Data Book on Information and Communication Technology 2017

Published in 2017

Research has shown that investment in information and communication technologies is associated with such economic benefits as higher productivity, lower costs, new economic opportunities, job creation, innovation, and increased trade. ICTs also help provide better services in health and education, and strengthen social cohesion. The Little Data Book on Information and Communication Technology 2017 illustrates the progress of this revolution for 217 economies around the world . It provides comparable statistics on the sector for 2005 and 2015 across a range of indicators, enabling readers to readily compare economies. This book includes indicators covering the economic and social context, the…

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World Development Report 2017: Governance and the Law

Published in 2017

Leaders, policy makers, and development professionals often worry that wellintentioned policies designed to improve the lives of their communities will fail to deliver results. The global development community needs to move beyond asking “What is the right policy?” and instead ask “What makes policies work to produce life-improving outcomes?” The answer put forward in this year’s World Development Report is better governance that is, the ways in which governments, citizens, and communities engage to design and apply policies. This Report is being launched at a time when global growth and productivity are continuing to slow, limiting the resources available to…

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