W ith reference to the partnership principles described in
Section 1.3
, some analysis of the case-studies is provided and key lessons highlighted.
2.4.1 Global Know ledge Partnership
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The GKP is one of the few global networks that seeks expressly to operate as a multi-stakeholder partnership.
In accordance with partnering Principles 2, 3 and 4 see
Section 1 .5
, members are drawn from across business, government and civil society and must meet
specified membership criteria; the partnership is mutually reinforcing with the benefits of shared information accessible to all parties; and the resources of
the partnership drawn from the members´ core competencies, be that as cash or contributions in kind.
The GKP Secretariat itself can be thought of as the partnership broker, empowered by the members to guide the strategic direction of the network, and, increasingly,
to act as the convenor of design-orientated partnerships such as the ICT4D Platform at the W SIS.
Development Aims
GKP is an evolving network of public, private and civil society organisations described as
the first broad-based, global, multi- stakeholder partnership in ICT for
Development ICT4D. Its aim is to promote access to, and effective use of, knowledge
and information as tools of sustainable development, by sharing information,
experiences and resources to realise the potential of ICTs. Its key areas of activity are:
advocacy on ICT4D policy issues;services and events to enhance members’
effectiveness and promote synergies; and provision of a knowledge and information
sharing platform. Its Secretariat is based in Kuala Lumpur.
Partners, Drivers and Contributions
GKP is an actively expanding network which presently comprises 90 members, including:
• 4 govermental organisations from the N orth bilateral donor agencies Switzerland,
Canada, UK and Sweden • 8 governmental organisations from the
South Malaysia, Bangladesh 2, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Fiji, Mauritius
• 14 international and multilateral organisations • 7 networks
• 51 non-profits CSO s and foundations • 6 private sector organisations
Motivations for joining vary for different partners, but include a commitment to the
overall goals, a desire to gain from the pooled knowledge and experience, increase
influence impact by working as a group, and to seek both new opportunities and
resources intellectual capital, partners, funding etc.. Likewise, partners contribute
many of the above things according to their status – including grants from the donor
agency members.
The Partnering Process
The GKP had its origin in the outcome of the 1997 Global Knowledge Conference,
backed by the Canadian Government. The GKP is a complex form of partnership which
is still relatively new, and whose nature continues to evolve as new partners join
according to specified membership criteria. As a minimum requirement of membership,
all partners must contribute in cash or in kind on an annual basis, the scale and nature of
the contribution specified according to the characteristics of the organisation. Partners
maintain their own identity and autonomy and have equal rights, within an
environment that emphasises shared values, mutual respect, trust and transparency. A
central criterion for the partnership and the division of tasks among members is the
principle of subsidiarity whereby decisions are taken at the lowest optimal competent
level. Benefits of the partnership are accessible to all members on an equal basis,
and clear agreements on values, objectives and principles are established through
consultations.
O utcomes and Value Added
GKP’s outcomes, almost by definition, come largely from the value of networking and
information exchange. Its impact includes activities carried out directly under the GKP
banner which include organisation of international events such as the ICT4D
Platform at the W SIS, as well as value added to the activities of individual partners
or groups of partners. For smaller organisations, GKP provides a means
through which they can have greater influence and visibility in international fora
including for e.g. the G8 Dot Force Initiative, and the W SIS. It can also help
sustainability through combined commitment to broadly shared goals, exposure to quality
standards and viable funding. The multi- sectoral nature of the partnership also adds
value through exposing different agendas to scrutiny of other stakeholders and
encouraging the negotiation of win-win outcomes.
3 0
CASE-STUDY 1
GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP GKP
3 1
Development Aims
A SEA N co untr i es b eli eve they must emb r a ce ICT, i ts d evelop ment a nd use, i f
they a r e to susta i n economi c gr ow th a nd r ema i n comp eti ti ve i n the glob a l ma r ket
p la ce. A SEA N lea d er s thus a gr eed to p r omote collecti ve effor ts to comp lement
na ti ona l d evelop ment str a tegi es i n thi s sector. The e-A SEA N initiative establishes
a r eg i o n- w i d e a p p r o a ch to ma ki ng comp r ehensi ve use of i nfor ma ti on a nd
communication technologies i n b usi ness, society, and the government. In N ovember
2 0 0 0 , A SEA N gover nments si gned the e- A SEA N Fr a mew o r k A g r eement to
faci li tate the establi shment of the A SEA N Information Infrastructure. W hile its stated
objectives include the intention to promote coop er a ti on b etw een the p ub li c a nd
pri vate sectors, there i s no fur ther outli ne of r esp ecti ve r oles i n the d ocument. In
the consulta ti ve p ha se of the i ni ti a ti ve how ever, p r i va te sector i np ut w a s sought
a nd ha d a si gni fi ca nt i nfluence. Ther e w a s how ever li ttle or no i np ut fr om ci vi l
soci ety. The e-A SEA N Ta sk For ce w a s cr ea ted i n
1 9 9 9 to d evelo p a b r o a d a nd comp r ehensi ve a cti on p la n. It i s the only
a d vi so r y b o d y to A SEA N tha t i s comp osed of r ep r esenta ti ves fr om the
p ub li c a nd p r i va te sector s, a nd exp li ci tly sta tes i ts i ntenti on to a llow the p r i va te
a nd p ub li c secto r s to b r i ng thei r r esp ecti ve co mp a r a ti ve a d va nta g es
together. The a cti on p la n i tself i nclud es a numb er of p i lot p r oj ects a cr oss a r a nge
of ena b li ng envi r onment, ha r d w a r e a nd softw a r e i ni ti a ti ves, most w i th str ong
p r i va te sector i nvolvement. Sever a l of these a r e, i n themselves, f o r ma l
multi -sector p a r tner shi p a r r a ngements. A g a i n, ho w ever, the o p p o r tuni ty to
str engthen the p a r tner shi p s w i th ci vi l soci ety i nvolvement seems to ha ve b een
la r gely mi ssed .
Pa r tners
• G over nments of 1 0 A SEA N countr i es • Pr i va te sector r ep r esenta ti ves of e-
A SEA N Ta sk For ce a nd consulta ti ve gr oup s
• Pa r tner s i n i nd i vi d ua l p i lot p r oj ects i nclud i ng na ti ona l g over nment,loca l
a nd i nter na ti ona l comp a ni es
The Pa r tnering Process
Ther e w er e sever a l sta ges to the p r ocess of p a r tner shi p d evelop ment, comp r i si ng
a co nsulta ti ve p ha se a nd o ng o i ng for um, i nter na ti ona l a gr eements, a nd a n
a cti o n p la n. A t the ena b li ng envi r onment level, the gover nments of
A SEA N countr i es ha ve a for ma lly si gned a g r eement g over ni ng i nter connecti vi ty
a nd techni ca l i nter -op er a b i li ty a mong thei r teleco mmuni ca ti o n systems a nd
eq ui p ment, a nd ha ve esta b li shed w or ki ng mecha ni sms a nd a n a cti on p la n
for p r omoti ng ICT4 D a p p li ca ti ons. A t a co nsulta ti ve level, p r i va te secto r
r ep r esenta ti ves of e-A SEA N Ta sk For ce a nd consulta ti ve gr oup s w er e a b le to
i ntr o d uce a str o ng p r i va te secto r p er sp ecti ve i nto the sub seq uent a cti on
p la n. In some ca ses p i lot p r oj ects w i thi n the a cti on p la n ha ve for ma l p a r tner i ng
a gr eements e.g. the “ e-lea r ni ng for li fe” p r oj ect of Coca Cola , UN DP a nd the
G over nment of M a la ysi a .
O utcomes a nd Va lue Added
The fr a mew or k a gr eement, Ta sk For ce a nd a cti o n p la n a r e p r o vi ng to b e
i mp or ta nt ca ta lysts to b oth ha r moni si ng a nd p r omoti ng ICT4 D i ni ti a ti ves i n the
r egi on. The str ong i nvolvement of the p r i va te secto r, w hi ch i s unusua l i n
A SEA N i nter -gover nmenta l for a , i s seen a s si g ni f i ca ntly i mp r o vi ng the
effecti veness of the outcomes. Ther e i s, though, some cr i ti ci sm levelled a t the
o ng o i ng r i g i d i ty o f the A SEA N p r o cesses w i th r esp ect to g enui ne
p a r tner shi p s a nd the a b sence o f mea ni ngful ci vi l soci ety i np ut i n the e-
A SEA N p r ocess.
W hat will be interesting in the future is to see how the GKP Secretariat evolves as a broker of more implementation-orientated partnerships. For example, will it as
we recommend in this paper begin to utilise its membership base and convening power to move beyond information sharing to more actively broker or build the
capacity for others to broker a programme of results-based multi-stakeholder ICT4D partnerships that harness the development potential of the W SIS?
2.4.2 e-ASEAN Initiative
