AP-IS Objectives and Structure - UN ESCAP Objectives and Structure.pdfChallenges: Digital Divide in Asia and the Pacific 6 1.76% 6.17% 7.00% 9.32% 75.74% Pacific South-East Asia North

IMPROVING REGIONAL BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY THROUGH THE

ASIA-PACIFIC INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY

ASIA-PACIFIC INFORMATION

SUPERHIGHWAY STEERING GROUP:

OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE

ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division

ESCAP

12 December 2017



Structure

2

12 Dec: AP-IS Steering Group meeting (MR A)

13 Dec: Joint session between AP-IS /AH WG (MR 3)

13-15 Dec: AH WG (MR 3)



Objectives: 12 December

• Follow up on the outcomes of the first session of the AP-

IS Steering Committee held from 1-2 November in Dhaka,

Bangladesh

• Discuss the challenges and opportunities of regional

cooperation and co-deployment

• Advance the development of AP-IS subregional

implementation plans

3



4

Asia-Pacific Information

Superhighway



ESCAP vis other regions

5

0

10

20

30

40

Fix

ed-b

roadband s

ub. per

100 i

nhabit

ants

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year

Africa ESCAP

Europe North America

Latin America & Caribbean



Challenges: Digital Divide in Asia and the Pacific

6

1.76%

6.17%

7.00%

9.32%

75.74%

Pacific South-East Asia

North & Central Asia South & South-West Asia

East & North-East Asia

2016

Source: Produced by ESCAP, based on data sourced from ITU World Telecommunications/ICT

Indicators Database (accessed July 2017).

Fixed broadband subscriptions by subregion in 2016



By income group

7

0

20

40

60

80

100

Fix

ed-B

roadban

d S

ub. (M

illi

ons)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year

ESCAP High-Income Countries ESCAP Upper-Middle-Income excl. China PR

ESCAP Lower-Middle-Income Countries ESCAP Low-Income Countries



ESCAP vs other regions

8

0

50

100

150

Mo

bil

e-b

road

ban

d s

ub

scri

pti

on

s p

er

10

0 i

nh

ab

itan

ts

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year

Africa ESCAP

Europe North America

Latin America & Caribbean



The Asia-Pacific Information

Superhighway initiative aims to increase

the availability and affordability of

broadband Internet across Asia and the

Pacific, by strengthening the underlying

Internet infrastructure in the region.

9

• Promote terrestrial and submarine fibre-optic connectivity

• Provide a regional intergovernmental platform focusing on the missing fibre-optic links between ESCAP countries

• ESCAP resolution 73/6 = mandate



10



ESCAP Resolution 73/6 – Regional implementation of AP-IS

(a)Accord priority to the implementation of the Master Plan for

the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway and the Asia-

Pacific Information Superhighway Regional Cooperation

Framework Document;

(b)Encourage the participation of various stakeholders in the

implementation of activities of the Master Plan;

(c)Continue to conduct research and analysis and capacity

development to identify challenges and opportunities

associated with the four pillars of the Asia-Pacific Information

Superhighway initiative



• Bridging digital divides

• Promoting affordable access

to underserved areas

• Policy and technical support

to Governments

• Ensuring efficient and effective

Internet traffic and network

management at regional, sub-

regional and national levels

• Resilient ICT networks

• Support to disaster

management systems

• Ensuring last-mile disaster

communication

Four Pillars of AP-IS

12

• Physical network design,

development, management

at regional level

• Intergovernmental negotiation

• Improving regulations based

on open access CONNECTIVITY

E-RESILIENCE

TRAFFIC /

NETWORK

MANAGEMENT

BROADBAND

FOR ALL



AP-IS Initiatives

13

Identification, coordination, deployment, expansion and

integration of the regional backbone network

Establish a sufficient number of IXPs at the national and

subregional levels and set out common principles on

Internet traffic exchange

Regional social and economic studies

Enhancing ICT infrastructure resilience

Policy and regulations for leveraging existing

infrastructure, technology and inclusive broadband

initiatives

Capacity-building

AP-IS funding mechanism based on public-private

partnerships

Strategic Initiatives 2016-2018

1

2

3

4

5

6

7



AP-IS Map

Interactive Map, visit <http://www.itu.int/itu-d/tnd-map-public/>

14



AP-IS SG by sub-region

15



AP-IS Main Deliverables

16

AP-IS MPPre-

feasibility Study

Feasibility Study

SC SG IG



AP-IS 1st Steering Committee Meeting, 1-

2 November 2017, Dhaka, Bangladesh• Co-hosted with Bangladesh

Steering Committee (SC)

meeting on 1-2 November

2017.

• The SC meeting was chaired

by Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak

MP, State Minister.

• Around 300+ international

and local participants

attended the opening

ceremony

• ESCAP member countries,

regional and international

partners, including private

sectors attended the meeting.




2 November 2017, Dhaka, BangladeshKey Outcomes:

• New bureau – Representative of Bangladesh was elected as Chair; China and Lao PDR as Vice-chairs; and Kazakhstan and Tonga as Rapporteurs;

• ESCAP member countries’ needs and requirements for regional and subregional implementation plans consolidated

• UNV submitted a proposal for engaging national UNVs

• The Indian Institute of Management submitted a proposal for the establishment of an AP-IS Academic Network

• LIRNEasia submitted a proposal for collaboration

• GEIDCO proposed power grid co-deployment studies etc




2 November 2017, Dhaka, Bangladesh

• Subregional AP-IS meetings in

2018, to review

implementation of AP-IS

Master Plan for ASEAN

countries;

• Joint Session of Asia-Pacific

Information Superhighway

Steering Group Meeting and

Seventh Meeting of the

Working Group on the Asian

Highway Network, Bangkok,

12-13 December 2017.



20

Thank you!

Email: [email protected]

Sources: ESCAP (2017) Impact of Universal Service Funds on Fixed-Broadband

Deployment and Internet Adoption in Asia and the Pacific

Documents

AP-IS Objectives and Structure - UN ESCAP Objectives and Structure.pdfChallenges: Digital Divide in Asia and the Pacific 6 1.76% 6.17% 7.00% 9.32% 75.74% Pacific South-East Asia North