Bhutan

e-Governance Platform for Public Service Delivery

Address by Ms. Claire Van der Vaeren, UNDP Resident Representative

at the launch of e-Governance Platform for Public Service Delivery

Royal Banquet Hall, Thimphu

The Hon’ble Chief Guest, Lyonpo Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Minister of Agriculture

Honorable Lyonpos, Excellencies, Dashos

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Firstly, I would like to thank our host, the Hon’ble Minister for Information and Communications, for inviting me to attend this event and to deliver a few remarks from UNDP’s perspective. I am indeed very pleased to be part of this initiative to launch e-governance services for the benefit of a broad cross-section of Bhutan’s population.

Paramount among the many positive aspects of this innovation is the issue of improved access. The online services facilitated by this e-platform will enable the public to have easy and quick access to information and services. Public service delivery is a recurrent theme of the 10^th Five-Year Plan – it is all about bringing vital services closer to people. Bhutan’s rugged terrain and the physical accessibility of some of its communities make a classical case for a variety of e-governance solutions.

As shown during the system demonstration, the e-governance platform can provide a common framework and a ready module for replicating e-services by other Government sectors to enhance their public service delivery.

UNDP has been an early advocate for the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a vehicle for development and growth. ICT for Development has become a cross-cutting dimension of our work at global, regional and local levels in such areas as poverty reduction and democratic governance, among others. To date, UNDP has supported over 100 countries in their efforts to promote and develop e-governance and improve access to information.

Globally, the deployment of the ICTs has been growing rapidly since the early 1990s. Initially the premium was placed on ICT infrastructure development and providing connectivity, which still remain a serious challenge across many countries. However, there has been a shift towards greater focus on the use of specific ICT applications to address traditional development problems and challenges.

With the launching of the e-governance platform today, it is encouraging that Bhutan has moved to keep pace with this trend in terms of the deployment of ICTs for public service delivery. It is however also important to continue investing strategically in ICT infrastructure and connectivity in Bhutan as a way of underwriting the success of e-governance solutions. This brings me back to the issue of access with regard to the availability of reliable ICT services in an adequate number of locations across the country. In this context, I would like to draw a parallel to the ongoing efforts of the Royal Government and development partners, including UNDP, towards developing rural ICT access through Community Information Centers (CICs).

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The use of ICTs by governments, civil society and the private sector not only improves the efficiency and transparency of service delivery but also creates conditions for increased citizen participation in various democratic processes. In a democratic context, access to information and ability to communicate and interact contribute to more informed choices by all. As seen in many other contexts, they also provide a stronger platform for engaging women and youth in decision-making.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Department of Information and Technology in developing this application and making this launch possible, and once again congratulate the Royal Government on commencing the delivery of e-governance services in Bhutan. I hope this first step will lead to the adaptation and replication of such services in other sectors.

Thank you and Tashi Delek!