eLAC in international relations, is an intergovernmental strategy that conceives of information and communications technologies (ICTs) as instruments for economic development and social inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is based on a public-private sector partnership and is part of a long-term vision (until 2015) in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), those of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and now, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It contributes to the implementation of these long-term goals by pursuing a consecutive series of frequently adjusted short-term action plans with concrete qualitative and quantitative goals to be achieved.
Strategy for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean
The governments of Latin America and the Caribbean have asked the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) to assist them with the international private-public sector follow up of the plan.
Aims of the eLAC Action Plans
Act as a "metaplatform" for public-private action in order to coordinate the efforts of various sectors, with an end to generating synergies, avoiding the duplication of efforts, and strengthen regional projects, by means of cooperation and the exchange of best practices at a regional level. Forge national strategies and initiatives in specific areas, establishing lines of action and defining indicators that illustrate the state of progress in the development of the information society. Deepen knowledge on critical issues in order to support the definition, design, implementation and evaluation of policies. Intermediate between the needs of the region's countries and the rhythm of global development, considering regional particularities within the context of the goals of the global community.
History
Five consecutive plans have already been worked on to implement this vision: 2005–2007: eLAC2007 with 30 goals and 70 activities for the years 2005–2007 2008–2010: eLAC2010 with 83 goals to be achieved during the 2008–2010 period 2010–2015: eLAC2015 with 24 goals to be achieved during the period 2010–2015 2015-2018: eLAC2018 with 23 goals to be achieved during the period 2015-2018 2018-2020: eLAC2020 with 7 broad goals to be achieved during the period 2018-2020
Political background
The eLAC Regional Action Plan is the outcome of an ongoing political process.
In 1999, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) dedicated a series of high-level substantive meetings for their 2000 Period of Sessions to the theme "Development and international cooperation in the 21st century: the role of information technology in the context of a global knowledge-based economy." In response, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, convened by the Government of Brazil and ECLAC in July 2000, signed the Florianopolis Declaration, which focused on the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for development.
In this initial phase, the region's leaders recognized the importance of adopting proactive public policies to strengthen insertion in the information society and to adequately confront the digital divide, upon declaring: "that allowing the evolution of the information and knowledge-based society to be guided solely by market mechanisms entails the risk of an amplification of the social gaps existing within our societies, the creation of new modes of exclusion, an increase in the negative aspects of globalization and a widening of the distances between developed and developing countries".
As part of the international process of the World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in two phases (Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005), officials from the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean intensified their efforts to create a regional perspective on the development of information societies. Various meetings held between 2001 and 2003 by the regional network of the United Nations' Working Group on Information and Communications Technologies emphasized the importance of collaboration between stakeholders interested in confronting this challenge. Moreover, the Agenda for Connectivity in the Americas and Quito Plan of Action (August 2002) insisted on the need to design realistic national strategies and action plans.
