Amid the current focus on the response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the numerous global issues and impediments, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is one with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in commemorating its 54th anniversary under the chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam with the theme, “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper.” and the ASEAN Month this August in recognizing the significant role of ICT in the response to and recovery from the pandemic.
To support the ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) Meeting’s aspirations, the DICT actively participated in the fulfillment of the ASEAN ICT Masterplan 2020 and reaffirms its commitment to the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 by developing and implementing various plans and programs aimed at further enhancing and promoting the use of ICT in progressing regional economic development.
The DICT was instrumental in the conduct of the inaugural ASEAN-China Cyber Dialogue last 2020 which was co-chaired by the Philippines. Moreover, the DICT spearheaded the recently concluded ASEAN Smart ICT Ecosystem Framework Project that was developed through the collaboration of Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam and the Philippines as the lead. The project sought to identify and create the Architecture for the ASEAN Smart Cities platforms with due consideration on the use of ICT in Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) System and the availability of a secure, scalable and connectable Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) address identifiers. The project was finalized in 2021 and the DICT continues to advocate its implementation locally through the conduct of webinars and focus group discussions.
An ongoing undertaking of the DICT that is funded by the ASEAN is the implementation of the project, Digital Jobs towards ASEAN Integration: “Creating meaningful ICT-enabled jobs in socio-economically disadvantaged areas in the ASEAN Region” which aims to increase the ICT technical skills of the talents in the countryside within the ASEAN member countries; to increase the employability of the people to land a job in the field of ICT; and to promote local talent and local businesses of the ASEAN.
For 2022 workcycle activities, the DICT proposal entitled ASEAN Action Plan on the Promotion of Green Digital Initiative was endorsed to the Senior Officials during the recently held ASEAN Joint Working Group meeting. The Action Plan is envisioned to provide pragmatic and actionable insights, strategies, programs and projects that will help the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in ensuring sustainable development in the region through the promotion of Green ICT.