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Information and Communication Technologies in International
Trade, Investment and Sustainable Development
-- a Commonwealth Perspective
Introduction
An international workshop was held in Malta from the 19th
to the 21st of May, 1997 with the sponsorship of the
Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Malta, and under the leadership of The Commonwealth Network of
Information Technology for Development (COMNET-IT) and the Malta
External Trade Organization (METCO). The purpose of the workshop
was to:
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increase awareness of the opportunities, issues and initiatives
which result from the use of electronic media in the promotion
of trade and commerce
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address policy implications which arise from the deployment
of such technologies
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propose initiatives which may be taken to facilitate the development
of information infrastructure both within the Commonwealth and
beyond.
The Hon. Mr. Leo Brincat, Minister for Finance and Commerce of
Malta, succinctly summarized these objectives in his opening address
when he said; "We want to find the means to harness information
and communication technologies in ways which make it possible
for all players to extract the maximum benefit from globalization."
Over 40 persons attended the workshop, comprising mostly delegates
from Commonwealth countries, but including a number of international
organizations and units active in the application of information
and communication technologies (ICTs). The delegates were assisted
in their discussion of these issues through presentations that
highlighted current developments in this most rapidly changing
environment
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