Bridging the Digital Divide in Developing Countries... ICT Official Development Assistance to Uzbekistan

NIA to Open Local Information Access Center on the 30th

The National Information Society Agency (NIA) of Korea announced on the 4th that it opened an Information Access Center in Fergana, Uzbekistan on the 30th of last month. The photo shows, from the left, Moon Yong-sik, Director of NIA, and Egamberdiyev, Deputy Minister of Information Technology and Communications of Uzbekistan, cutting the ribbon at the remotely conducted opening ceremony of the Uzbekistan Information Access Center. Photo by XXX

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) announced on the 4th that they opened an Information Access Center (IAC) at Tashkent University of Information Technologies (TUIT) in Fergana City, Uzbekistan on the 30th of last month.

The establishment of Information Access Centers is a project aimed at improving internet and information access environments in developing countries. Currently, 51 centers are operating in 42 countries, serving about 500,000 users annually, making it a representative ICT official development assistance project.

The Uzbekistan center consists of two informatization training rooms, an informatization seminar room, and a video conference room. It aims to bridge the information gap between developed and developing countries widened by COVID-19 and to disseminate Korea’s digital inclusion policies and digital government locally.

Officials from both countries prepared for the opening through weekly video conferences over the past year. In the space provided by the Uzbek side, Korea supported the latest informatization equipment such as advanced video conferencing systems, smart TVs, and PCs based on local demand. Uzbekistan plans to utilize the center urgently for remote education and the digital economy due to COVID-19.

At the online opening ceremony, Egamberdiyev, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications of Uzbekistan, said, "Korea and Uzbekistan have a strategic partnership, and seeing the Information Access Center established even amid the COVID crisis made me feel Korea’s sincerity."

Fairzulo Aripjanov, Vice President of TUIT Fergana Campus, said, "Through the center, young people in Fergana can receive ICT education and prepare for a new future," adding, "Korea has given them hope for the future."

Moon Yong-sik, President of NIA, emphasized, "Just as Korea is overcoming the COVID economic crisis with the Digital New Deal, we will actively support developing countries to respond to the COVID crisis based on ICT," and added, "NIA will spread the Digital New Deal and demonstrate digital leadership based on the network of over 50 Information Access Centers in 42 countries worldwide."