UN Panel Discussion on Free Software, eGovernment and Democracy

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and its sister organization in Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), represented by Yamile Eusebio, GFDD/FUNGLODE Internships and Educational Projects Coordinator, and Paul Goris, IT and Education Coordinator for FUNGLODE, participated in a panel discussion on ‘How free software and eGovernment are changing developing countries’, held at United Nations headquarters in New York City.

The three-hour long panel discussion focused on the challenge that developing countries face in the search of technological independence from developed countries, implementing local strategies of free and Open Source software. Mr. Jean-Marc Coicaud, Head of the United Nations University (UNU) Office
at the United Nations in New York, addressed the audience and presented the panelists, all experts on the subject and representatives of the United Nations University (UNU).

During the discussion panelists argued that eGovernment tools are very important for developing countries, not only in the quest for economic
stability but to achieve good governance and transparency as well as an effective use of information by government authorities and all citizens. During the event the Global Desktop Project and the UNeGov.net – Community of Practice for Electronic Governance, were presented as successful examples being implemented to increase the number of open source software programmers in developing economies and to build a global Community of Practice on Electronic Governance, particularly to address the
challenge faced by developing and transition economies.

Information and Technology is one of the main thematic areas in which GFDD focus its work.

Related links:

United Nations University
International Institute for Software Technology
UNeGov.net
Global Desktop Project: Building Technology and Communities
UNeGov.net – Community of
Practice for Electronic Governance

Press release:

http://www.ony.unu.edu/seminars/2006/opensource/pressrelease.pdf

Free Software
definitions:

www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.es.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_libre

Open Source
Software:

http://opensource.mit.edu
www.opensource.org