The effective use of ICTs to improve governance, often called "e-government," is not limited to the richer countries. Indeed, some of the most innovative uses of ICTs in governance are a
ppearing in the developing world, as ICTs are being used to streamline government and connect it more closely with the people it is supposed to serve.
e-Government is not a panacea. Although it can facilitate change and create new, more efficient administrative processes, e-government will not solve all problems of corruption and inefficiency, nor will it overcome all barriers to civic engagement.
Moreover, e-government does not happen just because a government buys more computers and puts up a website. While online service delivery can be more efficient and less costly than other channels, cost savings and service improvements are not automatic. E-government is a process that requires planning, sustained dedication of resources and political will.
ICTs make possible more transparent, accountable and participatory governance by:
Providing greater access to government information
Promoting civic engagement by enabling the public to interact with government officials
Making governments more accountable by making their operations more transparent and thus reducing the opportunities for corruption
Providing development opportunities, especially benefiting rural and traditionally under served communities
It is now universally clear, however, that the utilization of ICTs has the potential of revolutionizing the way people interact with their governments and each other. From the rural farmlands of Gyandoot in India to small villages in Africa, e-government is improving the condition of people in developing countries by improving access to information useful to their daily lives, providing government services, and offering new opportunities to participate in the political process.
In this section, infoDev aims to assist developing countries and their partners in the international development community to better understand the power of ICTs for these purposes.