Continued from previous page CARICAD and UNDESA have had an enduring partnership for almost 20 years. In that time the two entities successfully completed several important regional initiatives. UNDESA provided the financial resources to enable CARICAD to develop the CARICOM E-Government Strategy between 2008 and 2020. The strategy was approved by the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in February 2010 and subsequently approved by the Community Council. Caribbean E-Government Technical and Advisory Facility (TASF) was inaugurated on October 1, 2005 with funding support from UNDESA. UNDESA and the Government of Italy had collaborated with CARICAD during the consultations. The ultimate objective of the project was better government that was more responsive in meeting the needs of the people of the region. Another major initiative was the project “Support to ICT Strategic Planning in the Caribbean Parliaments.” The project, funded by the European Union, was intended to promote transparency, accountability, democratic participation and good governance in the Caribbean by empowering the Parliaments of this region to better fulfil their democratic functions and contribute to their institutional strengthening through ICT. A sum of US$225,000 was allocated for the project. The Project was funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDESA through the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament in partnership with CARICAD. The project was launched at a regional workshop in Barbados in September 2010, and was completed in 2012. The UNDESA, through the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament, in partnership with CARICAD, assisted the Legislatures of 12 countries in the Caribbean to achieve the following results: A clear and concise Vision Statement on ICT in parliament developed and owned by each parliament of the Caribbean region A comprehensive Strategic Plan developed and owned by each parliament that links and makes operational the regional and global frameworks A well formulated development programme for ICT in Parliament (for each parliament) that will include all the projects that are prioritised and planned The establishment of a community of practice of ICT strategic planners in parliamentary administrations The beneficiary countries were Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, CARICAD and UNDESA explored the prospects for a Caribbean Public Service Awards scheme that would be aligned with the UN Public Service awards programme. CARICAD and UNDESA cooperated in the development of the global Electronic and Mobile G o v e r n m e n t K n o w l e d g e Repository (emGKR). That project sought to develop the global repository for e/mGovernment. CARICAD worked with UNDESA to establish the Caribbean presence on the global repository portal. UNDESA has provided a globally accessible platform for the publication of documents for partners such as CARICAD. 15
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