Action plan strategy

The strategy of this four year Action Plan, the first such Action Plan on the way to implementing the ICT Vision  2010, is the following:

a) Institutionalize the implementation mechanism 

This will provide a conduit for ongoing discussion and involvement from all sectors of society and the economy across the country in realizing the Vision 2010 through the Action Plan. It will help provide essential feedback, manage change to the implementation process and assume responsibility for implementation. The mechanism should be seen as ways of facilitating action, and not be an institution in itself. Therefore, the mechanism(s) should be very open, flexible and adaptable in its arrangements and avoid bureaucratic practices, a bit like the way the Internet operates. 

b) Develop local capacity as soon as possible

Short-term training is the immediate way of achieving this. Focus on networking skills and short-term certification programmes while strengthening the institutions responsible for providing longer-term academic training. Look at cost recovery options. Work with existing education and training service providers, including the universities and technical schools. Encourage the private sector to offer, alone or with foreign partners, short term training courses.

c) Help locally certified networking specialists find and/or create employment 

Help locally certified specialists create employment and new ventures, companies, etc. by creating ICT business incubators. Provide short terms courses to improve capacity in other spoken languages, especially English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, etc.

d) Continue brainstorming ICT possibilities

Continue to explore the possibilities nationally and in the region to exploit ICTs and the Internet especially. The ICT Vision 2010 should be revised on an ongoing basis. Support for this endeavour needs to be institutionalized, but not under the heading of a government organization. This mechanism needs to be established and agreed upon as soon as possible to ensure that the effort to achieve the Vision 2010 is recognized in a legally established entity in conformity with Mongolian law.

e) Work nationally and collaborate regionally as well as globally. 

There are significant infrastructure, policy and standards issues that Mongolia should at least be informed about and tracking. Some of these are relevant to the Asian region. Along with tracking these issues, the ICT Advisory Council and other organizations in Mongolia, should become directly involved in any ongoing discussions concerning Internet infrastructure development in the region. One forum where these discussions take place is the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). There are also regional infrastructure development plans and activities that Mongolia must be more aware of and get involved in. 

One reason for this is the significant role that Mongolia could play as a trans-Asia backbone linking South, South East, East and North Asia with Europe via the fiber  railroad link that has been laid across the country. Some of these organizations include the Asia Pacific Internet Association (APIA: apia-sec@apia.org http://www.apia.org) and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC: http://www.apnic.org). Private Mongolian firms are already members of these organizations, but there is also a need to involve the ICT Advisory Council.

f) Focus on developing the capacity of the private sector 

Help the business sector make beneficial use of business to business e-commerce. There are over 30,000 SMEs in Mongolia. If only a few had access to e-commerce tools, this could facilitate business exchanges not only in Mongolia, but also with trading partners around the world.

g) Develop local community access 

Use existing structures, such as local government, local non-governmental organizations, including voluntary organizations, local schools, etc. to encourage local community access to computers. A public access centre or site operated by a local citizen's groups can have a role to play here. The local government, as was evident during a field visit to Zuunmod City in Tuv aimag, can be especially helpful by providing a venue and a connection to the Internet.

h) Develop an enabling environment

Develop an enabling environment by adopting appropriate policies and modernizing the banking and financial sectors. Encourage local and foreign investment in IT startups. Promote awareness among key decision-makers. Ensure the rule of law and fairness in its application.

i) Take advantage of existing telecommunications infrastructure

Look into the possibility of using existing satellite based and / or wireless links to Aimag centres and some somoms. Negotiate with state and or private companies to gain access to these VSAT, fiber and or other connections to provide universal access to ICTs. 

j) Strengthen research networks 

Use the Internet and related technologies to strengthen research and to encourage greater involvement in the international academic and research community of topics and projects of common concern. Research networking is a key way of drawing investment and grants, and of enhancing the profile of Mongolia as a research and trading partner, and as a centre of knowledge, intellectual energy, innovation and entrepreneurship.

k) Encourage foreign investment in ICTs 

In collaboration with the Foreign Investment and Foreign Trade Agency (FIFTA) of the Government of Mongolia, explore opportunities to involve private sector partners from around the world to help implement the action plan.

l) Encourage adoption of Open Source software (OSS) technologies

Encourage adoption of Open Source software (OSS) technologies, especially those based on the Linux operating system. Linux  and OSS in general could offer significant advantages to Mongolia. Focus on building capacity to experiment with and use these tools and to adapt them to local needs and circumstances. Seek to engage the Open Source community worldwide. Undertake Linux certification in Mongolia and introduce Mongolia Linux experts.

m) Inform and engage the international community

As the action plan becomes accepted and is put in place, it is clear that some in the international community will be interested in advising, partnering with and otherwise assisting Mongolia implement ICT Vision 2010. These partners need to be appraised of the situation and involved now.