THE SASAKAWA PEACE FOUNDATION

Research Committee for Pacific Islands' Digital Opportunity/ Phase II

13,300,000 yen[Self-operated/Commissioned Project]
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Foundation for Development Cooperation (Australia), University of Hawaii (USA)

This year the program will continue to collaborate with WHO, UNESCO, WSIS, UNDP etc. to promote and realize the policy proposals included in the report drafted last year. In addition, researchers will participate in a workshop held in the Micronesia region with the aim of promoting distance healthcare and education systems, and learning from the experience of the Indian Ocean tsunami, look into the possibility of establishing an early warning system in the region.

Research Committee Meeting for Pacific Islands’ Digital Opportunity/Phase II
With the aim of promoting the abovementioned policy proposals, the committee will manage the activities outlined below in 2 and 3.
With the aim of promoting the proposals developed in Phase 1, the program will hold a workshop in Micronesia inviting people in the education and communication/broadcasting sectors in Micronesia, and present strategies/action plans for establishing telecommunication laws aimed at promoting the development of national telecommunication plans as well as plans for establishing distance education and healthcare systems. The University of Hawaii will be commissioned to organize the workshop in Micronesia.
With the aim of realizing the proposals developed in Phase 1, the program will conduct surveys in preparation for international conferences such as the WSIS, as well as provide support for people to participate in the emergency meeting on disaster prevention in the Pacific Island Nations (in May, 2005 in Cairo) and the WSIS Asia Pacific Regional Meeting (in July 2005). Furthermore, a website will be launched to publicize the activities, reports and proposals of this program. The organization of workshops related to the WSIS and the development of the website will be commissioned to the Foundation for Development Cooperation.

(Final year of a 2-year project)