Global Digital Opportunity Project (GDOP)
Date Initiated: November 2000

The Markle Foundation's Global Digital Opportunity Project (GDOP) sought to enhance developing countries' ability to fully participate in and benefit from the networked economy and society. Markle, through GDOP, worked to narrow the economic and social divides within and among nations, advancing the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) to address some of the most important development challenges faced by societies around the world. While access to these technologies is no panacea for poverty alleviation, it can be a powerful support and accelerator for many development efforts in health, education, and economic growth. Lack of access to these technologies in developing nations only stands to widen global divides.

Within GDOP, Markle worked to create better understanding, more favorable policy environments, catalytic models, and partnerships across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Ultimately, Markle's goal is to cultivate strategies that work, innovative solutions that can be sustained and replicated, and investment, both intellectual and financial, by the many companies, foundations, and governments it will take to make global digital opportunity a reality.

A. Global Digital Opportunity Initiative. This global public-private partnership collaborated with developing nations on their national ICT strategies. There is a growing consensus that national ICT strategies focused on education, health, and other development goals can harness the power of these technologies for the benefit of all members of society. To do so, however, requires unprecedented collaboration across sectors, a more strategic framework for action, and innovative solutions. The Global Digital Opportunity Initiative, launched by Markle and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), brought together a wide network of private sector and non-profit entities providing pro bono expertise and resources to developing nations. Beyond impact in any one country, the GDOI generated innovative models for development that could be adopted elsewhere in the developing world. Its work was based on a framework (.pdf) that coordinates targeted steps in the areas of policy, human capacity, enterprise, applications, content, and infrastructure to ignite "development dynamics" for greater impact.

B. Universal Participation. This helped strengthen developing countries' engagement in deliberations concerning ICT within global decision-making bodies. The issue is a critical one for developing countries, and for the future of global governance, given the current trend toward globalization and the increasingly borderless nature of today's networks and technologies. Developing countries cannot forge imaginative and sustainable strategies using ICT for national development unless they are working within the context of the international policy environment. Similarly, the international policy environment must also reflect developing country needs; be transparent and inclusive; and offer developing countries the access, expertise, and capacity to fully and effectively participate. Markle examined strategic opportunities to build capacity, expand representation, and ensure effective participation. Markle's efforts included chairing the joint working group on this issue in the G-8 Governments' Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) and the United Nations ICT Task Force. Markle developed a "roadmap" to advance the understanding of the priority issues, lead global policy venues, and main barriers to developing nations' participation.

C. Education, Research and Advocacy. As part of its commitment to help realize the potential ICT holds for development, Markle also focused on research and targeted education efforts. This commitment, in part, aimed to stimulate new partnerships and investment by others in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. As such, learning from experience, making the case, and disseminating successful results to key stakeholders is critical to increase knowledge and confidence among various actors. Equally important is providing vehicles for hands-on participation, whether through involvement in initiatives or through networks.

Global Task Forces
Markle served as the U.S. nonprofit member of the G-8 Governments' DOT Force, along with an uncommon team of multilateral organizations, corporations, nonprofits, and governments. The DOT Force's efforts led the G-8 to endorse an ambitious action plan to close the so-called "global digital divide." The 2002 G-8 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, marked the formal close of the DOT Force. A report was submitted to the G-8 Governments detailing the progress made by its Implementation Teams. Markle supported the implementation of the DOT Force action plan through the GDOI and the Universal Participation initiative. Markle's work also supported the United Nations ICT Task Force , which is expected to continue drawing strategic attention and resources to these issues beyond the DOT Force.