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DOT-COM Activity: Nepal - Workshop on Building e-Payment & e-Signature Infrastructure that Meets Users Needs
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DOT: dot-GOV
Country: Nepal
Funder(s): USAID/EGAT/IT
Short Description: Advance USAID-Nepals work with HMG Nepal on ICT policy development by providing focused assistance in the preparation of e-payment and e-signature regulatory infrastructure.
Phase/Type of Activity: Field Support/Technical Assistance Status: Completed
Start date: January 21, 2005 End Date: February 04, 2005
Partners:
Person(s) to contact
Contact
Sarah Tisch, Ph.D. , Chief-of-Party
dot-GOV , Internews Network
Email:
Tel: 202 833-5740 x 203
Contact
Inna Rotenberg , Program Associate
dot-GOV , Internews Network
Email:
Tel: 202 833 5740 ext 204
Full Description: This activity was requested by USAID/Nepal to expand policymakers understanding of the policy environment needed for e-payments and e-signatures to really work for individuals, small, medium, and large businesses in both urban and rural settings. Nepal has a huge inflow of remittances sent by Nepali expatriates. This large inflow is difficult for banks to manage as only a few options for e- payments exist. A sub grant was made to Thamel International, Inc., a company that manages a successful on-line low-fee remittance program that is very popular in among Nepali expatriates.
Update: Two consultants traveled to Nepal in early 2005. Presentations were made at the Computer Association of Nepals Infotech event. A one-day workshop was held on e-payment and e-signature issues for government and private sector stakeholders to identify the policy needs with the existing policy and cyber security infrastructure; the USAID Mission Director provided opening remarks at this workshop.
The consultants had separate meetings with the government High Level Commission on Information Technology, the Computer Association of Nepal, private banks, ICT-related businesses, commercial enterprises, and USAID/Nepal staff. These meetings resulted in specific recommendations to develop an effective legal environment for e-commerce transactions and e-payment mechanisms that would meet current economic development opportunities. Various e-payment and e-signature technical and legal systems were examined and discussions with third-party e-transaction services providers regarding potential solutions for Nepal occurred.
A meeting was held with USAID-Nepal regarding the links between e-payment systems and Non-Resident-Nepalese (NRN) financial remittances; and the opportunity for creating services that connect remittances with economic and social development in the country. Finally, the team provided input to the HLCIT and CAN regarding the proposed e-Rupee initiative, which would provide people with an e-transaction system as an alternative to the traditional cash- based system (via electronic funds transfer and electronic stored-value tools).
Development Sector(s): Information Technology, Legal and Institutional Reform, Technology Transfer, Workforce Development
ICT Intervention(s): Capacity Building, Public Administration, e-commerce, e-government, LAN/network infrastructure, Technical Training
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