Digital Government APAC

Thailand has announced its ambitious aim of introducing broadband access to every village in the country by 2018. The Thailand government has recognized the power of the digital economy in terms of creating innovation - which can significantly reduce the gap between rich and poor in the region. It has declared its long-term commitment to embracing technology and will attempt to bring connectivity to even the most remote parts of Thailand.

Singapore has announced that it will invest over $100m in Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in an effort to get its Smart Nation vision back on track. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong publicly voiced his concerns over the project a number of months ago - and conceded that the Smart Nation initiative was moving much slower than initially expected. Prime Minister Loong claimed that the private sector really needed to do more in order to kick-start and propel the initiative forward.

Recommendations compiled by officials in the Indian government reveal the administration's plans to 'electrify' all vehicles in the country by 2032. The government is looking at ways in which it can shape a new mobility policy, and subsequently tasked a study group to submit recommendations and carry out a report into establishing best practices in order to facilitate such a transition.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has lamented the speed at which the country's 'Smart Nation' project is currently being implemented - and conceded it wasn't moving as fast as was expected. The Prime Minister insisted that it was imperative that solutions are sought quickly in order to resolve the issues currently being encountered by those tasked with the responsibility of launching the initiative.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared during a video address made to leaders at the World Government Summit in Dubai  that diversity is the key pillar for growth and critical in order to create new ideas and foster innovation. Mr. Abe was officially represented at the summit by Japan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Kentaro Sonoura.