Through the creation of national directories, the SDNP empowers national SDNP teams to access affordable, reliable information on a regular basis. The information revolution provides an invaluable new set of tools for all partners striving to achieve sustainable development. It makes empowerment both meaningful and effective and opens up for developing countries the prospect of leapfrogging over earlier communication technologies to become real participants in the global economy. They commission a feasibility study conducted by national consultants, using terms of reference custom-tailored to each country, and if appropriate they then develop a project proposal. SDNP New York approves the project, collaborates on recruitment decisions and provides the necessary equipment.
All equipment is configured and tested in New York before it is shipped.
SDNP provides seed money, typically for two years, to enable each node to build its own user community and shift from external to domestic financing. Lessons learned The desire for access to information seems virtually insatiable and is presently driven more by non-governmental organizations, academia and the private sector than by governments. Nonetheless, SDNP has been in contact with over 100 governments who have reaffirmed their willingness to encourage open access to information via an SDNP program. Each of these countries needs and wants to operate a national network, although a regional approach may be more relevant where small user communities, such as small islands, must take advantage of economies of scale. Though few users are willing to pay for information at the outset, once the value of that information to their work is understood, they are more willing to contribute toward its cost.