This site is not updated. As you know, we will be focusing on electronic commerce or e-commerce. The growth of the Internet and e-commerce has been tremendous. Today there are approximately 150 million people online and by 2005 analysts predict there will be somewhere between 350 million and 1 billion people online.
Some observers say the Internet has been more rapidly deployed than any medium in history.
One of the questions you may be asking this morning is whether your countries will benefit from this digital revolution. I want you to know that my government's vision of the digital economy is a global vision. We believe the Internet and e-commerce can benefit developed and developing countries. We believe a truly Global Information Infrastructure is not only desirable but feasible. But we also believe those who do not seize the opportunity e-commerce represents run the risk of having it pass them by.