Our mission: Catalyzing policy change through research to improve people’s lives in the emerging Asia Pacific by facilitating their use of hard and soft infrastructures through the use of knowledge, information and technology
Enormous amounts of money are invested annually in ICTs. The potential of ICTs for economic and social progress is substantial though they aren’t, in themselves, necessarily the answer to higher incomes and a better life. Combined with other factors, ICTs provide means to improve people’s capabilities and knowledge so that they may better their lives.
The Asia Pacific is seen as driving the global economy, yet within it lies South Asia, home to the world’s largest concentration of poor people. Some of the world’s highest ICT industry performers belong to the region, as well as some of the lowest.
ICT use in many developing countries is held back by laws and regulations. Existing policy and regulatory arrangements actively hinder people from using ICTs to live their lives. New, low-cost technologies are very often restricted or exploited through these laws and regulations. LIRNEasia is working to change this situation.
We want to see life improve for people in the emerging Asia Pacific.
LIRNEasia is a pro-poor, pro-market think tank. What this means is that we are in favor of decentralized innovation – including through competitive markets – to enhance the lives of the poor. Everything we do has to have benefits for the poor.
We believe that the pathway is through better access to and use of knowledge, information and technology.
We conduct in-depth, policy-relevant research on infrastructure industries including ICT sectors. Our work extends to other sectors such as agriculture which can benefit the poorest citizens of the Asia Pacific. We document regional good practices. We then disseminate independent, actionable knowledge, to policy makers, regulators, service providers and the media. We help train policy intellectuals and, on request, provide short-term advisory assistance.
We emphasize Asia Pacific expertise but are not exclusive about it. We have, on many occasions, contributed towards the removal of barriers to access to ICTs for the people of Asia.
Our mandate is to help facilitate the use of hard and soft infrastructures in the region through research that catalyzes policy change.