Return to Transcripts main page

CNN World Report

Digital Revolution Reinvigorates Costa Rica

Aired April 29, 2001 - 14:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: The digital revolution has had a phenomenal impact on industrialized nations around the world, but for developing nations it can be benefit or a setback, depending on a country's able to keep up with rapidly evolving technology.

ILO TV shows us how the Central American nation of Costa Rica is using technology to advance its economy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREN SEGIGUCI, ILO TV REPORTER (voice-over): Milana Jimenez is 10 years old and lives in a rural part of Costa Rica. Each morning, she walks down a farm road to her school, where she is learning about robotics and computers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): When I connect to the Internet on a computer, I can meet people from all over the world, and talk with them about new theories and practices, any time, online.

SEGIGUCI: Costa Rica is a country rooted in agriculture, known for harvest of coffee beans bananas. But along with these exports, the country has also cultivated stability, democracy. It has no army and instead invests in education, with a heavy emphasis on high-tech training. The result is a highly literate and competitive workforce.

A new study by the International Labor Organization, the ILO, argues that the information and communication technologies or ICT, may allow poor countries like Costa Rica to jump ahead or leapfrog certain stages in economic development, provided that they have the appropriate skills.

DUNCAN CAMPBELL, ILO: The technologies can allow countries to bypass that sequential movement of industrial upgrading, provided that they have the appropriate skills. That's the critical ingredient in being able to participate in a higher value added niche in global value chains, with information communication technologies. So, Costa Rica has been a country that's been successful in doing just that.

SEGIGUCI: And with that came high-flying high tech investors. Now Costa Rica has Intel inside. One of the world's biggest producers of silicon chips since 1992, the company is a major engine for growth. The Intel plant alone generates more output than the export of coffee beans bananas combined. MILENA SCHROEDOR, MANAGER, INTEL (through translator): What will the future of this country be? This is a very important opportunity, and the leaders of Costa Rico have to consider what this signifies for the country as they plan its development for the future.

SEGIGUCI: The ILO report concludes that despite the digital gap between rich and poor countries, the potential for ICT for spurring development worldwide seems brighter than ever.

This report was prepared by Karen Segiguci and Miguel Shapira for the CNN WORLD REPORT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com