The UNESCO general information programme and its role in the development of regional co-operative networks

Abstract

International and regional programmes of UNESCO for the utilization of information in development projects are overviewed. The creation and tasks of UNISIST, the recommendations of the UNISIST II Conference, and the General Information Programme (PGI) started in 1976, are presented. A detailed description is given of the regional projects of the Asian and Pacific countries (ASTINFO). of the Caribbean area (CARSTIN), and of the Arab countries IARIS-NET). Somé subject-oriented co-operation programmes are alsó discussed like the informafion network on herbs (APINMAP) or the network of Pan-African geological information systems (PANGIS). Finally, the objective and subjective barriers of regional and international co-operation caused by the lack of funds, by language and psychological factors etc. are discussed, and the developments predicted for the nineties are outlined.