深度-亚开行-云计算是亚太地区数字政府的关键推动者（英文）-2021.6-38页_632kb

Summary of "Cloud Computing as a Key Enabler for Digital Government across Asia and the Pacific"

Core Content

This working paper explores the role of cloud computing in enabling digital government transformation across Asia and the Pacific. It highlights the increasing need for governments to adopt digital technologies to meet the evolving expectations of citizens and businesses in a rapidly digitizing world, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cloud computing is presented as a critical enabler that offers cost efficiency, operational agility, and improved resilience for public sector services.

Main Benefits of Cloud Computing for Governments

• Cost Reduction: Cloud computing allows governments to reduce capital expenditure (CAPEX) by shifting to variable operational expenditure (OPEX). It enables economies of scale and eliminates the need for costly on-premises infrastructure.

  • Example: Singapore's Land Transport Authority reported a 60% cost saving by migrating to cloud from on-premises solutions.
  • Example: The Philippines Bureau of Customs could achieve the same computing power for less than one-tenth the cost using cloud computing.

• Operational Streamlining and Efficiency: Cloud-based tools help governments consolidate processes, reduce administrative burdens, and improve productivity.

  • Example: The Philippines Department of Information and Communications Technology automated its business permits and licensing system, reducing processing time from 2-3 days to 30 minutes to half a day.
  • Example: South Australia’s Department for Communities and Social Inclusion automated payment processing, cutting time from 4-6 weeks to less than 3 days.

• Agility and Scalability: Cloud environments allow governments to quickly adapt to changing citizen needs and scale resources up or down as required.

  • Example: A cloud-based solution enables a tax department to automatically adjust to system demands during peak periods like tax return deadlines.

• Resilience and Business Continuity: Cloud computing enhances government resilience against disruptions, including natural disasters and cybersecurity threats.

  • Example: China’s Ministry of Education rapidly deployed a national cloud-based education platform during lockdowns to ensure continuity of learning.

• Technological and Analytical Capabilities: Cloud provides access to advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data analytics, which are essential for modern governance.

  • Example: Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health uses cloud-based AI analytics to monitor public restroom hygiene and identify disease hotspots with 80–90% accuracy.

• Human Resource Development: Cloud adoption encourages the continuous development of technology skills within the public sector, reducing reliance on outdated systems.

Barriers to Cloud Adoption

• Regulatory Challenges: Data localization laws and overlapping security regulations complicate secure data flows and cloud adoption.
• Outdated Cost Structures and Procurement Practices: Traditional procurement models may not accommodate cloud-based services, requiring legislative changes.
• Technical Knowledge Gaps: Migrating to cloud requires specific technical expertise, which may be lacking in some government agencies.
• Vendor Concentration Risk: Reliance on a small number of cloud providers can pose risks, necessitating strategies to diversify and ensure security.

Key Recommendations

1. Establish a Conducive Regulatory Environment:

   • Limit restrictive data localization policies.
   • Create cross-border data transfer mechanisms.
   • Implement a data classification framework to manage different types of data.
   • Promote interoperable cloud systems through iterative policy processes.

2. Develop a Clear and Robust Cloud Strategy:

   • Define a migration or implementation approach.
   • Support this with a comprehensive government cloud policy.
   • Encourage a cloud-first policy to prioritize cloud-based solutions where secure and cost-effective.

3. Provide In-House Support:

   • Designate a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCOE) to guide adoption.
   • Create a cloud procurement marketplace for fast and secure service acquisition.

Conclusion

Cloud computing is a transformative tool for digital government, offering significant advantages in cost, efficiency, and resilience. However, successful adoption requires overcoming regulatory, technical, and procurement challenges. Governments must adapt their policies and structures to fully leverage cloud capabilities and ensure the sustainability and future-readiness of their public services.

Key Information

• Authors: Thomas Abell, Arndt Husar, and Lim May-Ann
• Institution: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Publication Date: June 2021
• Series: ADB Sustainable Development Working Paper Series
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO (CC BY 3.0 IGO)
• Contact for Permissions: pubsmarketing@adb.org

References

1. United Nations e-Government Survey
2. Government of Tajikistan's Digital Economy 2040 Concept and Digital CASA Tajikistan Project
3. Government of Viet Nam's National Digital Transformation Programme 2020-2025
4. Government of the Kyrgyz Republic's Digital Kyrgyzstan 2019-2023
5. Government of India's 2015 commitment to build 100 smart cities
6. Australian Signals Directorate
7. Singapore Government Tech Stack
8. APEX (Application Programming Interface Exchange)
9. World Economic Forum (2020) - Cleantech investment
10. Viet Nam Net Global (2019) - Floating trash collector
11. Mastercard (2020) - FinTech trends
12. ADB (2019) - ADB-Supported Irrigation Project in Kazakhstan
13. G. Ho (2020) - Open Banking in Singapore
14. H. Shin et al. (2020) - South Korea’s Epidemic Investigation Support System