E-government is widely regarded as 'transformational', increasing efficiency, productivity, accountability, economic growth, and citizen involvement. But while the governments of the Pacific Island states are committed to harnessing ICTs for effective government and economic development, they face major challenges in establishing successful e-government initiatives, through lack of infrastructure, human capacity, ICT literacy, and most importantly, appropriate strategies and policy.1

This country report is one of a series of reports on e-government in Pacific countries being prepared by a research team from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, assisted by in-country informants and co-researchers, as part of a larger project. The project seeks to understand the barriers and enablers of ICT adoption by the governments of Pacific Island states, focusing in particular on policy frameworks and governance structures that support successful innovation, and to identify best practice across the region.

For this report, the research team visited Port Vila in February 2013 and May 2014, and conducted interviews with key stakeholders in ministries and other government agencies and in the private sector. The information provided here is drawn from these
interviews, agency policies and strategic plans, and other published documents such as reports on the country over the past few years. Where possible, the views of participants are distinguished from factual material, and the views of the research team
noted. The format of the report comprises an introduction providing background information, an account of the views and achievements of key agencies and key stakeholders, and an analysis of the major issues that we have identified.

Robert Boase’s (2009) report on the UNDP ICT4D project in the Pacific outlines a number of expected benefits that Pacific Island states can expect from the introduction of ICTs to government. These include:
• More accessible government information and services;
• Faster, smoother transactions with government agencies;
• Increased access to government decision makers and to parliamentarians;
• More local access to government through the internet;
• Increased participation in government by all;
• Increased efficiency in government operations;
• Enhanced opportunities for smart partnerships with civil society and the private
sector; and
• Legal recommendation and security over the networks. (Boase, 2009, p2)

These expectations, which are expressed in various forms in the Government of Vanuatu’s policies and strategies, furnish an appropriate framework for the investigation, and provide a set of performance measures by which progress towards
an effective e-government program can be evaluated.