KATHMANDU: Sweden tops the rankings of The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010, released today by the World Economic Forum.

The report highlights the key role of ICT as an enabler of a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable world in the aftermath of one of the most serious economic crises in decades. Sweden is followed by Singapore and Denmark, which was in the number one position for the last three years.

Sweden is followed by Singapore and Denmark, which was in the number one position for the last three years. Switzerland, the United States and the other Nordic countries together with the Canada, Hong Kong and the Netherlands complete the top 10.

With an extensive coverage of 133 economies worldwide, the report remains the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations.

“Sweden, Singapore and Denmark’s superior capacity to leverage ICT as an enabler of sustainable, long-term economic growth is built on similar premises, relating with a long-standing focus placed by governments and private sectors alike on education, innovation and ICT access and diffusion,” said Irene Mia, senior economist of the Global Competitiveness Network at the World Economic Forum and co-editor of the report. “The success of these countries underlines the importance of a joint ICT vision, an implementation, by all the different stakeholders in a society for a country to take full advantage of ICT advances in its daily life and overall competitiveness strategy.”

The report is produced by the World Economic Forum in cooperation with INSEAD, the leading international business school, within the framework of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Network and the Industry Partnership Programme for Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries.

Published for the ninth consecutive year with an extensive coverage of 133 economies worldwide, the report remains the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations.

Under the theme ICT for Sustainability, this year’s report explores the many and diverse links between ICT and sustainability, in all its dimensions.

Ranking

• Sweden 5.65

• Singapore 5.64

• Denmark 5.54

• Switzerland 5.48

• USA 5.46

• Finland 5.44

• Canada 5.36

• Netherlands 5.33

• Hong Kong 5.32

• Norway 5.22