Background
and context
Bhutan is accelerating digital transformation
to improve service delivery, facilitate trade, and create economic
opportunities for youth. However, Bhutan’s digital connectivity and data
infrastructure remain vulnerable to natural disasters, which undermines
Bhutan’s digital aspirations.
Bhutan’s internet connectivity is impacted by
its landlocked nature and constrained connectivity through India to access
undersea cables. The two international gateways in Phuentsholing and Gelephu
are both connected through India’s narrow chicken neck Siliguri corridor, and
the entire country can become ‘disconnected’ when there are critical service
interruptions in this corridor which is also vulnerable to climate risks. A
third link to connect to Bangladesh (through India) is under preparation which is
expected to add redundancy. However, further work is needed to assess technical
and policy options to improve resilience and reliability of Bhutan’s internet
connectivity, in both cross-border and domestic networks. In addition to
internet and telecommunication systems, it is also crucial to strengthen the
resilience of Bhutan’s data infrastructure to ensure minimal service
interruptions and data loss in the event of natural disasters and other
exogenous shocks.
The RGoB is
interested in assessing technical options to better connect Bhutan with
international connectivity (not limited to the current links through India) and
adoption of technological solutions such as, but not limited to, Low Earth
Orbit (LEO) satellite for remote areas and for disaster recovery. For data
infrastructure, while the ACCESS program plans to strengthen disaster recovery
capabilities of the government data center (GDC), the RGoB is interested in
innovative solutions to strengthen resilience, including options to utilize
data centers and commercial cloud computing or virtual resources outside of
Bhutan for geographic separation and reducing discovery recovery time. The RGoB
is also exploring a hybrid cloud strategy to store non-sensitive data in public
cloud operated by the private sector, which would entail a more complex cloud
disaster recovery and business continuity plan
The RGoB has requested the Bank’s support to
improve resilience and recovery options for cross-border and domestic
connectivity and data infrastructure in Bhutan. With the support of the Global
Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)[1],
the World Bank’s digital team is providing technical assistance to the Royal
Government of Bhutan on the following: (i) High-level
climate risk assessment and diagnostic of its telecommunications and data
infrastructure, with a focus on international links and national backbone; (ii)
Strengthen guidelines for emergency telecommunications and decision support
systems – with an enhanced focus on incorporating digital resilience measures
across the government; and (iii) Assess
technical and policy options to improve digital connectivity and data
infrastructure resilience, access technical expertise, and learn from
international good practices.
Objectives of
this Consultancy
The objective of this Consultancy is to contribute, as part of the World
Bank team, to the deliverable: 3. Assess technical and policy options to
improve digital connectivity and data infrastructure resilience, access
technical expertise, and learn from international good practices.
This assignment builds upon existing
analytical work and World Bank financing to the Royal Government of Bhutan to
improve digital connectivity, use, and resilience in Bhutan under the
Accelerating Trade and Transport Connectivity in Eastern South Asia (ACCESS)
project. Please see the Annex for additional information on ACCESS.The primary
counterpart for this activity is the Government Technology Agency of Bhutan
(GovTech), but will include engagements with various ministries, agencies, and
private sector that relate to building digital resilience.