Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen – and welcome to ITU TELECOM
AFRICA
2001. I would like to thank you for coming here, to the Gallagher Estate, on a Sunday morning. For I believe that today is a very important day in Africa’s telecommunications history. It is the first day of a vital event at which we can continue to shape a bright future for telecommunications in Africa.
But before telling you more about Africa’s bright future, and about the ITU
TELECOM
event taking place here in South Africa, I would like to say a few words about the ITU itself.
The ITU was founded in 1865, and is the world’s oldest intergovernmental body. Today the ITU has 189 Member States, comprising almost all of the countries in the world. Uniquely, for a specialized agency of the United Nations, the ITU also has nearly 700 Sector Members, comprising the world’s leading telecoms manufacturers, public and private operators, broadcasters and regional / international organizations. At the international level, the ITU promotes the adoption of a broader approach to the issues of telecommunications, and works to help Member States harmonize national policies. This is particularly relevant in the context of the global information economy and society.
Beyond this, the Union has three major roles. The first is to define and adopt telecommunications standards. The second is to help our Members regulate the use of the radiofrequency spectrum. The third is to further telecommunications development around the world, and particularly in the developing nations.
An important part of this third role is the organization of the ITU
TELECOM
events. The TELECOM
events bring together the most influential representatives of government and the telecommunications industry for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and technology for the benefit of the global community, and in particular the developing world. Through these events we aim to provide a means of pinpointing industry trends and sharing information, and to foster the transfer of this new technology and information to less developed countries.
Since 1985 we have also staged regional events in the Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Americas – and today we inaugurate our fifth event for Africa,
AFRICA
2001.
ITU TELECOM
is not like other trade shows. It is a not-for-profit activity. We are not here to make money – we are here to bring people together.
The surplus income over expenditure which comes from the ITU TELECOM
events is used by the ITU for specific telecommunication development projects. These projects are dedicated primarily to the world’s Least Developed and Lowest Income Countries, and it should not be forgotten that these countries are primarily in Africa.
I am pleased to be able to say today that tremendous progress has been made since we staged the
AFRICA
TELECOM
98 event here in Johannesburg, three and a half years ago. Back then, in May 1998, there were around 350 million mobile cellular subscribers worldwide. Today there are more than three times as many – more than a billion people on the planet have access to a mobile phone. In 1999 I predicted that by the year 2004 there would be more people with a mobile phone than a fixed-line. I was wrong. It will happen much earlier, and probably next year.
And nowhere is it more true than in Africa – where growth rates have been much stronger still. At the time of
AFRICA
TELECOM
98 there were barely two million mobile subscribers on the whole African continent. By the end of next month there will be more than 15 times that number, with some 30 million subscribers in Africa – representing nearly one and a half times the number of fixed-line subscribers.
So we are – at last – finally able to put some old myths to rest.
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No longer are there more telephones in Tokyo than in Africa. In fact there are half as many fixed-lines – and significantly fewer cellular subscribers in Tokyo, than across Africa.
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Sub-Saharan African teledensity is no longer trapped below one per cent – the base level considered essential to economic growth and development. In the year 2000, fixed-line teledensity grew from 0.9 per cent to 1.2 per cent, in sub-Saharan Africa.
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And Africa is no longer a continent sadly lacking in fair regulation and free competition. Some 36 new operators launched mobile services in Africa in the year and a half to June. And well over half the countries in Africa now have an independent regulator.
Progress in telecoms development has therefore been very encouraging. But much remains to be done – particularly in terms of promoting the further development of new technologies, and in terms of bringing access to all sectors of society and not just the wealthy few.
That is why we have created our own special initiative at ITU TELECOM
AFRICA
2001, the ITU Pavilion, in Hall 5. When you come to the Pavilion – as I encourage you all to do – you will notice that it is radically different from anything we have done before at an ITU
TELECOM
event. At its heart we have built a fully functional community telecentre, in order to focus on applications and technologies for rural areas. And we have surrounded this with exhibitors specializing in this area.
The ITU Pavilion will act as a sort of one-stop shop, where you can see all of the pieces of the jigsaw making up a complete picture. You can then go on to individual exhibitors’ stands to see how each piece of the jigsaw works in more detail.
In this way I hope we can achieve my ambition to see the ITU’s Regional
TELECOM
events become a demonstration not just of the most advanced technologies in telecommunications today, but also of technologies and applications appropriate for rural areas.
The move from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy generated enormous wealth, and raised our standard of living throughout the world. The same quantum leap will be experienced in the transition to a global information economy. Everyone must be given access to the tools of this economy if they are to enjoy its benefits.
This is why we at the ITU are taking the lead role in preparing for the World Summit on the Information Society, which will be held in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005.
The first phase of the World Summit will take place in Geneva, hosted by the Government of Switzerland, in December 2003. It will address the broad range of themes concerning the Information Society and adopt a Declaration of Principles and Action Plan addressing the whole range of issues related to the Information Society.
The second phase of the World Summit will take place in Tunis, hosted by the Government of Tunisia, in 2005. Development themes will be a key focus in this meeting and it will assess progress that has been made and adopt any further Action Plan to be taken.
I therefore encourage you all to help us in our goal to make this World Summit a truly useful tool for change and to help bring all of the world’s people within reach of modern communications.
Africa’s rapid progress in telecommunications development is the principal subject of a new report the ITU is pleased to make available today, in parallel with the
AFRICA
2001 event. The report – Africa Telecommunication Indicators 2001 – offers a thorough and authoritative analysis and assessment of the data the ITU has collected from all of its Member States in the region. And copies of Africa Telecommunication Indicators 2001 will be available to accredited media after this Press Conference.
I would now like to take the opportunity of answering any questions you may have, either about the
AFRICA
2001 event or about the ITU itself.
Thank you.
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