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On behalf of our government and the people of the Republic of South Africa I wish to welcome all the participants to the ITU
TELECOM
AFRICA 2001.
As the people of South Africa we are honoured to host the ITU Telecom event for the second time. We believe that this is a clear indication of the confidence the people of our common world have on our growing democracy.
South Africa is an African country. We are tied by an umbilical cord of history and the future with all the people of Africa. We are therefore unreservedly committed to working with all the people of Africa and our international partners in the creation of a better life for all.
This conference takes place soon after the adoption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) by the African Heads of State in Zambia, July 2001.
With information and communication technologies having been declared one of the priorities of the renewal plan, this conference has a clear mandate to come up with a concrete programme to bridge the digital divide.
I also wish to applaud the ITU for having included the Youth Forum, which will allow young people from all African countries to deliberate on how technologies could be used to advance their contribution to the reconstruction and development of the continent. We hope that the outcome of the forum will lay a good foundation for their participation and leadership in the sector.
Given the slump in the international telecommunications market, I applaud all companies that will be exhibiting their products during the next few days. Again this shows their unwavering commitment to the development of the African continent.
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