Draft Programme

The purpose of this session is to review the projects and the partnership agreements reached in light of the identified priorities and themes, leading to their announcement during the Summit in the Partnership Announcements/Pledges session on the closing day.

Note - This session is open to all Summit Stakeholders. Project holders and entities interested in using the Summit as a platform to promote their projects, pledges and partnerships are encouraged to attend the Meeting.

The purpose of this session is to review the draft Summit Communiqué.

Note - This session is open to representatives of delegations of the Americas Region.

The purpose of this meeting is to finalize the Summit Communiqué.

Note – This session is a Meeting of Ministers and Heads of Delegations. It is open to representatives of delegations of the Americas Region.

Speech
English

Speech
English

During the Broadband Leadership Summit, which took place in Geneva on 25 October 2011, members of the Broadband Commission for Digital Development challenged the global community to work together to promote “broadband inclusion for all” as a means of accelerating progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. In this session, members of the Broadband Commission from the Americas Region will debate with other stakeholders why broadband is important for the Americas and which initiatives can be undertaken by stakeholders in the region to encourage broadband inclusion.

 Summary of the Session

Session Overview:

Information and communication technologies (ICTs), and especially broadband, are widely recognized as key drivers of private sector investment, employment and socio-economic development. While developed countries have rapidly and effectively leveraged the benefits of broadband, many developing countries are now faced with the challenge of setting and implementing policies fostering opportunity and prosperity though broadband access for all. To create tomorrow's Knowledge-based Societies and meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the time is ripe to critically consider different strategies for funding broadband rollout.

While a large portion of the huge investment needed for broadband infrastructure will likely come from the private sector, it is wise to explore policy frameworks that can stimulate funding of future deployments. Ranging from shared access and direct infrastructure funding through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and end-user subsidies, to market reform and notably, competition and fiscal policies – there is today a wealth of available options. The technology is available, the regulatory environments are increasingly being smoothed out, and the demand is certainly there. Can investment be far behind?

Summary of the Session

Session Overview:

Access to infrastructure is central to achieving the goal of digital inclusion, enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and services for all. Digital inclusion is fundamental to building inclusive societies, in line with national and international development goals.  Digital inclusion means that indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, women, girls, youth and children can use accessible and affordable ICTs as tools for their social and economic development.

Promoting accessible ICTs for persons with disabilities, can unleash vast untapped markets.  Ensuring that women and girls are well-prepared and encouraged to take up careers in the ICT sector can play a fundamental role in youth employment strategies.  Using ICTs to provide vocational and life skills training to indigenous peoples empowers these communities.
Regulators and policy-makers face the challenging task of ensuring affordable access to ICTs and digital inclusion, while at the same time creating and maintaining investment incentives for all market participants. This session will identify the policy, regulatory and business strategies that can address some of the toughest issues facing political and business leaders alike.

Session Overview:

Emergency telecommunications play a critical role both in disaster risk reduction and in disaster management thus making an immense contribution to saving lives. These technologies are instrumental in monitoring, detecting, and predicting disasters. In the period before disasters strike, they serve as a medium through which authoritative alerts are disseminated. When disasters strike, emergency telecommunications facilitate search and rescue operations, distribution of food, medicines, and shelter by humanitarian workers for the benefit of the victims. On the other hand, climate change brings with it economic, social, and environmental impacts that compromise sustainable development. Telecommunications/ICTs can make a valuable contribution to climate change monitoring, mitigation and adaptation.

How can ICTs contribute to public safety? How can ICTs contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation?