Mr. Chairman
Her Excellency Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister
of the Kingdom of Thailand
Dr. Toure, Secretary General, ITU
Leaders of ITU Member Countries
Distinguish Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am very pleased to be here and to participate in this important Summit. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the ITU for all its hard work in planning and convening this Summit.
I would also like to join all the speakers in thanking the Royal Kingdom of Thailand for hosting this Summit and for the warm and gracious hospitality it has extended to me and my delegation since our arrival. Over 20 years ago, I had my first visit to this beautiful country. I commend the leadership of this country for the tangible improvements which have transformed this country to become one of the emerging economies in the Asia Pacific region.
The Federated States of Micronesia is a Small Island Developing State, whose small population is scattered across many islands spread over one million square miles in the western and central Pacific Ocean. With this geographical make-up, my country faces formidable challenges in its ongoing nation-building endeavors. I believe ICT can be used to overcome some of these challenges, especially in minimizing the risks of natural disasters, including climate change.
In this connection, I wish to acknowledge with appreciation the various technical and financial assistance extended to my country from the regional and international institutions towards the development of its Country Partnership Strategy. Within this strategy, my country has decided to focus its Information Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives in the following areas:
- First, Support towards the development of a more liberalized telecom market;
- Second, Strengthening and reforming our National Telecom Corporation;
- Third, ICT Regulatory Support for Capacity Building with establishment of an Independent Regulatory Entity;
- Fourth, International and Domestic Connectivity to support investment in new infrastructure to enhance ICT Services and narrow the gap where Digital Divide still exists; and
- Fifth, Promote Universal Access with sustainable programs for our remote and unconnected areas.
I would like to join my fellow leaders who are also speaking in this summit in acknowledging the importance of ICT as a technological tool that can be used for the advancement of a country's economic and social development. For small island nations like my mine, ICT can contribute greatly to our efforts of improving the tourism sector of our economy. It can be a catalyst in encouraging foreign direct investments in our tourism industry.
However, I am very mindful of the costs of putting in place the necessary ICT infrastructures in light of our economy of scale, limited financial resources and human resource capacity. Until we can identify a way forward in addressing these challenges, we can only marvel at the advancement of ICT, which the developed countries are currently enjoying.
It is therefore my country's continuing desire to seek the guidance and support of the ITU, including our development partners and friends. With such financial and technical assistance, small island countries like mine can also share and realize the benefits of ICT as a tool of improving the delivery of essential government services to our people.
I hope by our endorsement of the Leaders' Vision and the Communique, small island countries represented in this Summit will make known to the world community our commitment to join the global and regional efforts of bringing broadband connectivity at affordable costs to our people.
I am convinced that the outcome of this Summit will bring us closer to the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration of the World Summit on Information Society. I believe with the leadership role that ITU will continue to play, the application of ICT technology can become affordable and beneficial to small island countries like mine.
I wish to end my statement by assuring the leadership of ITU that my country will continue to work with all the member countries in finding a way forward towards the achievement of ITU's mandate, particularly in achieving broadband connectivity to our people. I believe the digital divide can be decreased tremendously, if we commit ourselves to the achievement of the goal declared in the Leaders' Vision. I ask for ITU's assistance and guidance as my country continues its commitment to improve telecom services to the people of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Thank you all very much.
