What is the Plenipotentiary?
The Plenipotentiary Conference is ITU’s top policy-making body. Normally
held every four years, it sets the Union’s general policies, adopts four-year
strategic and financial plans and elects the senior management of the
organization, the Council (the Union’s governing body) and the Radio Regulations
Board. It is the key event at which ITU’s strategy is decided, thereby
determining the Union’s ability to influence the development of information
and communication technologies (ICT) worldwide.
In addition to representatives of Member States, the conference is
attended by observers from members of ITU’s three Sectors that deal with
radiocommunications, standardization and development. Such members include
telecommunication companies, scientific or industrial organizations, financial
or development institutions, and international organizations. |
|
What topics are going to be discussed? As well as individual Member States of
ITU, regional groups of countries have put forward proposals that ITU News
will look at in our November issue. Areas that are likely to feature on the
conference agenda include:
- Organizational reform, including a possible review
of ITU’s structure.
- ITU’s role in implementing the action lines resulting from
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
- Enlarging the
participation of new stakeholders in ITU’s work, including civil society
organizations, given the expectations raised by the WSIS process.
- Reflecting
the broader mandate given to ITU by WSIS, while maintaining the Union’s central
role in global ICT issues.
- Balancing the Union’s budget within a general
framework of zero-growth, despite the need to respond to the challenges of a
changing ICT environment which call for additional resources to carry out an
ever-increasing number of activities.
Strategic plan, under new management
The conference will also consider the draft 2008–2011 Strategic Plan for ITU.
This recommends a strategy (with its financial implications) that will allow ITU
to respond to the constantly changing environment for ICT.
It says that ITU activities should take into account the outcomes of WSIS,
especially the action lines in which it plays a leadership role. Another
important task for the Plenipotentiary Conference is to elect a new ITU Secretary-General, as well as other senior posts (see interviews:
Roberto Blois, Marc
Furrer, Matthias Kurth,
Muna Nijem and Hamadoun
I. Touré).
|
|
Antalya
On the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, the province and city of Antalya
will host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference at the Vega Convention Centre, Sungate Port Royal Hotel, from 6 to 24 November 2006. The region is now known as
the “Turkish Riviera,” but it has a very long history. Situated on a cliff, the
city of Antalya has been continuously inhabited for more than two thousand
years. Nearby, the remains of the city of Perge date back to around 3500 years
ago.
Many sites of natural beauty are also to be found, including mountain
streams and waterfalls. The Gulf of Antalya is backed by the Toros Mountains,
with forests stretching down to the sea. Traces of Neolithic habitation have
been found at Beldibi, a resort with “Blue Flag” beach and the venue of the
Plenipotentiary Conference.
|
Plenipotentiary Conference under way
