ITU TELECOM WORLD
2009, taking place in
Geneva on 5–9 October, comprises a major
Exhibition and Forum. The event will
bring together some 20 Heads of State and
Government and top-level executives from
the information and communication technologies
(ICT) industry. In addition, more
than 300 exhibitors will showcase their
latest products and services, alongside national and
regional pavilions. And the activities of young people
regarding ICT will be the subject of a Youth Forum.
Under the broad theme of “ICT for economic
recovery and sustainable development,” the Forum
will focus on topics that range from “Technology
foresight”, “New Regulatory Models” and
“Cybersecurity” to “ICT and climate change”.
Last autumn, I commissioned a report to monitor
the impact of the financial crisis on ITU’s membership
— both governments and industry. At TELECOM WORLD
2009, we will issue our second report, entitled
“Confronting the Crisis: ICT Stimulus Plans for
Economic Growth.”
The report notes that, although some analysts are
now cautiously optimistic, it is likely that economic
aftershocks will continue for some time, whilst
structural adjustments take place. The report
examines how policy-makers can respond,
including the role of ICT in governments’
economic stimulus plans. Should
investment in broadband networks form an
essential part of such plans? And what are
the implications for developing countries
and the digital divide? It is important to address
these and other important issues, as the policy
choices made now will determine how much nations
benefit from next-generation technologies.
This crisis has also revived debate about the doctrine
of the free market. It has reawakened discussion
of the role of government in helping to build
infrastructure, as well as the meaning of Keynesian
demand management in a globalized era. These
debates are very relevant to the ICT industry as it
seeks to migrate to networks based on the Internet
Protocol (IP).
ICT have a unique power to boost productivity
and generate economic recovery. They are crucial to
the future success of businesses worldwide. I look
forward to exploring the ICT landscape and to high-level
debates on the exciting range of topics on the
ITU TELECOM WORLD 2009 agenda.
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