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Cambodia hosts regional preparatory meeting for 2014 World Telecommunication
Development Conference
Asia-Pacific ICT policy-makers plan tech smart, green societies
Geneva, 30 April 2013 – The Regional Preparatory Meeting for
ITU’s World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014 opened today in Phnom
Penh, Cambodia. The Conference will assess the ongoing implementation of the
Hyderabad Plan of Action agreed at the last edition of the Conference in 2010
and the identification of priority areas for the Asia-Pacific region.
ITU’s sixth World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-14) will
take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 31 March – 11 April 2014. The gathering of
policy makers, regulators and experts from around the world will forge a plan of
action for telecommunication and ICT development over the next four years.
Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok An acknowledged the close association
and cooperation between Cambodia and ITU. “Priority areas identified at past
World Telecommunication Development Conferences have benefitted Cambodia
enormously,” Mr Sok An said. “Cambodia has successfully managed its transition
into a vibrant telecommunications market with the expansion and upgrade of its
telecom infrastructure. The ICT sector has also expanded and we are set to
contribute to its regional and global growth in the future.”
Calling on countries of the Asia-Pacific region to accelerate the roll out of
broadband, ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun I. Touré said: “Countries in the
Asia-Pacific region have led the digital revolution that has transformed the way
people communicate around the world. Now is the time to consolidate these gains
by pushing forth a dynamic agenda for the global roll out of broadband. I have
no doubt that the regional input to the forthcoming WTDC in 2014 will foster the
farsighted policies that will guide future digital development around the
world.”
Dr Touré expressed his appreciation that Cambodia has just finalized its
National Broadband Policy with ITU’s assistance and reiterated that ITU will
extend full technical assistance for its implementation.
The Regional Preparatory Meeting kicked off yesterday with the Regional
Development Forum for Asia and the Pacific, focusing on smart, innovative
digital technologies. Discussions centred on the key challenges and
opportunities for the sustainable, inclusive, innovative and creative
development of telecommunications/ICTs in the Asia-Pacific region, while forging
partnerships to address opportunities for the development of a ‘smart’
technologically driven society that would be both safer and greener.
“ICTs are part of everything we do in our daily lives, and will continue to
play an ever-increasing and critical role in the social and economic development
of the country,” Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun said. “The
Government of Cambodia aims to put up a robust telecommunication policy and
regulatory framework and implement strategies to capitalize on existing
technologies to facilitate innovation, enhance competitiveness, accelerate
productivity and economic development, promote greater social inclusion, and
facilitate the sustainable use of ICTs, particularly broadband services.” Mr So
Khun added that mobile penetration in Cambodia is nearly 140 per cent, matching
the achievement of developed countries.
Noting that the Asia-Pacific Region ranks among the most dynamic and fast
moving regions of the world in ICT development, Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s
Telecommunication Development Bureau, said, “It is encouraging that we are
meeting here at a time when ICT growth in Asia and the Pacific region is
surpassing global ICT growth rates in all key indicators. Between 2008 and 2013,
compound annual growth rates of mobile-cellular subscriptions grew by almost 14
per cent annually, compared to 10 per cent globally. The number of Internet
users continues to grow at double digit rates, slightly higher than the global
average. The most important growth has been taking place in terms of the number
of active mobile-broadband subscriptions, which between 2010 and 2013, has
increased by 45 per cent annually, compared to 38 per cent at the global level.”
He added that countries in the region have identified ICT/ broadband as a
priority and a driving force towards sustainable development.
Mr Sanou highlighted ITU initiatives on ‘m-Powering Development’ that seeks
to build partnerships to deliver ICT applications in education, health,
government, banking, environment, and business amongst others; and ‘Smart
Sustainable Development Model’ (SSDM) that aims to link emergency
telecommunication and sustainable development in order to optimize the use of
resources in the ICT sector. Noting that capacity building is one of the key
elements of work in ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector, Mr Sanou said
that the ITU Academy is yet another initiative to work with academic
institutions to serve as a platform for sharing training modules and tool kits
around the world.
Countries of the region welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the
preparations for the upcoming world conference. A series of regional meetings
will take place this year around the world to provide inputs to WTDC-14.
For more information, please see
www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Conferences/WTDC/WTDC14/Pages/default.aspx
or contact:
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Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information
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