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ITU statistics symposium underlines enormous untapped
potential of ICTs to improve socio-economic development
Global statistics experts focus on power of big data, ICT innovation and
the emerging ‘Internet of Things’
Hiroshima, 3 December 2015 – More than 600 participants from
88 countries, including Deputy Prime Ministers, government ministers,
vice-ministers, Directors-General and leaders from business, academia and United
Nations agencies met in Hiroshima, Japan, from 30 November to 2 December to
attend ITU’s World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS-15).
The event opened with a special ceremony commemorating ITU’s 150th
anniversary, followed by a Ministerial Roundtable focusing on ICT as a driver of
sustainable development, and a Leaders Dialogue on the topic of future ICT
trends, policies and measurement challenges.
Participants addressed a wide range of topical issues including big data,
progress in measuring the socio-economic impact of ICTs, ICT statistics and the
Sustainable Development Goals' monitoring framework, strategies to measure ICT
innovation, and the use of data generated by the Internet of Things to drive ICT
development.
“Information and communication technologies are crucial to implementing the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin
Zhao. “Indicators are a useful reference for future planning and development;
better data means better policy making and more informed investment decisions.”
“WTIS-15 focused on the role ICT plays in association with the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development,” said H.E. Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s Minister for
Internal Affairs and Communications, in her opening remarks to delegates. “This
symposium features discussions on bridging the digital divide, addressing global
challenges, such as poverty, environmental issues, health and education; and the
engagement of women and youth,” she said. “Some of these themes will also be
discussed at the G7 ICT Ministers’ meeting that will take place in Takamatsu,
Japan, in 2016.”
ITU’s flagship annual
Measuring the Information Society Report was
released on the opening day of the event (30 November), with rolling launches
throughout the day starting in Hiroshima, and followed by (in alphabetical
order) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Brasilia, Brazil; Cairo, Egypt; Geneva,
Switzerland; and Moscow, Russian Federation.
The report’s annual ICT Development Index (IDI) country rankings were
announced at a high-level WTIS-15 award ceremony. The
Republic of Korea ranked number one
in this year’s IDI, which is a composite measurement that ranks 167
countries according to their level of ICT access, use and skills. Denmark and
Iceland followed closely in second and third place, respectively.
“We cannot forget that behind numbers and statistics are real human stories,”
said Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau.
“Our mission is to bring the power of ICTs into the hands of ordinary people,
wherever they live. By measuring the information society, we can track progress
towards achieving socio-economic development for all.”
At a ceremony held on 2 December, the Government of Botswana offered to host
WTIS 2016.
First held in 1996, and annually since 2005, WTIS has evolved to become the
main global forum for telecommunications and information society measurement.
The event provides a unique platform for ICT data users and producers to meet
and share knowledge and best practices, identify business opportunities and
enhance cooperation.
*Note to editors:
ITU’s IDI is widely recognized by government, UN agencies and industry as the
most accurate and impartial measure of overall national ICT development. It
combines 11 indicators into a single measure that can be used as a benchmarking
tool globally, regionally, and at national level, as well as helping track
progress in ICT development over time. It measures ICT access, use and skills,
and includes such indicators as mobile cellular subscriptions, households with a
computer, Internet users, fixed and mobile broadband Internet subscriptions, and
basic literacy rates.
For more information visit the
WTIS Newsroom
here.
Download photos of the launch and WTIS event
here.
A full range of ITU statistics are available at
www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/statistics
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Parkes
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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Monica Albertini
Communication Officer, BDT
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