High Level Panel: ICT applications for better life
20 May 2009, 14:30 - 16:00
ITU Headquarters, Room B1

The rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is opening new opportunities to improve the life situation of people around the world. This High Level Panel concentrates on one of the most obvious examples: mobile telephony. With the developing world now accounting for two-thirds of all subscriptions, even in some rural areas in low-income countries, mobile penetration is on the rise ,and the uptake is particularly fast among younger people. Other ICT developments are also worth highlighting, such as the growing popularity of social network in developing countries, the increased use of broadband and innovative solutions to e-transactions.

New ICTs and novel approaches to using them can create better living conditions in different ways. This session will focus on three areas: education, agriculture and business. Through an interactive, multistakeholder debate, special attention will be given to such mobile applications as m-learning, m-health, m-access, m-agriculture and m-business. The debate will serve as an introduction to the subsequent parallel action line facilitation meetings.

Moderator: Miriam Nisbet, Director of the Information Society Division, UNESCO

Panellists:

• Ms. Khédija Ghariani, Secretary-General of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization 
• Mr Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU
• Mr Michael Riggs, FAO e-agriculture
• Mr Ilari Lindy, Senior Adviser, Information Society for Development, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
• Mr Clive Shepherd, Managing Director, Fastrak Consulting Ltd (UK)

Please note that the English <-> French interpretation will be available.

To follow the meeting through the web-cast, please click here!