World Telecommunication Leaders Gather in
Marrakesh
Prime Minister of Morocco Opens ITU Plenipotentiary Conference
The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco, H.E. Abderrahamane El
Youssoufi opened the 16th Plenipotentiary Conference of the International
Telecommunication Union by asking delegates, particularly those from the
developed world, "who have an interest in the stability and economic
development of African countries to rush to help them to integrate into
the new economic environment where telecommunications and information are
two main pillars."
His Excellency also lent his support to a new direction for ITU by
saying that Morocco, like many developing countries, has worked hard to
keep up with technological innovation and to adapt to the rapid changes in
telecommunications. "We have relied on our own human and financial
resources not to fall prey to the digital divide which is creating
barriers between nations and within countries." But he warned that
the need for international development cooperation and partnerships in
information and communication technology is especially critical at time
"when the world is characterized by crisis and strife."
Marrakesh — a City of Convergence
Nasr Hajji, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister in charge of Posts
and Telecommunication and Information Technologies referred to Morocco as
a land that is both Arab and African and Marrakesh a city of geographical
and historical convergence. He then added that thanks to the work of the
Plenipotentiary delegates, it will be known as a city of technological
convergence.
Globalization is asserting itself as an indisputable fact, and he added
Morocco had made the telecommunication sector a national priority. A
commitment articulated through the High Recommendations of His Majesty
King Mohammed VI, in April 2001, and since been given concrete form by the
Government of Morocco.
"In order to ensure the success of the E-Morocco strategy adopted
by our country, we have focused on a global and integrated approach in the
fields of telecommunications, information and audiovisual technologies,
multimedia and communication as a whole. In this way, we are taking full
and optimum advantage of the convergence of information technologies,
their synergies and their complementarities within the framework of a
strategic vision."
Morocco — a Model for Telecommunication Progress
The policy of liberalization adopted by Morocco is based on a
controlled regulatory framework. It has enabled the country to make
extraordinary progress, particularly in the field of mobile telephony,
where the number of subscribers has risen exponentially from 150 000 in
1999 to the present figure of over 6 million. "Our strategy is also
based on the conviction that what has been valid and conclusive for mobile
telephony will be equally so for Internet connections, where appropriate
measures will of course have to be taken to provide encouragement and
guidance",
Mr Hajji also told the telecommunication leaders that despite the
downturn in the industry, which he blamed on excesses of a
non-technological nature, "we remain firm in our conviction that it
is the new technologies that now represent the fundamental and
indisputable driving force underpinning the success of all economic and
social activities". He called upon "the ITU Plenipotentiary
Conference, through its decisions and resolutions, to send out confident
and optimistic messages regarding the future of this sector — a
feeling which is thoroughly shared by all".
ITU at Heart of Information Society
The Minister called on ITU to take its rightful place at the centre of
the Information Society. But he said that would only be possible if it
made every effort to adapt in the following ways:
- Capitalize on its knowledge, experience and strengths while opening
up to new horizons with a view to enabling all inhabitants of the
planet to benefit from ICTs through a global approach to the
information society and economy.
- Take new initiatives aimed at making ITU the global organization at
the heart of the information and knowledge society. For this to
happen, ITU will have to show itself as being capable of a high degree
of adaptability and flexibility. The broadening of its activities
should constitute a shared undertaking for the future and a major
challenge in terms of partnership between the public and private
sectors, in an association of interests and competencies that will
serve to maintain and strengthen the Union's role.
Information — A Tool in the Fight Against Tyranny and Ignorance
ITU Secretary-General, Yoshio Utsumi, in fluent Arabic welcomed
delegates to the Red City of Marrakesh. He highlighted the major
challenges facing ITU today, placing emphasis on the new information
society, where information is the key to economic, social and cultural
development, and where ITU must play a pivotal role. "At the start of
the 20th century, the world was still labouring under the yoke of
colonialism. Today, we are engaged in a new battle: the struggle for
knowledge against the tyranny of ignorance. Information has the power to
dispel ignorance, and to empower those who are oppressed by it. Moreover,
information has the power to bind the global community into a cohesive
fraternity, which shares the common ideals of peace and tolerance, growth
and development." Mr Utsumi went on to stress that "ITU must
provide a global policy perspective and wholehearted support for the
battle against tyranny and ignorance".
A Supply and Demand Mismatch
A concerted global effort is needed to eliminate the gap between rich
and poor in terms of flow of, and access to, information, says Mr Utsumi.
"The goal of the telecommunication world is our goal, and we have a
central role to play. But we have many hurdles to overcome." He added
that the euphoria of the dot.com boom carried the world into uncharted
waters, and that "at times we lost sight of the horizon."
Between 1995 and 2000, the volume of Internet traffic grew by four
times. But available capacity grew by 200 times in the same period.
Explaining this phenomenon, Mr Utsumi said that the "dark fibre"
available on the most used routes, for example, those across the Atlantic,
grew by several thousand times. Furthermore, overzealous expectations
created overcapacity, which in turn has led to falling prices and profits.
Still, telecommunication indicators show that demand outstrips supply
in the developing world. For example, three out of four new telephone
users connected each year are in the developing countries. Furthermore,
there are ten times more potential Internet users in the developing
countries than in the developed ones. In Mr Utsumi’s words: "Two
decades of market liberalization, privatization and technological progress
have made our industry more efficient, and more innovative. But it has not
necessarily made investors wiser. Nor has it made telecommunication
managers more honest, as recent accounting scandals have shown."
Delegates Challenged to Develop Global Policy
Despite an abundance of telecommunication capacity in some places,
there is not even a basic telephone connection in many villages in other
parts of the world. It is not a question of resources, but of
distribution. "This is the result of a lack of global policy
perspective", Mr Utsumi told delegates. He added that ITU’s
ambition today "lies in the concrete realization that
telecommunications can enable a hardy peasant in the snow-bound Himalayas
to receive the latest weather forecast; or a young woman in the
sun-scorched plains of Africa to learn the skills to improve her
handiwork". To achieve this goal: "we will have to make radical
and bold reforms, not weighed down by a myriad of bureaucratic mazes. We
cannot afford to lose ourselves in endless debates. The Union must be
reformed into an effective force that can lead the charge to realize the
digital opportunity."
1.5 Million Villages Unconnected to Information Society
Mr Utsumi repeated the appeal he made to the World Telecommunication
Development Conference in Istanbul In March 2002: "Let us set a
global goal to provide connectivity to every village all over the globe by
the time of the World Summit on the Information Society." While the
investment required is relatively modest, raising the capital will require
innovative approaches. He stated: "There are around 1.5 million
villages still unconnected. They could be connected for less than the
price paid for a third-generation mobile auction in developed countries
that are already well-served."
In the year 2000 alone, the telecommunication industry is said to have
invested more than USD 200 billion worldwide. "But the financial and
social dividends have been far from optimal, because we were super-serving
the rich few, and failing to provide basic services to the many."
To conclude, Mr Utsumi appealed to the world’s telecommunication
leaders to make bold suggestions for a global policy that would help us to
"reach the unreached" and bring the potential of ICTs to all of
the world’s people.
Morocco — A Vibrant Past, A Promising Future
All three speakers at the opening ceremony referred to Marrakesh as the
most entrancing of cities, which indisputably represents the living memory
of the age-old history of Morocco, and has the magical ability to ensure
that all who come here enjoy their visit. "Here, in this colourful
and vibrant city, many historic meeting have been held and many landmark
decisions reached. What better setting then, for this Plenipotentiary
Conference, the first of the new millennium, the new century and the new
decade." Mr Utsumi said.
In the afternoon, the Conference
elected His Excellency Mr Nasr Hajji, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister
in charge of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technologies as Chairman
of the Conference. His main role will be to keep the Conference on track and act
as a "backroom" negotiator to bring diverse views to a compromise.
Most decisions taken at the Conference are expected to be taken by consensus.
Secretary of State Hajji brings with him a solid experience in diplomacy and
negotiations, having held several high-level positions both in government and
civil society.
The Conference also elected the Vice-Chairmen of the Conference and the
Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the seven Conference committees as follows. The
mandates of each committee can be found here.
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