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International Telecommunication Union
For immediate release |
Telephone: +41 22 730 6039
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ITU Brokers Powerful Partnerships at World
Information Society Summit
Partners Include WHO, UNESCO, Cisco, Worldspace, Governments of
India, Russia, Rwanda and Turkey, and French and Swiss Universities
Geneva, 11 December 2003 — Building on
its 138-year old role as a catalyst and facilitator for better connectivity
between and within countries, the International Telecommunication Union is
announcing more than 15 new partnerships between governments, industry,
international organizations and universities. The announcements were made at the
World Summit on the Information Society.
Partnerships address elements critical to the development of
an information society for all including capacity building, remote learning,
telemedicine, infrastructure development and e-government, among other subjects.
The announcements lay the foundation for further cooperation
towards building a truly inclusive information society which is a key goal of
the Summit. The ITU partnerships also set an example for other types of
alliances needed to deliver the Summit’s Action plan which will be endorsed by
Heads of State and governments later in the week.
"These partnerships are important first steps toward
achieving the goals of the Summit, which aim to ensure that the benefits of ICTs
are available to all, not just a privileged few," said Yoshio Utsumi, ITU
and Summit Secretary-General.
The following is a snapshot of some cross-sectoral and global
partnerships, all forged on the road to WSIS, in which ITU plays a key part:
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
and ITU are joining forces in their Health Academy to harness
ICTs for delivery of vital health information to impoverished areas across
the world. Courses, to begin in Egypt and Jordan, will focus on nutrition,
substance abuse, rational medicine use and time management with an
overarching goal of disease prevention and healthy living. ITU will harness
57 Internet Training Centres across 47 countries and Multipurpose Community
Telecentres for the delivery of health-related information. It will also
supply e-government and e-learning project design and implementation. WHO is
contributing health experts and content for websites and courses. Funds will
also be used for electronic applications and other access-widening projects.
Launch : Thursday 11 December at
11:30 at the Geneva Press Club.
With the Ministers of Jordan and Egypt and senior WHO and ITU officials
More information: alexander.ntoko@itu.int
- Turkey’s Ministry of Health
and ITU are collaborating to boost health services and information
across the vast and varied country by electronic means. A focus of the
multi-million dollar project is supplying citizens with easy and secure
health records and appointments over the Internet. Follow-on projects
include a primary Health Care Information System for sharing data between
doctors, healthcare centres, hospitals and public/private insurance
agencies; establishing national health information management standards and
information technology that meet international standards through e-learning;
plus teleconsultations and remote monitoring services in less developed
areas.
Partners include Turkey’s Ministry of Telecommunications,
Turk TELECOM and the World Bank.
More information: alexander.ntoko@itu.int
- To bring faster, cheaper and more reliable communication to
remote, mountainous areas of Bhutan, the Government of India will
help deliver e-post services to the Bhutanese Postal Service via a
USD 400,000 a V-satellite network and solar panels power system. Another USD
40,000 comes from ITU with the remaining USD 10,000 in in-kind
contributions from Bhutan Telecom and Post. The system is founded on free,
unique e-mail addresses for each household ultimately accessible via 38 post
offices across the country for delivery of e-post messages in a fraction of
the normal time. Funds will be used for telekiosks and build on Worldspace’s
datacasting facilities and content — for e-learning applications — and
low-cost software and terminals supplied by Encore India. Encore is
also supplying handheld devices with simultaneous translation software and
agricultural and healthcare applications to boost literacy and computer
familiarity. E-banking and government services may follow.
Signing ceremony : Thursday 11
December at 18:30 with Bhutan and India’s ICT Ministers
More information: Vishnu.calindi@itu.int
- Rascom is Africa’s first
transcontinental satellite service, to be used for electronic communication,
broadcasting and cellular services. It will support Universal Access
projects aimed at bridging Africa’s digital divide through connectivity
across Africa and within its cities, with a focus on low-cost solutions for
rural areas.
Signing ceremony : Thursday 11
December at 16:15 with Rascom CEO G. Adadja
More information: Asenath.Mpatwa@itu.int
Other noteworthy agreements forged at WSIS include:
MoU Between
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Signing Ceremony
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Contacts
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Governments of Cameroon, Rwanda Kyrgyz Republic, and ITU for
e-Government, e-payment system
valued at USD 1.2 million |
11 December at 10:30
with national ICT Minister |
desire.karyabwite@itu.int
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Government of Jamaica, ITU and UNESCO. For e-learning
projects through Interactive video and TV |
11 December at 16:30 with Jamaican Minister of Science
and Technology |
christian.blanquart@itu.int
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Cisco and ITU
for 20 more Internet Training Centres in developing countries |
11 December at 19:15
with VP, Philanthropy,
Cisco Systems |
manuel.zaragoza@itu.int |
Government of Russia and ITU
for new ITU area office
serving Russian Federation and CIS countries |
15 December at 15:00
with Russia’s ICT Minister |
nenad.stankovic@itu.int
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INMARSAT and ITU for satellite-based e-learning services
in low-income countries
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11 December at 10:15 with Inmarsat’s CFO |
cosmas.zavazava@itu.int
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Switzerland’s International Institute of Management in
Telecommunications (IIMT) and the University of Fribourg will provide
programmes for senior managers from developing countries at ITU Centres of Excellence |
11 December 16:00
President, Director IIMT |
barbara.wilson@itu.int |
World Bank and ITU for jointly planned and executed
programmes to spark ICT development and investment
in developing countries |
10 December at 19:45 with World Bank Manager, Global ICT department |
eric.nelson@itu.int |
France’s Institut National des Télécommunications and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and ITU
to share Business Management Programme in ITU Centers of Excellence Valued
at EUR 130 000 |
11 December at 16:45 with INT & Ministry of Foreign Affairs/International Cooperation
Directors |
jean-claude-faure@itu.int
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ITU, Worldspace for e-learning
Over its global satellite service |
11 December at 19:00
with Worldspace CEO |
cosmas.zavazava@itu.int |
Encore Software, to supply Simputers and support for
e-services projects in LCDs |
11 December at 18:45 |
Vishnu.calindi@itu.int |
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