The Doha Declaration adopted by the 4^th World Telecommunication Development Conference underlines the considerable effort made by the countries themselves and by the catalytic inputs of their development partners, including public, private and intergovernmental organizations to implement previous action plans aimed at promoting universal access.

But, the pace towards the creation of a truly global Information Society needs to be stepped up so as to bring opportunities to all. To this end, conditions must be created so that maximum benefit can be derived from the implementation of new services and applications. New and emerging technologies along with a conducive environment and entrepreneurial approaches have the potential to close the gap not only between developing and developed countries but also between urban, remote and rural areas and between well-served and underserved areas within a country.

The Global Information Society is evolving and should be responsive to the interests of all nations, especially developing countries and, in particular, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), countries with economies in transition and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Opportunities offered by new information and communication technologies (ICTs) should be fully exploited with the aim of fostering sustainable development, better quality of life and higher standards of living.

Recognizing that ICTs play an important role in alleviating poverty, in creating jobs, in protecting the environment and in preventing and mitigating natural and other disasters, the Doha Declaration points to a number of essential prerequisites to achieve the goals set out by the Doha Action Plan:

1. telecommunication reform that can lead to greater private-sector participation and competition;
2. the creation of an enabling environment to promote reasonable and affordable access to basic telecommunications for all, to create a stable and transparent framework for fair competition while protection network integrity and the rights of users, operators and investors;
3. policies and strategies for the development of telecommunications that reflect the trend towards multiservices using a common infrastructure platform
4. a leading role for ITU and its development sector in coordinating the activities of all stakeholders engaged in the development of ICT and related services, and in the development of strategies that can facilitate the use of ICTs in disaster prevention, preparedness and relief as well as the development and deployment of low-cost, affordable and appropriate technologies for disaster risk reduction
5. a high priority at national level for telecommunication development and growth of ICT
6. a lead role by ITU in implementing those WSIS goals that fall within ITU’s core competencies, whether it is in bridging the digital divide, assisting countries to effectively manage the radio spectrum, which is essential in the deployment of wireless services, in developing standards for the seamless operation of equipment and services, and in the dissemination of relevant information for decision-makers and practitioners

Against this background, the Conference adopted a plan of action based on a mutually reinforcing strategy for telecommunication development to be implemented at the global, regional and national levels. The Plan is based on six programmes, six global initiatives, two cross-cutting activities and a new regional approach where each region defined the framework of action for all stakeholders based on agreed categories and region-specific priorities. The Doha Action Plan provides the tools as well as clear guidance for achieving universal access.

The Doha Action Plan builds on the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society as well as on the experience of implementing ICT development plans adopted at previous world telecommunication development conferences (1994, 1998, 2002).

The Doha Action Plan innovates in many ways. But one of the key new elements consist in a new approach to development. Until now, action plans focused only on six programmes that represented the key building blocks in order to bring cohesion among the activities arising from the different programmes. However, to maximize impact at the country level while attracting investors and development banks because of economies of scale, countries were requested to submit umbrella initiatives that would rally an entire region. Because of the high number, countries were requested by the Conference to group them under five categories and to select the top five projects that best met the region’s priorities. Armed with an effective package that focus on deliverables and that can be deployed across several states, countries will now be in a better position to attract the type of large-scale investment needed for many of the projects.

When the tsunami struck the Indian Ocean region in December 2004, early-warning centres as far afield as the Pacific picked up the seismic information and predicted devastating tidal waves. Tragically, the information did not reach people in the coastal region and over 300’000 perished, even though the tsunami took several hours to wash over distant shores. Yet there were some people who received early warning information, but failed to understand the enormity of the upcoming wave or to communicate the information rapidly to the appropriate emergency management centre.

The loss to life and property can still not be fully estimated. But in a small island developing country like the Maldives, the blow to its development was enormous. At the point of emerging from its status as a least developed country, this country of scattered coral archipelagos is said to have dropped behind ten years in its economic growth. Ironically, even though it was one of the least devastated by the tsunami, it was one of the most affected in its aftermath.

This is to illustrate what is often ignored: emergency telecommunications are an essential prerequisite for sustainable development, especially in fragile economies whose populations are the most vulnerable.

This is why WTDC-06 focused a lot of attention on the question of emergency communications and adopted bold measures to mitigate disasters and prepare every country for disasters. Recognizing that the weakest economies are often the most affected by disasters, the programme for Least Developed Countries has been expanded to include emergency telecommunications. The programme will move away from an ad hoc approach to disaster mitigation to address instead disaster management in a systematic way. To this end, WTDC-06 adopted a comprehensive package that can deliver end-to-end solutions to prevent and mitigate disasters and to carry out relief operations effectively. The focus will be to:

• Promote technical cooperation and enhancing the capacity of least developed countries and small island developing states in utilizing ICT tools for disaster early-warning, preparedness, response and relief
• Identify activities in relevant organizations related to the use of space-based systems for disaster prediction, detection and mitigation
• Promote regional and international cooperation for sharing information for disaster management irrespective of where the data is monitored or where the disaster is likely to strike
• Work with regulators to harmonize regulations, put appropriate policies in place and ensure that national laws do not create barriers to a seamless response across borders in case of upcoming disasters
• Engage civil society whose role is crucial at the community level in disaster prepardness and relief operations
• Train people involved in all aspects of disaster management and provide them with practical training on how to react and what to do when disasters strike
• Integrate ICT in worldwide early-warning systems to facilitate global emergency disaster response
• Ensure that telecommunication networks and infrastructure are disaster resilient
• Develop ICT wireless and satellite-based solutions to enable continuity of telecommunication services. When disasters strike, communications links are often disrupted; yet for disaster relief workers who arrive on the scene these links are essential to deliver medical and humanitarian aid and coordinate the complicated logistics of rescue and relief operations.
• Damage assessment to reconstruct and rehabilitate telecommunication infrastructure
• Make use of all means of communication for early warning, including basic loudspeakers for reaching populations that are not connected to ICT

In the context of this strategy, the Conference included in the work programme of the Study Groups of the Telecommunication Development Sector a request for study (called Question) on ICT and space-based sensing systems for disaster prediction, detection and mitigation. In addition to making a survey of existing activities related to the use of these systems for disaster management, the Study Group will identify current and future foreseeable systems for the purpose of assisting affected countries in the integration of such systems in their disaster prediction, detection and mitigation telecommunication infrastructure. A resolution was also adopted which calls upon telecommunication administrations to satisfy the temporary needs for frequencies in emergency and disaster relief situations, to facilitate cross-border circulation of radiocommunication equipment intended for the use in emergency and disaster relief situations without hindering national legislation and to seek the support of service providers in making available their infrastructure in the event of disasters.

The Conference adopted a six-point development strategy formulated in a way to maximize impact on the ground while integrating the WSIS outcomes.

The focus of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector in the area of policy, regulation and strategy will focus on assisting Member States and national regulatory authorities in developing and implementing an enabling environment that fosters a supportive, transparent, pro-competitive and predictable policy, legal and regulatory framework. Such a framework would provide the appropriate incentives for investment, and the promotion of universal, ubiquitous and affordable access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The programme will take into account accelerated convergence between technologies and services and the development of next generation networks.

This Programme will assist Member States and ITU Telecommunication Development Sector Members to maximize the utilization of appropriate new technologies in the development of their ICT infrastructure, by taking due account of the accelerated convergence of telecommunication networks and services. The activities associated with the planning of information and communication infrastructure will incorporate traffic and demand forecasting, network management, spectrum management and radio monitoring, interconnectivity, interoperability, network security and Quality of Service standards for wireline and wireless networks, terrestrial mobile communications and broadcasting.

The purpose is to assist developing countries, through the use of ICT and telecommunication networks, to advance the achievement of national, regional and the internationally-agreed development goals by promoting the use of ICT-based products, networks, services and applications, and to help countries overcome the digital divide. The programme will contribute to reducing the social divide, improving governance and health services, better business opportunities, sustainable development, distance learning, employment and other benefits, taking into account the conditions in rural, isolated and poorly serviced areas.

In an intensely competitive market, it has become essential to foster different mechanisms that promote public-private partnerships and private investments. It will be up to ITU’s development sector to respond to requests for assistance to members in this regard, by helping them identify the success factors, facilitate their implementation in order to provide service at equitable and affordable prices. There is an increasing need for ITU to play an active role in raising awareness on these economic and financial issues by developing and implementing appropriate activities that complement efforts of these sectors.

This Programme will assist developing countries in strengthening their human, institutional and organizational capacity through human resource management and development activities. The purpose is to address the capacity development needs of policy-makers and regulators at the government level, as well as senior executives and managers at the operator and telecommunication/ICT-service provider levels, by using an appropriate mix of e-learning, information technologies and traditional training methodologies. Emphasis will be given to training programmes aimed at enhancing the capacity of leaders and operational staff in developing countries to effectively apply ICTs in training and educational activities.

This programme will be valued for its quality and timely service aimed at integrating LDCs and SIDS into the world economy through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the implementation of disaster risk reduction measures in developing countries and its ability to impact positively on the delivery of assistance to these countries.

The programme on developing emergency telecommunications has been accorded priority in the light of the havoc, destruction and loss of life caused by natural disasters such as the tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, drought and landslides. It is also a critical factor in post-conflict reconstruction.

WTDC-06 adopted the work programme to be carried out by the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector during the next four years. Considered an important element in responding to the needs of developing countries, the questions assigned to Study Groups cover the whole spectrum of issues of relevance to telecommunication development. In addition to the 14 questions that were revised from the previous study cycle which cover issues such as the implementation of IP telephony in developing countries, interconnection or the examination of access technologies for broadband to the calculation of frequency fees and communications for rural and remote areas, 4 new questions were taken on board by WTDC-06 to deal with access to telecommunication services for people with disabilities, the impact of telecommunication development on the creation of employment, securing information and communication networks including best practices for developing a culture of cybersecurity and ICT and space-based systems for disaster prediction, detection and mitigation.

The Conference reaffirmed the importance of two cross-cutting activities designed to support the six programmes, the various initiatives and the work of the study groups, namely statistics and Information on Telecommunications/ICTs and Partnerships/Promotion.

Statistics and analysis are crucial for benchmarking countries and evaluating e-readiness to allow governments to make informed decisions on policies for telecommunication development. The international community has placed ICT indicators for measuring the digital divide and for analyzing the impact of ICTs on development goals at the top of the development agenda. As a member of the Partnership on Mesuring ICT for development, a multistakeholder initiative, ITU works towards the collection and dissemination of internationally comparable ICT indicators. Under this activity, ITU will create guidelines and tools, create and maintain a database and publish reports. It will also create training materials and assist members in developing their ICT data collection and dissemination efforts. It will also promote partnerships to improve the quality of information.

The purpose of the Partnerships and Promotion activity is to assist ITU Members in developing countries through strategies and campaigns that promote public/private sector partnerships and mobilize additional resources in support of development projects. It is also to strengthen the role of the private sector in all development programmes and activities.

In addition to these two cross-cutting activities, six global initiatives on private sector issues, women, Youth and Children, Indigenous people and communities, people with disabilities and communities living in underserved areas were also endorsed.

In conjunction with the Conference, ITU organized a brainstorming session under its Connect the World initiative, which brought together an expert group from the private sector, financial institutions and civil society. The session was chaired by Her Excellency Sheikha Mayassa Bint Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of "Reach out to Asia", and ITU Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi. It was moderated by the renowned television personality, Stephen Cole.

ITU signed memorandums with various entities, including Alcatel, Cisco and Industry Canada. ITU also brokered agreements between the government of the Netherlands and Child Helpline International for help fund the creation one number and one website to connect children in need.

Delegates at WTDC-06 also had the opportunity to hear the World Bank latest findings on ICT for development and in particular its methodology for cross-country benchmarking, analysis of the demande side of ICT development and trends and policies in fnancing infrastructure. Delegates also learned more on the achievements of the Digital Solidarity Fund, which aims to finance community-based projects, especially those managed by women. The President of the Executive Committee of the Fund, Mr Guy-Olivier Segond, also presented the first Digital Solidarity Fund Award to ITU Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi citing his personal commitment and support for the Digital Solidarity Fund.

On 15 March, there were 969 delegates participated in the Conference.

• 820 representatives of government from 132 countries and 4 representatives from Palestine
• 93 representatives of public and private sector companies from 31 countries
• 14 representatives of national telecommunication-related entities from 9 countries
• 38 representatives from regional and international organizations

The Conference wound up at 17h00 on Wednesday, 15 March.