The Doha World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-06) comes at a
critical time, capitalizing on a number of high stake, high objective events.
Since the last World Telecommunications Development Conference held in 2002, we
have seen a growing endorsement, on an international scale, of the role of
information and communication technologies (ICT) in breaking barriers to human,
social and economic development. Within this context, WTDC-06 unites its own
agenda with that of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the
Millennium Development Goals by seeking to mobilize a plan of action based on
four critical factors: technology, policy, people and partnership.
In our quest to transform the digital divide into a viable digital
opportunity, the Istanbul Action Plan (ISAP) has been an invaluable guiding tool
for the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector. Through our sustained sector
reform programme, we have assisted members in achieving greater private-sector
participation and competition. Thanks to our work on technologies and network
development, it has been possible to maxime the use of appropriate new
technologies in the deployment of telecommunications and ICT networks. Through
assistance provided in e-strategies and e-services, we have seen improved access
to ICT and secured, cost-effective and socio-economically beneficial value-added
ICT services.
Our efforts in human capacity building have greatly contributed to
strengthening institutions and to creating the skills needed to succeed in the
current ICT environment. Through targeted and timely assistance to the Least
Developed Countries, teledensities and internet penetration have attained
unprecedented growth.
Our preparations for WTDC-06 were greatly facilitated by a series of six very
productive Regional Preparatory Meetings (RPM) held in 2005. The output of each
RPM was tabled at a Coordination Meeting held in conjunction with the meeting of
the Telecommunication Development Advisory Group (TDAG) in Geneva in December
2005 at which the RPM proposals were consolidated in preparation for the
WTDC-06. The RPM and TDAG gave their support to maintaining the six programmes
that were adopted by WTDC-02. This preparatory process has also provided a sound
basis for the development of a comprehensive four-year rolling operational plan
for the Telecommunication Development Sector.
At WTDC-06 we should focus on countries’ needs, setting in motion mechanisms
that could help us respond more effectively to national, regional, and global
ICT requirements. Accordingly, the Doha Declaration and Action Plan to be
adopted by WTDC-06 should build on the groundwork done in implementing the
Istanbul Action Plan and pave the way for the implementation of concrete action
towards the creation of a global information society as defined by WSIS.
The meeting in Doha is historic, in that it is the first time that a World
Telecommunication Development Conference is held in the Arab States region. We
are fortunate to have Qatar as the location, as it is one of the world’s top
quality destinations for business conferences, and it has made tremendous
achievements in ICT that could inspire other countries.
The road to Doha has been a marathon journey! Together as a team let us
persevere along the course with a common chorus, "Towards Doha To Deliver
Digital Dividends For Development."
