European Parliament

N^o 008 - en

Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with utmost joy and pleasure that I address this august Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) whose aim it is to exchange views on how each one of us is working towards the closing of the gap between the haves and have-nots especially at the beginning of a new millennium. From the outset, let me express International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General, Mr. Yoshio UTSUMI’s profound regret for not being able to attend this historic and momentous event. Notwithstanding, the Secretary-General sends his warm greetings and wishes us all great success.

Let me begin by looking back at where we are coming from before sharing with you ITU’s vision for the future. During the first United Nations Conference for LDCs, the state of telecommunications as well as Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was desperately poor. Following what was dubbed, a lost decade, the situation at the second LDC Conference had barely changed. I take pride in announcing that this Third United Nations Conference is being held against the backdrop of an upturn in telecommunication development in LDCs. During the course of this Conference, delegates will receive an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) publication on the state of telecommunications and ICTs in LDCs. Statistics will show that, more than ten of these countries are now performing even better than some non-LDCs in the low-income bracket. I must however, express a word of caution by stating that the situation in some 20 LDCs remains poor with teledensity of below 0.5 Main Lines (ML) per 100 inhabitants. Among the latter, 10 have suffered, to varying degrees; the traumas of civil strive resulting in untold destruction of the telecommunications infrastructure and disruption of telecommunications infrastructure development.

Mr. Chairman,

There is no doubt that, the telecommunications and associated ICTs will be the driving force of the new economy. ITU’s response to this reality is that, all LDCs must embrace these technologies for their developmental needs. I am sure that we all concur that the telecommunication sector is highly susceptible to globalization and that this phenomenon will become increasingly inevitable. It is for this reason that ITU has increasingly become more or less a chameleon organization in terms of environmental adaptation. As the environment changes, so does ITU in terms of strategy and structure. I am proud to say, ITU is one of the few UN Agencies to have a full- fledged LDC Unit looking after the interests of LDCs. The ultimate goal of my organization is to achieve universal access to ICTs by all especially by those in least developed countries. ITU has among its key targets to meet fully the demand for telecommunication services in urban areas. This means virtually eliminating the waiting list for services by the year 2005, which translates into an average urban Main Line density of 10 per 100 inhabitants. We are also working towards the attainment of a rural Main Line density of 2 ML per 10,000 inhabitants by the year 2005. Admittedly, this density would not yet amount to easy access to telecommunication services, as suggested in the widely quoted Report of the Independent Commission for World Wide Telecommunications Development otherwise known as the Missing Link Report. It would however, be a bold move in that direction.

Excellencies and Distinguished Guests,

To help LDCs to adjust to the environment brought by globalization, ITU is actively involved in the reform and restructuring of the telecommunications sector of these countries so as to bring about liberalization and competition. With reforms in place, assistance is given to governments for the establishment of a strong and independent regulatory body to sustain a level playing field. Empirical evidence shows that, there tends to be an increase in the flow of foreign direct investment into the telecommunications sector of those countries that embrace reform.

ITU realizes that, alone only a little can be achieved, but together, a lot of mileage can be covered. There is need for unwavering political commitment by Member States, total involvement of the private sector and unity of purpose by the whole United Nations family to catapult LDCs to new heights of competitiveness. These countries must be integrated into the world economy if the world is to achieve the so much desired synergy and competitiveness. In order to assist those LDCs that have this far remained behind, ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau has now devised a new strategy of directing and concentrating assistance to a handful of LDCs each year in order to achieve greater impact. Round Table Partnership (donor) meetings are convened each year to consolidate the ITU assistance.

The ICTs and globalization offer technological leap-frogging opportunities to LDCs resulting in spillover benefits to the rest of the sectors. Mobile services and the Internet are the major successes. However, applications such as telemedicine, tele-education and

e-business are multiplying the benefits of ICTs, taking them even to rural and remote areas. As a result, this encourages the extension of other socio-economic infrastructures into rural areas where the majority of the people are.

Excellencies, let me take this opportunity to strongly encourage your nation states to give deserving priority to the expansion and modernization of telecommunication and ICT networks and services so that you do not miss out on the benefits, which these services bring to your people in the new economy – the information economy. ITU is much encouraged by signs of an upturn everywhere in the domain of telecommunications. LDCs cannot afford not to be part of this global wave as the outcome would be nothing but more marginalization and exclusion. Indeed, as articulated by John Donne: No man is an island, entire of itself; everyman is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

I thank you.

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