KIRIBATI

STATEMENT BY H.E. Mr. Natan TEEWE
Minister of Communications, Transport and Tourism Development

Your Excellencies, Secretary General, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen

It is indeed a pleasure for me as Minister for Communications, Transport and Tourism Development in the Republic of Kiribati to attend this very important meeting and be amongst the distinguished participants involved in discussing the future of the global telecommunications sector.

As we all have witnessed, Telecommunications has undergone and still undergoes dramatic technological developments which had forced even the smallest Country like Kiribati to review its traditional telecommunications regulatory framework in-line with the technological developments. Technological developments in the telecommunications sector have now enabled a single platform to offer multiple services, thus promoting competition in the sector.

Despite the technological developments and the capacity of the technology to deliver a more cost effective telecommunications and information services to any country on the face of this planet, much of the coverage and footprints of the existing telecommunications and information connections still concentrate in lucrative markets around the globe causing smaller countries to operate within the fringes of the connections and thus continue to bear the cost of the required telecommunications and information infrastructure. In addition, much of the contents have also been geared for more lucrative markets leaving the remote countries to bear the expenses for the connections.

The advancement in telecommunications technology has the potential to network the countries on the face of this planet as one Global Community, paving the way for a more peaceful world. I understand that one of the purpose of the ITU stipulated in Article 1 of the Constitution is to promote the extension of the benefits of the new telecommunications technologies to all the world’s inhabitant and I have no doubt that the ITU is taking every effort possible to achieve its purpose.

With 33 small islands scattered over a vast area of ocean making up the Republic of Kiribati, access to the basic telecommunications network is still an issue and whilst more developed countries are now talking about improving the content, smaller countries like Kiribati are still talking about improving and expanding access to the basic telecommunications network. I noted with gratitude ITU’s recognition of the differing status of development of the various telecommunications networks around the world and its continued support to the smaller countries through its special programme tailored for the Least Developed Countries.

May I take this opportunity to thank ITU for the various assistance offered to Kiribati, particularly the assistance in re-drafting the Kiribati Telecommunications Act. The enactment of the new Telecommunications Act 2004 has enabled Kiribati to establish a more responsive and competitive telecommunications sector structure. The new Act has now established an independent Regulator to regulate the sector and formulate a more workable telecommunications development master plan that will enable Kiribati to effectively participate in the global information economy while still preserving and maintaining its cultural values.

Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, telecommunications is a dynamic industry and I have no doubt that the ITU will continue to make every effort to achieve its purpose.

Please allow me to wish this Conference a very successful meeting.