Forum Programme - Day 1

09:00 – 10:00

Opening Ceremony

• H.H. Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister represented by H.H. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Electricity and Water, Kuwait
• Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union, ITU
• H. E. Eng. Salim Alozainah, Chairman and CEO, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA)
• Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), ITU
• Eng. Hameed H. Al-Qattan, Undersecretary, Ministry of Communications, Kuwait

Ministerial Roundtable: Better Preparedness and Effective Response for Sustainable Development

Ministers debated the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in mitigating disasters before and after they strike. Interventions drawn from their own country’s practices and experiences. They also shared their views on the contribution that well planned disaster risk reduction and management can contribute to the attainment of the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals.

Moderator

Mr. Cosmas Zavazava, Chief of Department, Project Support and Knowledge Management, BDT/ ITU

ITU Presentation on Role of ICTs in Saving Lives: Setting the Stage (presentation)

Speakers:

14:00 – 15:45

Leaders’ Dialogue

This session discussed technology, regulatory and operational issues.  Heads of United Nations Entities, Director Generals of Telecommunication/ICTs, Regulatory Authorities and private sector CEOs debated the role of their institutions in disaster risk reduction and management.  They addressed challenges and opportunities resulting from effective use of ICTs.  

Moderator

H.E. Mr. Siaosi Sovaleni, Deputy Prime Minister, Tonga

Speakers:

• Mr. Adam Bouloukos, Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)
• Mr. Christian Cull, Vice-President Marketing and Communications, Thuraya
• Mr. José Toscano, Director General, International Telecommunication Satellite Organization (ITSO)  (presentation)
• Ms. Tatiana Lawrence, Director of Regulation, Iridium
• Eng. Mustafa Abd Elhafiz, National Telecommunication Cooperation, and Chair of National Committee for Emergency Telecommunications, Sudan
• Mr. Kiyoshi Mori, Director-General for International Affairs Global ICT Strategy Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan
• Mr. Momoh Konte, Chairman, Board of Commissioners, National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), Sierra Leone
• Mr. David Gomes, Chairman of the Board, Agencia Nacional das Comunicações (ANAC), Cape Verde
• Mr. Paula P. Ma’u, CEO of Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, Tonga
• Mr. Abdoulkarim Soumaila, Secretary General, African Telecommunications Union
• Mr. Alan Kuresevic, Vice President Engineering, SES TechCom
• Mr. Timothy Ellam, President of the International Amateur Radio Union, IARU
• Mr. Gibril Mané Chairman of the Board of Directors, Guinea Bissau.

Trends and emerging technological innovations  in disaster risk reduction
and management

This session focused on emerging communication technologies and solutions that contribute to global efforts to mitigate disasters.

Moderator

Ms. Ruxandra Obreja, Chairman, Digital Radio Mondiale, BBC World Service Group

Speakers:

• Professor, Dr. Ryosuke Shibasaki, ITU Expert (Center for Spatial Information Science, University of Tokyo,) Japan (presentation)
• Eng. Jassem Alfadhli, Operation Management Department, Ministry of Defense, Kuwait (presentation) (media)
• Mr. Emanuele Di Liberto, Director of Business Development Transportation Market, Nokia (presentation)
• Mr. Habib Mohamed Al-Ameer, Head of Studying & e-services section - electronic Portal Department, Central Agency for Information Technology, Kuwait (presentation)
• Mr. Joe So, Chief Technology Officer, Huawei Technologies CO. LTD (presentation)
• Mr. Steven Ramage, Director of Strategy, What3words, England (presentation) (media)
• Mr. Stefano Marsella and Mr. Marcello Marzoli, National Fire Academy, Ministry of Interior, Italy (presentation) (paper)