ITU Regional Development Forum for the Asia- Pacific (RDF-ASP) ICT④SDGs:
Towards the implementation of WTDC17 Outcomes
21st May 2018
Bangkok, Thailand
WELCOME REMARKS
By
Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director,
Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Excellency, Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society
Ms. Areewan Hoarangsi, Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity;
Mr. Ioane Koroivuki, ITU Regional Director for the Asia Pacific
Representatives of UN agencies, Regional Organizations and ITU Development Sector Members;
Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen; Good morning to you all
It is indeed my great pleasure to welcome you to the ITU Regional Development Forum for Asia Pacific.
On behalf of all the participants, the ITU and my own behalf, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Royal Government of Thailand, here represented by H.E. Minister Durongkaceroj, for hosting this Forum and for the kind hospitality extended to all of us.
Your Excellency, thank you for honoring this Forum with your presence here this morning.
The theme of this Regional Development Forum is ICT for SDGs: towards the implementation of WTDC-17 Outcomes.
The very purpose of this Forum is to present the proposed implementation of the Buenos Aires Action Plan with particular emphasis on the Regional Initiatives.
The Regional Initiatives have always been at the top of my priorities because it is through their implementation that we make a difference on the ground.
It is through their implementation that we can accelerate progress in all sectors of life, including education, health, agriculture, energy, transport, just to mention a few.
It is through their implementation that we can make our communities smarter, that we can empower women, youth and people with disabilities.
It is therefore through their implementation that we can put a human face to ICTs.
I am happy to note that the Regional Initiatives of Asia Pacific are well thought to address issues deriving from population increase and urbanization.
A recent release by the UN population division estimates that two-thirds of people in the world will be living in cities by 2050 and the boom will be concentrated in India, China and Nigeria, with New Delhi becoming the largest city in the world around 2028.
I am particularly happy to note that the Regional Initiatives also address the special needs of the scattered population in the Small Island Developing States and their vulnerability to natural disasters.
In 2016 only, natural disasters took the lives of almost 5,000 people, impacted the lives of 35 million people and caused an economic loss of 77 billion US$.
The good news is that a recent report by UN-ESCAP shows that economies in the Asia-Pacific region registered robust growth in 2017 and prospects for 2018 look promising.
It us up to us to grasp these opportunities together in order to accelerate progress towards a dignified life, prosperity and peace for everyone because sustainable development is a collective responsibility.
I therefore call upon all our members and stakeholders to work with ITU to implement the Regional Initiatives adopted by WTDC-17.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, more than ever, all stakeholders of the ICT ecosystem need to establish an inclusive, multi-stakeholder and collaborative dialogue in order to tap into the full potential of ICTs for socio-economic development.
Regional Development Forums are a perfect platform for such dialogue.
They are part of our efforts to strengthen the ITU regional presence and regional accountability.
They are an excellent opportunity to share our views and engage in interactive discussions on regional priorities.
During these two days, the Regional Office for Asia Pacific will present to you the outlines of projects derived from the Regional Initiatives.
I encourage you to provide your feedback in order to align these projects with your priorities and aspirations.
To conclude, I do welcome you once again to this Forum and wish you very fruitful deliberations.
I thank you.
