Speech by Malcolm Johnson, ITU Deputy Secretary-General
A side event organized by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development : Opening Remarks
15 December 2015, New York, United States
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to this side event on "Measuring the Information Society: Progress to Date and Challenges Ahead", organized by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development.
ITU is a founding member of the Partnership which was launched in 2004 and is a member of its Steering Committee and participates actively in various Partnership Task Groups.
We are very pleased to see that the work of the Partnership is highlighted in the outcome document.
Data collection and dissemination is important to monitor progress and provide policy makers with sound evidence for data-driven policy making. Statistics, including ICT statistics, are a crucial step in making the right policy and investment choices. Better data means better policy making. The new sustainable development agenda with 17 goals and 169 targets shows that more timely and reliable data will be needed.
ITU just concluded the 13th World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS) in Hiroshima, Japan, which was attended by a record number of around 600 participants including many Ministers, Director Generals, CEOs, and Chief Statisticians, again reflecting the importance and relevance of the topic for both data producers and data users, including high-level policy makers.
The ITU flagship Measuring the Information Society Report 2015 which has become one of the most authoritative sources for monitoring the development of the global information society was launched there.
The Report features the latest results of the ICT Development Index - a benchmarking tool that identifies strengths and weaknesses in the countries under review. It aims to assist Member States in evaluating the level and progress of ICT development in their country so that they can implement the best policies to advance ICT development. You will hear more about this year's findings from my colleague Susan Teltscher later on.
To help achieve the shared vision of an interconnected world, the 2014 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference adopted the Connect 2020 Agenda that focuses on four main areas – growth, inclusiveness, sustainability and innovation and partnership. Each goal has several specific measurable targets to achieve by 2020.
To do so we will need to look to use the many new data sources that are emerging. The Internet of Things will accelerate the amount of data collected through sensors and new applications. Such new data sources can be explored to provide new policy-relevant information and complement existing statistics and indicators.
ITU fully supports the UN's call for a consolidated effort to mobilise the data revolution for sustainable development, including by fostering and promoting innovation. This will require collaboration among different stakeholders, including private companies, national statistical offices, ministries, regulatory authorities and civil society.
I encourage all of you to fully engage in this process and wish you an interesting and insightful event this afternoon.
Thank you.