World 
Telecommunication
Development 
Conference

Buenos Aires, 21 - 29 March 1994
 
Info

For media information only. Not an official record	Issue N  2 - 23 March 1994


MALTA INVITES SECOND WORLD 
TELECOMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT 
CONFERENCE IN 1998

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for 
Transport and Communications who 
addressed the WTDC 94 yesterday afternoon, 
announced Malta's invitation to host the 
second World Telecommunication 
Development Conference in1998.

Dr Zammit Dimech's invitation was accepted 
by acclamation. In his address, Dr Zammit 
Dimech also highlighted how rapid socio-
economic and technological developments of 
recent years have brought about a radical 
change in the environment of the 
telecommunication sector of his country. "The 
liberalization process represents one of the 
Government's plan for an open, competitive 
and technologically leading economy." said 
the Minister. 

He also spoke about how telecommunication 
operating organizations are adapting to this 
new environment through appropriate strategic 
development and deregulation with a view to 
establishing sustainable development not only 
within the sector but also within sectors to 
which telecommunication is a catalytic factor.

CONFERENCE SETS UP STRUCTURE
The Conference set up two substantive 
committees and one working group and 
elected the conference officers. In addition to 
the chairman (Dr. Oscar González of 
Argentina), 5 vice-chairmen were elected 
(Mssrs. Zhu Gaofeng  of China, A. Kroupnov 
of Russia, S. Al-Basheer of Saudi Arabia, 
R. Rodrigues of the United States and 
A. Lipou-Massala of Congo. 
Committee 3
Development policies, investment strategies 
and mobilization of resources under the 
chairmanship of Mr A. Berrada of Morocco 
assisted by Messrs. C. Colavito of Italy and 
L.M. Brown of Mexico.
Committee 4
Harmonization of telecommunication 
networks, human development and 
management under the chairmanship of 
N. Vittal of India assisted by Messrs K. Suzuki 
of Japan and Shingirah of Kenya.

A working group of the Plenary for Least 
Development Countries and rural development 
was also set up under the chairmanship of 
Benin assisted by Mr T. Zeitoun of Canada 
and Mr M.A. Yusoff of Malaysia.

Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday 
were devoted to ministerial statements and to 
addresses from eminent personalities. 

The minister for Works, Communications and 
Transport of Tanzania announced that the 
telecommunication sector was being 
restructured following the adoption of a 
Parliamentary Act in 1993. 

}The plight of 
Africa is the plight 
of mankind. Unless 
collective action is 
taken, the global 
network will be 
non-existent for 
another decade~
N. L. Kiula, 
Minister of Works, 
Communications 
and Trasnportation 
(Tanzania)
"The role of government will be limited to 
setting the country's telecommunication 
policy", said Mr. Kiula. He also indicated that 
an independent regulatory body would be 
created to oversee the operator or operators 
and implement the government policies. Mr 
Kiula also said that the post and 
telecommunication have been separated 
resulting in the creation of a commercial state-
owned telecommunications operating 
company. "Private sector involvement will be 
possible, particularly in the non-basic services 
and tariff policies are being liberalized to 
maximize resources for investment", he also 
said.

The State Secretary for Posts and 
Telecommunications of Cambodia, Mr S.  
Khun, estimated to US$140 million the cost of 
rehabilitation, over the next four years, of the 
telecommunication infrastructure in the 
country. "The capital investment is to be a 
combination of donor assistance, 
concessional loans and private sector funds", 
Mr Khun said.

}Growth in 
demand is likely to 
mirror the growth 
rate in GDP of 6% 
per annum ... With 
the quick, safe and 
appreciable 
returns, the telecom 
sector provides very 
attractive 
investment 
opportunities for 
financial 
institutions and 
lending agencies~
S. Ram, Minister of 
Communications 
(India)
New and innovative methods of financing are 
being examined in India to bridge the resource 
gap that could affect the implementation of an 
ambitious plan for the expansion of the 
network and improved quality of service. 
"These cover the entire range of deferred 
payments, leasing, Build-and-operate, build 
lease & transfer, build-transfer-operate, etc" 
the Minister of Communications said. He 
described the main achievements in 
telecommunications in the past few years, 
forecasting a network growth of 15% to 17%. 

}A single 
worldwide 
information 
network with a 
capability to 
communicate voice, 
data, text and 
images will drive 
the change toward 
a global economy~
S. Ram
He pointed out that 200 of the 840 million 
inhabitants constituting the middle class with 
varying degrees of purchasing power, this 
made India one of the single largest market 
block of any country. "It is no wonder, said the 
Minister, that there is already considerable 
interest among various financial institutions 
and lending agencies." India indicated their 
intention to float the biggest ever single Euro 
Issue of their public sector enterprise VSNL 
which is expected to raise US$1 billion. 
Mr Ram also announced the consideration, by 
his government, of India's new National 
Telecom Policy that will introduce competition 
including in basic services, open the sector to 
private participation and separate regulatory 
and operational functions. "We also have an 
ambitious plan of covering all our Panchayat 
villages by 31 March 1995, and all villages 
thereafter in a phased manner", Mr Ram 
added.
}Where people are 
in communication, 
there is a 
possibility of health 
care, of education, 
of democracy, of 
economic growth, of 
sustainable 
development~ 
R. Hundt, 
Chairman FCC 
(USA)

Mr. R. Hundt, Chairman of the US Federal 
Communications Commission pleaded the 
cause of telecommunications development, 
providing concrete examples of applications 
and benefits of telecommunication to social 
and economic development. 

Mr Hundt underlined the problems of lack of 
communications infrastructure and the 
resulting frustration of sustainable 
development. He also reiterated the five 
principles which US Vice-president Gore had 
developed in his keynote address on the 
opening of the Conference for the creation of 
a global information infrastructure. 

But "achieving it will require in each country a 
careful assessment of economic efficiencies, 
technical capabilities and social benefits" 
Mr Hundt stated. "Fortunately, he continued, 
expanding communications markets and 
diverse new low-cost technologies offer 
regulators new solutions to the problem of 
universal service." He also expressed the 
hope that the conference participants would 
follow up on the proposal made by Mr Gore to 
connect every school and library in the world 
to the Internet and ultimately to the Global 
Information Infrastructure.

Mr Hundt concluded "the issue before us is 
not whether technological innovation and 
business investment will take place, but 
whether the potential for economic growth 
through telecommunications development can 
be fully realized and whether its benefits will 
be available to all the world's people".
General distribution 

General distribution

page 2