Joint Opening  of Concurrent Meetings of [CCIR] 
Ad Hoc Advisory Group for Strategic Review and Planning (Res. 106)
and Working Group of the Plenary on Study Group Structure (Res. 107)

10:00AM, 3 June 1993
 
Opening Remarks of Secretary General

	At your January meeting you reviewed the  decisions for the new 
ITU structure made by  the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference, and 
you started the process of adapting the Study Group work programme, 
structure and working methods to the new Radiocommunication Sector.  
Already, the work of your January meeting  assisted the work of the 
Study Groups in the new environment, and formed much of  the basis for 
the interface between the radiocommunication and standardisation 
Sectors.  You also progressed in organising work of the Study Groups in 
their responsibilities toward Conferences and Radio Regulations.  

	The World Telecommunication Standardisation Conference in Helsinki 
in March 1993, set a pace for Standardisation Study Group work in the 
new environment and confirmed the initial boundaries and 
interconnections between  the work of the two sectors. as proposed by 
your joint meeting with CCITT in January.

	The Radiocommunication Bureau and other ITU restructuring came 
into force 1 March, 1993.  The Radiocommunication Bureau consolidates 
the work and staff of the former IFRB Secretariat, the  CCIR 
Secretariat, and the Radio Regulations and Maritime services from the 
General Secretariat  Frequency registration work continues 
uninterrupted, and the new Radio Regulations Board has held its first 
two meetings.  The  former IFRB Members, besides serving as  members of 
the Radio Regulations Board,  have co-operated as individual experts to 
assist the work of Radiocommunication Bureau and  strategic planning for 
the ITU as a whole. 

	 Not only structure but  work, and working methods, are adapting 
to the changing nature of telecommunications and a new regulatory 
environment. The  Voluntary Group of Experts on Simplification of the 
Radio Regulations continues on schedule under Krister Bjornso toward 
approval at the 1995 World Radiocommunication Conference of a new and 
streamlined regime of radio regulation.

	Strategic Planning for ITU as a whole is underway, aiming toward   
more cost effective functioning of the headquarters,  better vision of 
the telecommunication horizon, and  better  serving of clients and 
improved  situation for staff.  A new financial management system will 
help to manage resources by objectives.   Direct as well as indirect 
costs will be attributed to   objectives such as Study Group work, 
Conferences, even different frequency registration. This should enable 
ITU to know better the costs of each activity and to manage resources 
accordingly.  "Priorities is a key word in the Final Acts of the APP 
ands in financial management in the council.   Resource allocation by 
Members of the Union to different activities,   through the Council, is 
to consider priorities.  Indeed, financial resource allocation, by the 
Plenipotentiary Conference and the Council,   is intended to be the 
collective membership expression of priorities for Union activities. 

	I have mentioned strategic planning and priorities.  Don MacLean's 
Strategic Planning Office is at full speed. We have held two  day-long 
meetings of Bureau Directors and Senior Managers  to identify important 
steps  for management.  An operational analysis of ITU publication 
practices and policies has produced recommendations which we intend to 
implement to speed up the publication and sales process and to achieve 
better marketing, and to reduce costs. These can affect publications of 
every Sector.  One important decision is that Sectors  will have full 
responsibility for their publications and financial management of the 
publication program. Appropriate central services, including marketing, 
will be maintained, funded by overhead and direct charges against 
publication.    The new approach provides incentive for market-worthy 
publication. 

	The Radiocommunication Bureau itself has held two planning 
sessions to identify key objectives,  to be followed by decisions on 
resource allocation and organisation to achieve the objectives. 

	The new system of approval of Recommendations by correspondence 
has clearly speeded the results of Study Group work, with more than 250 
new or revised Recommendations approved since the Dusseldorf Plenary 
Assembly.

	I know that your main task is to prepare well the work of the 
Radiocommunication Assembly. This is especially important in view of the 
new challenges of restructuring.  Moreover, the Assembly is of 7 working 
days duration instead of the previous 10. Indeed the budget for both the 
World Radiocommunication Conference and for the overlapping Assembly is 
the same budget as was earlier foreseen for the Assembly alone in 1994. 

	But  perhaps your second most important task is to prepare the way 
for the establishment of the Radiocommunication  Advisory Committee, or 
GCR.  It is of course open to participation of all Members and members. 
But it will be worthwhile to recruit  participation can add perspective 
and membership support to Radiocommunication activities.