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ITU Conference sets agenda for future ICT development
World Telecommunication Development Conference adopts Dubai Action Plan
Dubai, 10 April 2014 – The Dubai Action Plan, adopted today
by the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference, sets the agenda for
telecommunication and information and communication technology development over
the next four years.
Under the theme ‘Broadband for Sustainable Development’, the
Conference focused on development priorities and agreed on the programmes,
projects and initiatives to implement them. The theme underlines ITU’s
commitment to leverage broadband as a catalyst to meet the goals of sustainable
development.
The Dubai Declaration states that “Universal and affordable access to
telecommunications and information and communication technologies is essential
for the world’s economic, social and cultural development, and contributes to
building a global economy and information society. Widespread access to and
accessibility of telecommunications and information and communication
technologies applications and services provide new socio-economic opportunities
for all people.”
The sixth World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-14) met from
30 March to 10 April at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
It attracted over 1300 participants from 137 countries.
Mr Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director General of the Telecommunication
Regulatory Authority of the United Arab Emirates and Head of the UAE delegation
was elected Chairman of the Conference.
The Dubai Action Plan is a comprehensive package that promotes the equitable,
affordable, inclusive and sustainable development of telecommunications/ICT
networks, applications and services.
The objectives outlined in the Plan are:
- To foster international cooperation on telecommunication and
ICT issues
- To foster an enabling environment conducive to ICT
development and foster the development of ICT networks as well
as relevant applications and services, including bridging the
standardization gap
- To enhance confidence and security in the use of ICTs and
roll out of relevant applications and services
- To build human and institutional capacity, promote digital
inclusion and provide concentrated assistance to countries in
special need
- To enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and
disaster management efforts through telecommunications and ICTs
“With the adoption of the Dubai Declaration, we declare our commitment to
accelerate the expansion and use of ICTs, and in particular broadband, to
achieve economic growth,” said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré. “Access to
affordable and reliable ICTs, including broadband, can facilitate economic,
social and cultural development and achieve digital inclusion for all.”
“The decisions we have taken here in Dubai, reflected in the Dubai Action
Plan, will pave the way forward for our work” said Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of
the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. “They will give us direction, a
shared vision and a clear plan of action.”
The WTDC-14 Dubai Action Plan is the culmination of a series of regional
preparatory meetings that took place in Chisinau, Moldova (CIS); Phnom Penh,
Cambodia (Asia-Pacific); Montevideo, Uruguay (Americas); Accra, Ghana (Africa);
and Belgrade, Serbia (Europe).
Special events held at WTDC-14
WTDC-14 hosted a series of special events to bring attention to the role that
ICTs play in achieving socio-economic development:
- An Executive Strategic Dialogue provided a platform for an
interactive debate on the trends, challenges and opportunities
of the telecom/ICT sector.
- At a session on connectivity in Small Island Developing
States, ITU presented its satellite project to connect Pacific
Island States and discussed ways to replicate it in other
regions.
- The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), a unique initiative
launched by ITU and ABI Research to measure the levels of
cybersecurity in countries, presented an analysis of
cybersecurity development in the Arab region.
- A demonstration illustrated how ITU’s online interactive
terrestrial transmission maps can help bridge the gaps in
digital connection worldwide.
- Updated guidelines of ITU’s Spectrum Management System for
Developing Countries, known as SMS4DC, were introduced to assist
countries in managing the transition from analogue to digital
broadcasting.
- A presentation on the methodology used to prepare ITU’s
flagship statistics Report, ‘Measuring the Information Society’
indicated how figures are compiled and the criteria used to rank
countries on ITU’s ICT Index.
- A session on technical requirements for large scale
deployment of e-Health innovations demonstrated how ICTs can
transform the health sector.
- A special edition of Trends in Telecommunication Reform
was launched at WTDC-14. Highlighting the theme ‘4th
Generation Regulation: Driving Digital Communications Ahead’,
the report explores policy and regulatory issues coming to the
fore as the ICT sector accelerates into a broadband ecosystem of
evolving applications and services.
- A new report entitled Digital Opportunities: Innovative
ICT Solutions for Youth Employment was also launched. The
report says that digital solutions have an important role to
play in national strategies to overcome youth unemployment. This
includes ensuring that youth around the world obtain digital
literacy skills and that governments promote youth entrepreneurs
by supporting innovation hubs, mobile app competitions,
co-working spaces for digital entrepreneurs, online mentoring
networks and a host of other innovative ICT-enabled resources.
WTDC-14 videos can be accessed at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/itutelecommunication
Photos are available at:
www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures
Highlights at:
www.itu.int/en/newsroom/wtdc-14/Pages/highlights.aspx
For more information, please see
www.itu.int/en/newsroom/wtdc-14/Pages/default.aspx or
contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information
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Monica Albertini
Communication Officer,
Telecommunication Development Bureau
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