First Plenary of the WTSA-04
Florianópolis, Brazil
5 October 2004

Statement

by
Houlin ZHAO
Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB)

Excellencies,
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

Good morning

First of all, on behalf of the TSB and myself, I welcome you to this World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly. I am very pleased to see my old friends, not associated with their ages, as well as many new friends. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Brazilian Government and ANATEL for having invited us to Florianópolis to hold this Assembly. You may know that the CICG building in Geneva, the place where ITU holds its conferences is now closed for one year for internal construction work. ITU was informed of this plan two years ago. I was then advised that we could use the CICG building for this Assembly during early September only, which was almost impossible for us to accept. The invitation from Brazil reached TSB just one week before PP-02. I was more than pleased to accept their invitation. I was glad that PP-02 unanimously accepted this invitation. I believe we did the right thing.

Now, I would like to express my sincere thanks and congratulations to Mr. Pinheiro, Chairman of the Assembly. Mr. Pinheiro has a very rich experience in ITU activities. He is well known for his leading skills, his efficiency and personality. I was informed that he once chaired an ITU evening meeting, not an ITU-T meeting, up to very early the next morning. I do not think we will test him this time with that scenario. I am confident that, under his leadership, this Assembly will prove to be another success. Mr. Chairman, let me assure you of the full support of the TSB, as well as that of ITU, working as a team for WTSA-04.

With the liberalization of the telecoms market, the rise of the Internet, the booming globalization of mobile technologies, and the speed with which new technologies are being developed, ITU-T had to change in order to stay a pre-eminent standards organization. During the last four years, ITU-T has successfully applied a new set of working methods and approval processes. ITU-T has strengthened its efforts to cooperate with other Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) and Forums. ITU-T has increased its presence in the Regions, particularly in the developing countries. Following the ITU Strategic Plan, ITU-T has made efforts to promote its work.

In December 2003, I convened a meeting of Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), in Geneva, as a side event to the World Summit on the Information Society. Please allow me to share with you the statement of the meeting which reads:

1. We have growing confidence that the telecomms industry is emerging from a tough period
2. This is being driven by the market pull for services that come from a real convergence of the information, computing and telecomms technologies around a converged architecture
3. This demands a coherent framework for standard development
4. ITU is in a key position to facilitate the overall framework and the globalization of standards because of

1. its global reach,
2. its traditional relationship with telcos and vendors,
3. its links to governments

5. ITU must cooperate with other standards bodies and a variety of fora.

I thank them for their valuable support to ITU. I certainly agree with them that the tough period of ICT is now passed. But I would like to say that the Spring of ICT is coming, as we gather together now in Brazil.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held its first phase in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003, and stated that "Standardization is one of the essential building blocks of the Information Society". The WSIS "Declaration of Principles" further highlighted international standardization as one of the core competences of ITU in the fields of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). During the next 8 working days, we will discuss many issues which are important for the future of the ITU Standardization Sector. I hope, this WTSA will create a new environment in which Member States, Sector Members and other ICT players, will all enjoy working. The future of ITU standardization work is in your hands. I am sure that with your enthusiastic spirit to maintain ITU’s pre-eminent role, you will do your best to contribute to the success of this Assembly.

I wish you a very successful meeting and a very pleasant stay in Florianópolis.

Thank you for your attention.