H.E. Mr Roberto SPINELLI Ambassador, Ministry of Economic Development We are all aware that the economic crisis requires a greater effort to avoid dispersion of resources and the ability to focus on some key issues that are deemed crucial to the future of ICT. Amongst them national and international strategies to overcome the digital divide, to avoid exclusion, to ensure the deployment of faster, more powerful broadband and ultra-broadband infrastructure. Italy is en-gaged at public and private level to extend the new advanced technologies, with the Government pro-moting the construction of a public, open access, technology neutral, interoperable broadband com-munications network enabling telecom operators to provide broadband services on a transparent and non-discriminatory basis. Convergence is another key issue, as is the optimi-sation of radiospectrum use, where Italy is gaining a valuable experience - given the complexity of the situation on the ground - - experience that we are ready to share with our partners within ITU and bilaterally in the formulation and implementation of national digitalisation plans. Standardisation is area where Italy have been and is contributing to some of the best success-stories of ITU. Let me first thank and congratulate the Mexican Government and the ITU Secretariat for hosting and organising our Conference in Guadalajara. Italy was very strongly in favour of the realisation in ITU of a Data Base of Emergency Frequency, and we are ready to assist Member States in the for-mulation and management of national emergen-cies Italy supports the ITU since its foundation and firmly believes in its mission devoted to bring the benefits of ICT to all and recognizes ITU’s ability to play this important role in a changing environment of continuing innovation. This ambitious purpose requires an effective coordination of shared objec-tives plan, thanks to the good performance of our National Civil Protection Services and Humanitarian Assistance. Cyber security is another crucial issue. The Secretary General of ITU has worked hard during this last four years, in a multi-stakeholder approach, to pro-mote at international level, to develop strategies a safe cyberspace. Italian institutions and and integrated solutions, and win the challenges of media convergence and technological evolution. Companies have responded to his call for support, 52