POINT WHICH SEEKS TO GROOM ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, THROUGH THE POLITICAL WILL OF OUR HEADS OF STATE AND TOGETHER WITH THE DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP OF OUR SECRETARY GENERAL HAMADOUN I. TOURE. AS I HAVE ALREADY EMPHASISED SIERRA LEONE IS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY WHICH, LIKE MOST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, IS IN NEED OF RAPID GROWTH IN ALL SECTORS. WHICH EXPLAINS WHY HE DR ERNEST BIA KOROMA PERCIEVED ICTs DEVELOPMENT AS A VITAL COMPONENT OF HIS AGENDA FOR CHANGE. WE CONGRATULATE THE ITU FOR PROVIDING LEADERSHIP IN THE ICTs DEVELOPMENT, EVEN THOUGH OTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS SUCH AS CTO HAVE ALSO PLAYED A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN THEIR EFFORTS TO PARTNER WITH SIERRA LEONE. WE ALSO BELIEVE IN EFFECTIVE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN ICTs DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HOLDS THE VIEW THAT RAPID CONNECTIVITY CAN BETTER BE ENHANCED THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION. OUR CONCERN MR CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HAS TO DO WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING POOR QUALITY EQUIPMENTS TO BE IMPORTED INTO MY COUNTRY. THIS EXPLAINS WHY WE BELIEVE THAT THE REGULATORY BODY SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO MONITOR ALL EQUIPMENTS IMPORTED TO THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE OF GOOD QUALITY AND OF BENEFIT TO THE CONSUMERS. MR CHAIRMAN, MAY I ALSO STATE THAT CONNECTIVITY WITHIN INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES INCLUDING MY COUNTRY IS A NATURAL RALLYING POINT IN THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, E-COMMERECE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE. IN HIS DETERMINATION TO ENHANCE TELEDENSITY AND TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY PRESIDENT DR ERNEST BIA KOROMA HAS APPROVED THE FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL ICT COUNCIL FOR WHICH HE IS THE CHAIRMAN. MR CHAIRMAN, SIERRA LEONE SHARES WITH OTHERS IN BELIEVING THAT THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS IS PROMISING BUT COMPLEX. ITU HAS AN ARDUOS TASK AHEAD IN ENCOURAGING NATIONS TO COLLABORATE IN ENSURING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REALISTIC STRATEGIES AND CONCRETE PLANS AS WELL AS MOBLIZING ALL POSSIBLE HUMAN, FINANCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR THE PROVISION OF MUCH DESIRABLE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES AT THE EARLIEST. FELLOW PARTICIPANTS, SIERRA LEONE IS IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING THE MODALITIES TO LAND THE SUB-MARINE FIBRE CABLE IN SIERRA LEONE TO IMPROVE THE BANDWITH HENCE TO MAKE COMPONENTS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACCESSABLE TO ALL. WE HAVE INSTALLED TELE MEDICINE COMPONENT, E-LEARNING ON EXPERIMENTAL BASES TO BEEF UP THE SOCIAL ORIENTED ORGANS OF THE GOVERNMENT. TODAY SIERRA LEONE TELEDENSITY RATE IS ABOUT 40% AND INTERNET SERVICES HAS IMPROVED CONSIDERABLE. 158