Dr Hamadoun I. Touré ITU Secretary-General It is sometimes too easy, within the narrow focus of our day-to-day work, to forget that the world we live in today would simply not function without ICTs and the communications networks which underpin them. And that it is ITU’s work – across the three Sectors – which makes the modern world possible. In today’s world, ICTs and broadband networks have become vital national infrastructure – similar to trans-port, energy and water networks, but with an impact that is even more powerful and far-reaching. Indeed, I think it is fair to say that next-generation networks based on broadband will rapidly become the backbone of the digital economy – and all the available data suggest a strong and positive correlation between communications and levels of development. Excellencies; Distinguished Delegates; I am delighted to be with you here for the Opening Plenary of the ITU’s 18th Plenipotentiary Conference, and let me say how much I am looking forward to hearing from the Membership as we work through the next three weeks together. This will make ITU’s work increasingly important as we move forward into the second decade of the 21st century, and it means that we need to take our respon-sibilities very seriously indeed, as we chart and define the shape of the next four years in ITU’s history. This will mean taking into account the vital impor-tance of the private sector and the enormous power of public-private partnership in fostering development ambitions and achieving development goals – and in particular the MDGs. Let me start with a quotation from Octavio Paz, the great Mexican poet, writer and diplomat, which I believe neatly sums up what I said in the Opening Ceremony earlier today: Distinguished delegates, Before looking ahead to the next four years, I would like to take a brief look at some of the defining moments of the past four years, since we last met together at the Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya in 2006 – and when you elected me as Secretary-General, together with my colleagues the Deputy Secretary-General, Mr “Merece lo que sueñas!” [“Deserve your dream!”]. Because, as I said earlier, at the Opening Ceremony, I firmly believe that we are here in Guadalajara to dream, to imagine, to innovate, and to create a bright, long-term future for the ICT sector. 220