ITU Telecom World 2009 In Review ICTs and ECONOMIC GROWTH ICT.1 – ICT AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURES ICT and broadband connectivity has become to the 21st century as essential a part of infrastructure as transportation and energy were to the economic and social growth of the 19th and 20th centuries. This session examined key ques-tions such as why ICT is so critical to other key infrastructures, what sort of ecosystem is needed to foster the deployment and further adoption of ICT, and also looked at some examples of ICT can help boost socio-economic growth. Summary of moderator’s statement Moderator Mr Bosco Eduardo Fernandes outlined how ICT and broadband connectivity in the 21st century have been changing people’s lifestyles and social lives. Summary of debate Increasingly, ICT investment levels are directly contributing to productivity growth; however, the right legal and regulatory frameworks need to be in place in order for investment in innovation to continue and online privacy and security to be fully protected. The best way to promote universal access might be to adopt a global telecommunication policy. The Canadian government is investing $1.5 billion in electronic health records for 50% of citizens to have their own access by the end of 2010 – health care costs representing 10% of GDP in many developed countries; it also has launched a $225 million program in rural areas to ensure equal access to broadband services. In addition, the fact that public-private partnerships can be of vital importance in making culture heritage content available online was emphasized. FCC is undertaking a thorough review of how broadband can be extended universally throughout the US. It is estimated that making broadband available 73 Forum Summary Report