Busan: The Minister of Information and Communications Technology H E Dr Hessa Sultan Al Jaber attended the 2014 Busan ICT ministerial meeting in Busan, South Korea.
It was held under the theme ‘The Future Role of ICT – Sustainable Development through Inclusive ICTs.
The annual meeting sets the future direction for the development of ICT sector and provides a venue to discuss ICT-related issues and challenges. It also serves as a venue for sharing future vision based on ICT policy experiences of each country.
The meeting precedes the 19th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-14) to be held in Busan from October 20 to November 7 where ITU states will decide on the future role of the organisation, determining ITU’s ability to influence and affect the development of information and communication technologies worldwide.
The PP-14, the world’s largest meeting of international policymakers from the ICT sector, expected to attract around 3,000 participants, including heads of state and around 130 VIPs from over 160 countries, including government ministers and CEOs. It is held every four years to set the strategic direction of ITU, develop policies and recommendations that address the evolving needs of the union’s members, elect the senior management team, ITU Council members and members of Radio Regulation Board.
The Busan ICT ministerial meeting was attended by around 50 ministers from around the world to explore ways to achieve the four goals identified in the ITU’s Strategic Plan 2016-2019, branded as ‘Connect 2020’, which will be discussed and endorsed at PP-14.
The four goals are growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, and innovation and partnership.
“Qatar takes part in this annual ministerial meeting in its capacity as an ITU member. As this meeting draws the future ICT framework worldwide, Qatar this year has an agenda rich of proposals and insight, highlighting the role of ICT as a key enabler and accelerator of social, economic and environmental sustainable growth and development in our home country and around the world,” said Dr. Al-Jaber.
“We also present Qatar’s future ICT vision that promotes sustainable development by ensuring delivery of ICT benefits to everyone regardless of location, age or gender and through continuing our digital inclusion efforts and fostering innovation in the sector.”
The Busan Declaration on the Future Role of Telecommunications/ICT in achieving sustainable development was adopted. It calls for upholding the internationally agreed commitments, fostering ICT for sustainable growth, bridging the digital divide for inclusive development, promoting the sustainability of the ICT ecosystem, and promoting innovation and partnership, with a focus on the importance of ICT infrastructure and human development.The Peninsula
