Dr Hessa Sultan al-Jaber, HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology, yesterday attended the 2014 Busan ICT Ministerial Meeting.
The high-level annual meeting sets the future direction for the development of ICT sector and provides a venue to discuss ICT-related current issues and challenges.
The meeting also serves as a venue for sharing future vision based on ICT policy experiences of each country under, held this year under the theme “The Future Role of ICT – Sustainable Development through Inclusive ICTs.”
The meeting precedes the 19th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, the PP-14, which opens today in Busan, South Korea. Being held until November 7, this is a key event at which ITU member-states decide on the future role of the organisation, thereby determining the organisation’s ability to influence and affect the development of information and communication technologies worldwide.
The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference is the world’s largest meeting of international policy makers from the ICT sector. Known as PP-14, the conference is 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 the members of Radio Regulation Board.
This year’s edition of the Busan ICT Ministerial Meeting was attended by around 50 ministers from around the world to explore co-operative 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 the PP-14.
The four goals are growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, and innovation and partnership.
“The State of Qatar takes part in this annual ministerial meeting in its capacity as an ITU member state. As this meeting draws the future ICT framework worldwide, Qatar this year has an agenda of proposals and insight, highlighting the role of ICTs as a key enabler and accelerator of social, economic and environmental sustainable growth and development in our home country and around the world,” said HE Dr Hessa al-Jaber.
“We also present Qatar’s future ICT vision that promotes sustainable development through ensuring delivery of ICT benefits to everyone regardless of location, age or gender and through continuing our digital inclusion efforts and fostering innovation in this vital sector,” added Dr Hessa.
At the ministerial meeting, the Busan Declaration on the Future Role of Telecommunications/ICTs in achieving sustainable development has been adopted. It calls for upholding the internationally agreed commitments, fostering ICTs for sustainable growth, bridging the digital divide for inclusive development, promoting the sustainability of the ICT ecosystem, and promoting innovation and partnership, with a special focus on the importance of ICT infrastructure and human development.
