Recognizing WSIS Impacts

WTDC RESOLUTION 16 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010)

Special actions and measures for the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition

The World Telecommunication Development Conference (Hyderabad, 2010),

• recalling
  • Resolution 30 (Rev. Antalya, 2006) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, Resolution 16 (Rev. Doha, 2006) of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) and WTDC Resolution 49 (Doha, 2006), on special actions for the least developed countriesand small island developing states,
• noting
  • a)the striking imbalance in telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) development between these countries (least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition) and other countries, the persistence of which exacerbates the digital divide;
  • b)that these countries and countries in specialneed are vulnerable to extreme levels of devastation resulting from natural disasters and lack the capacity to respond effectively to these calamities,
• appreciating
  • the special measures taken for the benefit of these countries in the form of concentrated assistance provided under the Doha Action Plan,
• still concerned
  • a)that, despite all the measures taken so far, the telecommunication networks in many of these countries remain in a very poor state of development in urban, semi-urban and rural areas;
  • b)that multilateral and bilateral flows of technical assistance and investment finance to these countries are constantly declining;
  • c)that to date there are many countries in this category;
  • d)with the low level of resources allocated to the special programme for these countries,
• aware
  • that improved telecommunication networks in these countries will constitute a major driver underpinning their social and economic recovery and their development, and an opportunity for them to establish their information societies,
• resolves
  • to endorse the new priority areas for the next four years, the associatedprogramme of action for these countries and its implementation strategy,
• instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau
  • 1 to implement fully a programme of assistance for these countries as contained in the Hyderabad Action Plan, significantly increasing the financial allocations of Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) funds for this activity, including a sufficient number of staff members for these countries;
  • 2 to give priority to these countries in implementing other BDT programmes of assistance to developing countries;
  • 3 to pay special attention to suburban and rural telecommunication/ICT development in these countries, with a view to achieving universal access to telecommunication and information technology services;
  • 4 to strengthen the unit for these countries, within existing resources,
• requests the Secretary-General
  • 1 to request the forthcoming Plenipotentiary Conference (Guadalajara, 2010) to increase the allocated budget for these countries with a viewto enabling BDT to undertake increased and programmed activities for them;
  • 2 to continue enhancing the assistance provided to these countries through other resources, and in particular through unconditional voluntary contributions and appropriate partnerships, as well as any surplus income from world and regional telecommunication exhibitions and forums;
  • 3 to propose new and innovative measures capable of generating additional funds to be used for telecommunication/ICT development in these countries, in order to benefit from the possibilities afforded by financial mechanisms in facing the challenges of utilizing ICT for development purposes, as stated in the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society,
• calls upon governments of least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition
  • 1 to continue to accord higher priority to ICT development as well as disaster response and risk reduction planning, and to adopt measures, policies and national strategies that are conducive to bringing about faster development of telecommunications/ICTs in their countries, such as sector liberalization and the introduction of new technologies;
  • 2 in selecting technical cooperation activities financed by bilateral and multilateral sources, to continue to accord high priority to telecommunication/ICT activities and projects;
  • 3 to accord priority to the development of ICTs in national development plans,
• calls upon other Member States and Sector Members
  • to establish partnerships with these countries, either directly orthrough BDT, in order to bring increased investment into the ICT sector and tostimulate the modernization and expansion of networks in these countries in a bold attempt to reduce the digital divide and to achieve the ultimate goal of universal access in line with the Geneva Plan of Action, the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda.