Recognizing WSIS Impacts

PP RESOLUTION 135 (Rev. Busan, 2014)

ITU’s role in the development of telecommunications/information and communication technologies, in providing technical assistance and advice to developing countries and in implementing relevant national, regional and interregional projects

The Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union ( Busan, 2014),

• recalling
  • a) Resolution 135 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference;
  • b) Resolution 34 (Rev. Busan, 2014) of this conference, on assistance and support to countries in special need for rebuilding their telecommunication sector;
  • c) relevant resolutions of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) – especially Resolution 17 (Rev. Dubai, 2014); the Dubai Action Plan on implementation of initiatives at the national, regional, interregional and global levels approved by the six2 regions; Resolution 32 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010), on international and regional cooperation on regional initiatives; and Resolution 34 (Rev. Dubai, 2014), on the role of telecommunications/information and communication technology (ICT) in disaster preparedness, early warning, rescue, mitigation, relief and response – as well as the provisions of the outputs adopted by WTDC-14 and their linkage with those resolutions,
• considering
  • a) the development goals which require that telecommunications/ICTs be accessible to humanity as a whole, especially the peoples of developing countries;
  • b) the accumulated and advanced experience of ITU in implementing the above-mentioned resolutions;
  • c) the tasks assigned to ITU as regards Action Lines C2, C5 and C6 in the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, and required participation by ITU in implementing other action lines that depend on the availability of telecommunications/ICTs, in agreement with the United Nations agencies that collaborate in implementing these action lines;
  • d) the continued success achieved by the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector in its partnerships to implement many development actions, including developing telecommunication/ICT networks in several developing countries;
  • e) the Dubai Action Plan and the necessary optimization of resources to achieve the proposed goals;
  • f) the actions undertaken to implement Resolution 157 (Rev. Busan, 2014) of this conference, on strengthening of the project execution function in ITU;
  • g) Resolution 59 (Rev. Dubai, 2014) of, on strengthening coordination and cooperation among the three ITU Sectors on matters of mutual interest;
  • h) that technological advances in telecommunication systems are enabling sustainable and affordable access to information and knowledge through the provision of highly connected communications services (broadband) of broad coverage (regional or global scope), so that countries can be connected directly, rapidly and reliably;
  • i) that broadband satellite and radiocommunication services in turn are providing highly connected, rapid, reliable and cost-efficient communications solutions both in metropolitan and in rural and remote areas, efficiently complementing fibre-optic and other technologies and serving as a fundamental driver of economic and social growth of countries and regions;
  • j) that it is deemed relevant to deepen collaboration and interrelated work among the different ITU Sectors with a view to carrying out studies and activities, including capacity building, for the provision of better advice and technical assistance to developing countries for optimal use of resources and the execution of national, regional and interregional projects,
• resolves
  • 1 that ITU should:
    • 
      i) continue to coordinate efforts for the harmonization, development and enhancement of telecommunications/ICTs throughout the world towards building the information society, and to take appropriate measures to adapt itself to the trends in the telecommunication/ICT infrastructure development environment;
    • 
      ii) maintain contacts with the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to revise the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), with a view to the continued implementation of Action Line C7 in the Tunis Agenda relating to education and cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
    • 
      iii) contribute, in its areas of competence, to the evolution of the integrating information society, through, among other things, the creation of knowledge societies worldwide based on principles such as freedom of expression, equality and quality education for all, with the aim of ensuring equitable access to telecommunications/ICTs and to information and knowledge, and respect for linguistic and cultural diversity and cultural heritage;
  • 2 that the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) shall:
    • 
      i) continue to provide highly qualified technical experts to offer advice in subjects of importance to developing countries, on an individual and collective basis, and to ensure adequate expertise through recruitment or short-term contracts, as appropriate;
    • 
      ii) continue cooperating with financing sources, whether under the United Nations system, UNDP or other financing arrangements, and multiplying partnerships with Member States, Sector Members, financial institutions and international and regional organizations, to finance the activities related to the implementation of this resolution;
    • 
      iii) continue its Special Voluntary Programme for Technical Cooperation, based on financial contributions, expert services or any other form of assistance, to help better meet the requests of developing countries in the telecommunication/ICT field as far as possible;
    • 
      iv) take into account, when establishing the above-mentioned actions, previous national or regional connectivity plans, so that the actions carried out give effect to the priority aspects of these plans and the impact of the action undertaken in essential aspects serves the achievement of national, regional and ITU goals; if the administrations do not have these plans, the projects may also consider developing them;
    • 
      v) promote and facilitate collaborative actions with the different Sectors of the Union in order to carry out studies and interrelated activities to complement the use of telecommunication technologies and systems so as to achieve optimal use of resources, including orbital resources and associated spectrum resources, and improve access to and the connectivity of telecommunication/ICT networks and systems to address the telecommunication needs of developing countries;
    • 
      vi) promote collaborative activities in coordination with the different Sectors of the Union to create and build capacities so as to provide and deepen universal access to knowledge on optimal use of telecommunication resources, including orbital resources and associated spectrum resources, and to increase access to and the connectivity of telecommunication/ICT systems and networks included in national and regional telecommunication projects and plans,
• invites regional and international financial organizations and agencies, equipment providers, operators, and all potential partners
  • to consider the possibility of ensuring complete or partial financing to implement cooperation programmes for developing telecommunications/ICTs, including the regionally approved initiatives under the Dubai Action Plan and Resolution 17 (Rev. Dubai, 2014),
• instructs the Secretary-General
  • to submit an annual detailed report to the ITU Council on the results of the implementation of this resolution, including any recommendations which the Secretary-General may deem necessary, in agreement with the Director of BDT, to enhance the impact of this resolution,
• invites the Council
  • to review the results achieved and to take all necessary steps to expedite the implementation of this resolution in the best possible way.