Recognizing WSIS Impacts

PP RESOLUTION 58 (Rev. Busan, 2014)

Strengthening of relations between ITU and regional telecommunication organizations and regional preparations for the Plenipotentiary Conference

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

• recalling
  • a) Resolution 58 (Kyoto, 1994) of the Plenipotentiary Conference;
  • b) Resolution 112 (Marrakesh, 2002) of the Plenipotentiary Conference;
  • c) the following resolutions:
    • – Resolution 72 (Rev. WRC‑07) of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), on world and regional preparations for WRCs;
    • – Resolution 43 (Rev. Dubai, 2012) of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), on regional preparations for WTSAs;
    • – Resolution 31 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010) of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC), on regional preparations for WTDCs, this resolution having been adopted for the first time in 2006, by WTDC-06 in Doha, Qatar,
• acknowledging
  • that Article 43 of the ITU Constitution states that: “Members reserve the right to convene regional conferences, to make regional arrangements and to form regional organizations, for the purpose of settling telecommunication questions which are susceptible of being treated on a regional basis . . .”,
• considering
  • a) that the Union and regional organizations share a common belief that close cooperation can promote regional telecommunication development through, inter alia, organizational synergy;
  • b) that the six principal regional telecommunication organizations1, namely the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL), the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the Council of Arab Ministers of Telecommunication and Information represented by the Secretariat-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications (RCC), seek close cooperation with the Union;
  • c) that there is a continued need for the Union to strengthen close cooperation with these regional telecommunication organizations, given the increasing importance of regional organizations concerned with regional issues, and cooperate with them in regard to preparation of conferences and assemblies of the three Sectors and plenipotentiary conferences, through six preparatory meetings in the year preceding the conference;
  • d) that the ITU Convention encourages the participation of the regional telecommunication organizations in the Union’s activities and provides for their attendance at conferences of the Union as observers;
  • e) that all six regional telecommunication organizations have coordinated their preparations for this conference;
  • f) that many common proposals submitted to this conference have been developed by administrations having participated in the preparatory work carried out by the six regional telecommunication organizations;
  • g) that this consolidation of views at regional level, together with the opportunity for interregional discussions prior to conferences, has eased the task of reaching a consensus during these conferences;
  • h) that there is a need for overall coordination of the interregional consultations;
  • i) the benefits of regional coordination as already experienced in the preparation of WRCs and WTDCs, and latterly WTSAs,
• noting
  • a) that the Secretary-General’s report under former Resolution 16 (Geneva, 1992) of the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference, when available, should facilitate evaluation by the ITU Council of the Union’s own regional presence;
  • b) that the relationship between ITU regional offices and regional telecommunication organizations has proved to be of great benefit;
  • c) that some ITU Member States are not members of these regional telecommunication organizations mentioned in considering b) above,
• taking into account
  • the efficiency benefits that plenipotentiary conferences and other Sector conferences and assemblies would gain from an increased amount and level of prior preparation by the Member States,
• resolves
  • 1 that the Union should continue developing stronger relations with regional telecommunication organizations, including the organization of six ITU regional preparatory meetings for plenipotentiary conferences, as well as other Sector conferences and assemblies as necessary;
  • 2 that the Union, in strengthening its relations with the regional telecommunication organizations and by means of ITU regional preparations for plenipotentiary conferences, world conferences on international telecommunications, radiocommunication conferences and assemblies, WTDCs and WTSAs shall, with assistance of its regional offices when necessary, cover all Member States without exception, even if they do not belong to any of the six regional telecommunication organizations mentioned in considering b) above,
• resolves further
  • to invite regional telecommunication organizations to continue their preparations for plenipotentiary conferences, including, to the extent possible, the convening of interregional coordination meetings,
• instructs the Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the Directors of the three Bureaux
  • 1 to continue to consult with Member States and regional and subregional telecommunication organizations on the means by which assistance can be provided in support of their preparations for future plenipotentiary conferences;
  • 2 to follow up on the submission of a report on the results of the aforementioned consultation to the Council for its consideration, taking into account similar experiences, and to report regularly to the Council thereafter;
  • 3 on the basis of such consultations, and ensuring that all the Member States are associated with this process, to assist Member States and regional and subregional telecommunication organizations with preparatory work, in particular for developing countries2, in such areas as:
    •  the organization of ITU preparatory meetings, preferably before or after major ITU events (as referred to in resolves 2 above);
    •  facilitating of interregional coordination meetings, with the objective of reaching a possible convergence of interregional views on major issues;
    •  assisting representatives of regional telecommunication organizations to attend the above‑mentioned interregional coordination meetings, including, where necessary, by providing, within the budgetary limits of the Union and the approved financial plan, fellowships for representatives of developing and least developed countries wishing to attend the above‑mentioned meetings;
    •  identifying major issues to be resolved by the future conferences and assemblies referred to in resolves 2 above,
• instructs the Council
  • to consider the reports submitted and take appropriate measures to strengthen this cooperation, including arranging for dissemination of the findings in the reports and the Council’s conclusions to non-Council members and to regional telecommunication organizations, taking into account the actions referred to in instructs the Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the Directors of the three Bureaux 3 above,
• invites the Member States
  • to participate actively in the implementation of this resolution.