Recognizing WSIS Impacts

WTDC RESOLUTION 32 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010)

International and regional cooperation on regional initiatives

The World Telecommunication Development Conference (Hyderabad, 2010),

• recalling
  • a)Resolution 32 (Rev. Doha, 2006) of the World Telecommunication Development Conference;
  • b)Resolution 34 (Rev. Antalya, 2006) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, on assistance to countries in special need;
  • c)the mechanism for cooperation at regional and international level to implement the outputs of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), as set out in §§ 101 a), b) and c), 102 a), b) and c), 103, 107 and 108 of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society;
  • d)Resolutions 16 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010) and 21 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010) of this conference,
• considering
  • a)that, in the field of development, the future challenges are never-ending and there are always new changes to anticipate;
  • b)that, in order to achieve the objectives of the developing countries 1 , new approaches must be adopted with a view to meeting the challenges of growth, in both qualitative and quantitative terms;
    • 1 These include the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
  • c)that the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) is the appropriate framework for the exchange of experiences with a view to formulating the policies most likely to result in harmonious and complementary development which respects the aspirations of all countries to a thriving telecommunication sector in the service of economic development;
  • d)that the continued lack of funding fromthe United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international financial institutions further impedes the implementation of international cooperation projects for regional initiatives;
  • e)that developing countries are increasingly experiencing the need for knowledge of fast-developing technologies and the associated policy and strategic issues;
  • f)the vital importance of the cooperation among Member States, ITU-D Sector Members and Associates for the implementation of these regional initiatives;
  • g)the satisfactory and encouraging results achieved by projects which have received international cooperation support under an initiative of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT),
• recognizing
  • a)that developing countries and countries participating in these regional initiatives are at different stages of development;
  • b)the need, therefore, to exchange experiences on telecommunication development at a regional level in order to support these countries;
  • c)that ITU and regional organizations share common beliefs that close cooperation can promote regional telecommunications/information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to support these countries;
  • d)that there is a continued need for ITU to cooperate more closely with regional organizations, including regional organizations of regulators, in order to support these countries,
• noting
  • a)the existence of regional and subregional organizations of regulators, examples of which are the regional telecommunication regulators networks in some regions;
  • b)the development of cooperation and technical assistance activities among regional and subregional organizations of regulators,
• resolves
  • 1 that ITU-D should strengthen its relations with regional and subregional telecommunication organizations in order to stimulate new initiativessuch as, but not limited to, the Agenda for the Connectivity of the Americas, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the Latin American Institute for Educational Communication (ILCE) and other similar initiatives in various regions, especially the new initiatives established at the two recent summits (for Africa and for the Commonwealth of Independent States), as well as the initiatives adopted under Resolution 17 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010) of this conference;
  • 2 that BDT should take all necessary steps toencourage exchanges of experience between developing countries, especially in the area of ICTs;
  • 3 that BDT should strengthen its relations with regional and subregional regulatory organizations in different networks, through ongoing cooperation to stimulate the mutual exchange of experience and assistance with the implementation of these regional initiatives,
• instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau
  • 1 to ensure that ITU-D actively coordinates, collaborates and organizes joint activities in areas of common interest with regional organizations and training institutions, and takes into consideration their activities, as well as providing them withdirect technical assistance;
  • 2 to put forward a request at the annual Global Symposium for Regulators meeting, for the meeting to support the implementation of these regional and international initiatives,
• requests the Secretary-General
  • 1 to initiate urgently specialmeasures and programmes to develop and promote activities and regional initiatives, in close cooperation with regional and subregional telecommunication organizations, including regulators,and other related institutions;
  • 2 to make every possible effort to encourage the private sector to take actions to facilitate cooperation with member countries in these regional initiatives, including countries with special needs;
  • 3 to continue to work closely with the coordination mechanism established in the United Nations family and with United Nations regional commissions such as, but not limited to, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA);
  • 4 to submit this resolution to the next plenipotentiary conference with a view to revision and updating of Resolution 58 (Kyoto, 1994) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, in the light of the experience gained in this area.