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knowledge and accelerate the pace of development. This initia-

tive will spearhead ITU’s commitment to transform vision to

reality, to convert the digital divide into digital opportunities to

promote peace, sustainable development, democracy, trans-

parency and good governance.

ITU, with its long experience in developing the technical and

regulatory frameworks and standards that allow the world to

communicate, is committed to providing the necessary expertise

and tools needed to implement the WSIS Plan of Action in part-

nership and coordination with all players. In view of the many

constraints presented by these somewhat difficult times, paving

the road ahead will be an arduous task, so it will be crucial to

make the most efficient use of existing resources and avoid waste-

ful duplication of effort. Having received the mandate from its

Council Members to build on the WSIS framework, ITU is ready

to to take on the challenge.

The challenges faced are multifaceted. They include how to

improve the current Internet international coordination arrange-

ments without undermining the stability and reliability of the

Internet, how to provide affordable access to all without jeopar-

dizing existing financial mechanisms that prove effective, how to

ensure network and information security without affecting

people’s human rights and their right to privacy, and more.

Clearly, these challenges will require a new commitment to work

together if we are all to realize the full benefits of the Information

Society. Looking ahead beyond Tunis, we must remember that

ensuring the fruits of today’s powerful knowledge-based tools are

within reach of people living in even the most impoverished

economies will be the true test of an engaged, empowered and

egalitarian Information Society. Communication and information

must be freely and readily available to all humanity, not just the

privileged few.

of social and economic development. As a result, WSIS has been

globally recognized as the “Summit of Solutions”.

ICT targets for the year 2015 include connecting all villages

around the world and bringing ICT to all universities, colleges,

secondary and primary schools, scientific and research centres,

public libraries, cultural centres, museums, post offices and

archives, health centres and hospitals. Local and central govern-

ment departments should also be connected, and have their own

websites and e-mail addresses. By the same date, all primary and

secondary school curricula should have been adapted to incor-

porate ICT in the study programme, to equip young people

around the world to meet the future challenges of the Information

Society.

Looking ahead

The Summit’s successes have provided the necessary momen-

tum to address effectively many pressing global issues, particularly

in the area of improved ICT for development. WSIS pioneered an

inclusive multi-stakeholder approach engaging effectively with

not just governments, but with civil society and the business

sector as well as other organizations within the United Nations

system. It is now quite obvious that in future, all stakeholders of

the Information Society will need to put their resources together

to build on the foundations laid by WSIS.

Forging partnerships to bring the benefits of ICT to all is one

of the Millennium Development Goals. In keeping with this

goal, ITU launched the

Connect the World

initiative, a partner-

ship that brings together the most innovative minds and

resources and includes experts from government, business, civil

society and international organizations. They have brought to

the table their commitment to use technology and resources to

help people communicate, foster the flow of information and

South Africa Training Centre

Photo: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)