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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)