The 17th Plenipotentiary conference (PP-06) of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which opened on 6 November 2006, has entered its second week.
The following summary can be made of the week’s work:
Committee 5 (Policy and Legal Matters)
The Recommendation on the host-agreement, which applies when ITU conferences and assemblies are organised outside of Geneva, was adopted. The objective of this recommendation is to develop a model for this type of agreement; it underlines the importance of the agreement being signed in good time and broadens the involvement of the Council. Currently, the Council may only give an opinion on the location and not on the actual agreement.
Meanwhile discussions continued on how to improve the ITU’s structure (election or nomination of directors, the discontinuation of the coordination committee, clarification of responsibilities and tasks of those elected, limitation of mandates for eligible positions). This results from a European proposal, which Portugal was responsible for coordinating.
Committee 6 (Administration and Management)
Besides those matters that have already been finalised and will be put before the plenary, Committee 6 is looking at whether there is a need to set up a Council group to carry out budgetary control. The committee has also discussed the cancelling of invoices arising from the processing of satellite network notifications, sent retrospectively with reference to networks which have, in the meantime, been cancelled.
WSIS Plenary working Group on the World Summit on the Information Society
This working group discussed proposals concerning the implementation of the results of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), as well as the possible participation of civil society in the Union, in view of the various proposals for greater participation of the private sector in the ITU. However there is still some difference of opinion as to the importance and scope of this action.
The alteration of the ITU’s name and remit was one of the most hotly debated issues, with a wide range of opinions being proffered by Member States as to the need for broadening the scope of the Union’s intervention to include information and communication technologies or infocommunication technologies.
Given the complex nature of these issues and in order to bring harmonisation to the differing perspectives, several working groups were set up, composed of the countries concerned. A single proposal can then put together on each issue.
Plenary
Approval was given, without unfavourable comment, to the proposal to bring forward the date for announcing the definitive choice on the contributory unit. This will now be made on the last Monday of each PP, with consequent alteration to the Convention.
Approval was also given, though with unfavourable comments from Lebanon and Indonesia, to the upper limit for each contributory unit. It was agreed that in 2008-2009 this should not exceed the current value (318 000 Swiss Francs) and that in 2010-2011 it should not exceed 330 000 Swiss Francs.
Amendments to the following resolutions, all in the ITU-D Telecommunication Development Sector (BDT), were likewise approved:
- Resolution 70 (Rev. Antalya, 2006) - Gender mainstreaming in ITU and promotion of gender equality towards all-inclusive information societies;
- Resolution 124 (Rev. Antalya, 2006) - Support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development; and
- Resolution 128 (Rev. Antalya, 2006) - Support for the Agenda for Connectivity in the Americas and Quito Action Plan.
On the other hand it was decided to delete:
- Resolutions 82 and 97, both now having been implemented and so obsolete, dealing respectively with the approval of some questions and recommendations and with some administrative questions internal to the Union; and;
- Resolutions 73 and 113, of Minneapolis and Marrakech respectively, both on the WSIS and now out of date.
Besides these, and at the request of the Arab countries, the deletion of Resolutions 90 and 110 (which refer to the contributions of the Sector members and have in the meantime produced results) remains pending until the question of these contributions, currently being discussed by Committee 6, is definitively decided.
The proposal of Region A (Americas) to increase the number of Council members, before elections to this body, was rejected. However as a result of the work of an ad hoc group set up to analyse this question, it was recognised that it was necessary to study this issue in detail, so that a decision could be taken on the possible enlargement of the Council at the next PP.
Elections
In addition to the elections held during the first week, which saw the election of M. Touré (Mali) as Secretary General and H. Zhao (China) as Deputy Secretary General, further elections were held during the second week for the Director posts of the three ITU departments and for Radio Regulations Board.
Elections were also held for the council. The eight places allocated to Region B (Western Europe) will be held for the next four years by Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland and Sweden, with only the candidature of the United Kingdom being unsuccessful.
Further information:
- ITU (PP-06) http://www.itu.int/plenipotentiary/2006/index.html
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- Portugal elected to ITU Council https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=423826
- 1st week of ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-06) https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=422567
- ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-06) opens in Turkey https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=418710
