The proceedings of the International Telecommunication Union's Sixth World Telecommunication Development Conference, which opened in Dubai (UAE) on 30 March, were brought to a close on 10 April 2014.
The WTDC is the highest body of the Telecommunications Development (ITU-D) Sector, and takes place every 4 years. The objective of WTDC-14 is to establish strategies for the balanced development of world and regional telecommunications, paying particular attention to the expansion and modernization of networks and services in developing countries, as well as to the mobilization of necessary resources. The WTDC is also responsible for establishing work programmes and guidelines for the ITU-D, defining telecommunication development issues and priorities.
The WTDC-14 adopted the Dubai Action Plan, a "package" of activities designed to help developing countries promote sustainable development of networks, services and information and communication technologies (ICT). This plan was prepared in accordance with a results-based structure.
As such, five key objectives were set for the next four years, as follows:
- Objective 1: to foster international cooperation on telecommunication and ICT issues;
- Objective 2: to foster an enabling environment conducive to ICT development and foster the development of ICT networks as well as relevant applications and services, including bridging the standardization gap;
- Objective 3: to enhance confidence and security in the use of ICTs and roll out of relevant applications and services;
- Objective 4: to build human and institutional capacity, promote digital inclusion and provide concentrated assistance to countries in special need;
- Objective 5: to enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and disaster management efforts through telecommunications and ICTs.
At the conference closing ceremony, ITU Secretary-General, Hamadou Touré, highlighted the spirit of cooperation and collaboration among participants, stressing the importance of having definitively buried the negative atmosphere experienced during the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12), which also took place in Dubai towards the end of 2012.
Further information:
- World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014 http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Conferences/WTDC/WTDC14/Pages/default.aspx
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-14) https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1196073
