BUSAN, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Governments must enhance their national broadband planning process to enable information communications technology (ICTs) and broadband to catalyze socio-economic development, according to an open letter from the UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development to delegates attending the ITU's 2014 Plenipotentiary Conference, in South Korea.
Personally delivered by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, co-Chair of the Broadband Commission, on 28th October, the letter notes the strong links between broadband and development, describing it as "undeniable."
The letter urges, "Member States to continue to push for inclusion of ICTs and broadband as key enabling transformative technologies in the post-2015 development agenda."
Although there is evidence that broadband plans can help to adapt systems and ensure that both industrialized and developing economies fully benefit from the digital revolution, there are currently 43 countries without any form of National Broadband plan in place. Rwanda already has the policy and various initiatives in place.
"The importance of a National Broadband plan cannot be understated and I encourage all nations to put in place a Broadband Plan that ensures they are ready to meet the digital revolution head-on," said ITU chief Dr Hamadoun I. Toure. "Broadband for all, no matter where they live, is a real possibility and represents a real opportunity to achieve meaningful digital inclusion across the globe."
The letter from President Kagame and his team comes as part of the Broadband Commission's ongoing campaign for policy leadership in broadband as established in its first advocacy target, tracked in the annual State of Broadband report, which aims to make broadband policy universal – by 2015, all countries should have a national broadband plan or strategy or include broadband in UAS (Universal Access Service) Definitions.
"It is also vital to ensure the availability of relevant broadband-enabled content, applications and services in local languages," says Kagame. "For global broadband roll-out to contribute most to development, people must be empowered to transform information into knowledge for lifelong learning and digital skills, for their own benefit, as well as that of their community."
The Commission unites top industry executives with governments, thought leaders, policy pioneers, international agencies and organizations concerned with development. The team wants national governments to "ensure that online learning is available, accessible and inclusive".
Full text of letter: www.broadbandcommission.org/.
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