PRESS BRIEFING BY INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION

Political leaders, particularly those in developing countries, should invest in the new information technologies and make it their number one priority policy issue, Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), told correspondents at a Headquarters briefing today.

According to ITU’s statistics, the digital divide was rapidly narrowing in some parts of Asia, while it was widening in Africa.  In Africa, for example, even though they were trying their best, the divide was not closing yet.  That was the reality.  “The point is we shouldn’t talk about a digital divide,” he said.  “We should talk about digital opportunities.”

Mr. Utsumi said leaders should use the new information technologies as a tool to leapfrog their nations’ development into the information delivery society.  While acknowledging that developing countries had many other development priorities, he said leaders should, however, seriously consider and understand the importance and the opportunities presented by the new information technologies in advancing development in their countries.

In response to correspondents’ questions, he said affordability should be the main issue in deciding the best use of the information and communication technologies while the international community should make every effort to preserve the principle of free flow of information.  He outlined the role the ITU was playing in the preparations leading up to the World Summit on the Information Society, to be held in two phases in 2003 and in 2005.

He said ITU was playing a leading role in the preparations for the Summit, whose first phase would be held in Geneva, Switzerland next year, with the second phase in 2005 in Tunis, Tunisia.  Regional preparatory meetings, the first of which already took place in Bamako, Mali for Africa, would precede the summit.  Subsequent preparatory meetings would be held in Bucharest this year, Tokyo next year and Latin American at a place and time to be decided.

He said the issues for the Summit were also being developed, and the two-day General Assembly meeting being held at Headquarters was part of those preparations.  As the Summit would discuss so many multi-sectoral issues, next year’s second preparatory meeting would target the contents of the Summit and discuss its possible outcome.

Asked by a correspondent what the meeting had decided to do about improving the poor telecommunication infrastructure of many developing countries, the ITU official said both the developed and developing nations needed to realize that each needed the other.  “Without the other end, you cannot communicate,” he said.  “So, the developed countries benefit by the development of developing countries.  Developed countries have to develop the telecommunications of developing countries for their own sake.”

He added that the ITU had been making efforts to coordinate those development activities, especially today, when the nature of the services had

changed from largely public goods to tradable commodities and where, instead of government having a monopoly over the provision of telecommunication services, the private sector had moved in.  But, in order for the private sector to be able to continue investing in developing countries and guarantee a solid infrastructure, conditions for investment had to be addressed.  That had become a big issue and one that would also take centre stage at the Summit.

In response to another question, he said he saw a major role at the Summit for all stakeholders -- civil society, heads of State and the private sector.

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