ITU plans to get the world wired-up!

GENEVA: The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has drawn up a road map to reach the benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to the remotest corner of the world as part of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2015.

"We have to mobilize this vast scientific and technological potential to connect all cities and villages and fast track the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals aimed at substantially reducing poverty within the next eight years," said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure.

Toure said ITU would "concentrate on a regional basis starting with Africa and moving on to Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific islands, Asia and Europe as part of its ambitious program to connect the world."

It will reflect on the vision of its members and contribute to connecting the remotest regions of the world, ensuring that everyone has access to the benefits of ICT, he said.

"ITU TELECOM is a unique networking platform where the most innovative minds in the global field of information and communication technologies connect; it represents a remarkable opportunity to help close the digital divide and create digital opportunities around the world," Chairman Reza Jafari said.

"We aim to breathe new life into TELECOM and include elements that will tailor the events and initiatives to the current expectations and future direction of the ICT industry," he said.