Guiding Principles/Objectives

Programmes

The Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) is the development arm of the ITU, the main responsibility of which is to foster telecommunication development in developing countries through policy advice, provision of technical assistance, mobilization of resources and initiatives to extend access and bridge the digital divide.

ITU-D's goal is to assist developing countries in harnessing the potentials of ICTs to contribute towards reducing the social divide, improving the quality life, promoting universal access and facilitating entry into the information society.

Transfer of knowledge, sharing of experience and know-how, training and human capacity building as well as dissemination of information are key issues in assisting developing countries.

The mission of ITU-D as stated in the ITU-D 2003-2006 Strategic Plan aims at achieving the Sector's objectives based on the right to communicate of all inhabitants of the planet through access to infrastructure and information and communications services. In this regard the mission is to:

► Assisting developing countries in the field of ICT, in facilitating the mobilization of technical, human and financial resources needed for their implementation, as well as in promoting access to ICTs.
► Promoting the extension of the benefits of ICTs to all the world's inhabitants.
► Promoting and participating in actions that contribute towards narrowing the digital divide.
► Developing and managing programmes that facilitate information flow geared to the needs of developing countries, with a focus on those with special needs, including the disabled and disadvantaged.

The ITU-D 2003-2006 Strategic Plan is available at:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/isap/ITU-D_StrategicPlan.pdf

Areas of Application:

► Regulatory reform
► Capacity building
► e-Strategies and applications
► Technologies and Network development
► Economy and Finance
► Special programme for LDCs
     > Universal access & rural connectivity
     > Private sector initiative
     > Partnerships with Private & Public sector
     > Gender issues initiative
     > Youth initiative
     > Information sharing & ICT indicators

These 6 Programmes and 6 Initiatives/Activities are part of the Istanbul Action Plan (2003-2006) decided by the WDTC-02 (World Telecom Development Conference).

ITU is active in a number of fields:

1. Role of all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
2. Information and communication infrastructure
3. Access to information and knowledge
4. Capacity building
5. Building confidence, trust and security in the use of ICTs
6. Enabling environment
7. ICT Applications (e-government, e-business, e-learning, e-health, e-employment, e-environment, e-agriculture, and e-science)
8. Cultural (identity) and linguistic diversity and local content
9. Media
10. Ethical dimensions of the information society
11. International and regional co-operation
12. Digital Solidarity Agenda
13. Follow-up and Evaluation
14. Towards WSIS phase 2 (Tunis)

(See the “Strategy papers and related documents” section for details on activities, projects and initiatives undertaken in the above-mentioned fields).

Participation in Multi-donor Programmes:

Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSi)

n/a

Biennial (2002-2003) budget of ITU-D is US$44.5 million

Mr. Jean-Yves BESNIER, Head, Partnerships and Memberships Unit, ITU/BDT, jean-yves.besnier@itu.int