The Common

            wealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) has called on global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stake holders to partner in ensuring that ICTs are utilised to enhance development,

The Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, Dr. Ekwou Spio-Garbal made the call recently at the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) in Hyderasas, India.

Speaking at the conference, Spio-Garbal noted that the telecoms and ICT sector had contributed immensely towards the development of the world on the last two decades adding that it holds a lot more to the world if its full potentials are discovered and harnessed by stakeholders.

“Whether the importance of ICTs are measured by voice and data penetration rates, by percentage contribution to GDP, to national taxes, to employment, empowerment or to per capita income, there is a worldwide consensus on the contribution of ICT to development” he said.

Spio-Garbal averred that the ICT sector had been among the best performing sectors around the world and stressed the need for its continuous efforts in order to meet the 2015 millennium development goals.

He maintained that achieving such goals required for-sighted policies, robust regulation, competitive ICT operating environments, openness to new business models, technological innovations high level capital investment, consumer adoption of new products and expanded financial   intermediation.

While noting that the right to communicate was a basic human right as recognised by the United Nations (UN), the CTO’s chief executive pointed out that about 50 per cent of people in the member countries do not have access to affordable telecommunication, including mobile communications, adding that more than 90 percent of the population in most developing countries, do not enjoy the benefits of the internet.

We need to try harder because there is a lot that still needs to be done for us to achieve the desired height in this sector” he stated.

Spio-Garbal commended the ITU for harmonising the conference, stating that  the conference was only one of the various opportunities afforded to global community to renew its commitment to various pledges made in the past and to carve new paths for the future.