Connectivity will help improve lives, says ITU

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Connectivity will help improve lives, says ITU
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attending the opening session of the ITU's plenipotentiary conference on Monday. - Wam

Published: Mon 29 Oct 2018, 8:34 PM

Last updated: Mon 29 Oct 2018, 10:41 PM

The latest developments in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the power to improve the lives of millions of people around the world by providing them with access to education, finance, healthcare, and various other services, officials at the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU's) 20th Plenipotentiary Conference said.
"New technologies like 5G, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Internet of Things will change how we live, work and learn in ways that have yet to be imagined. And ITU is in the front seat. The challenge before us today is to ensure that these technologies and ICTs in general continue to be a source for good for everyone across the world," said Houlin Zhao, ITU secretary-general.
"May we always remember that we are stronger together - that what unites us is the common vision of a connected world, where information and communication technology is a source for good for everyone everywhere." The conference brings together more than 2,500 ICT decision-makers from around the world, and is the highest decision-making body of ITU, the United Nations specialised agency for ICTs. ?The event opened with a global call for the world to 'act as one' to connect the world's nearly four billion people who remain unconnected to the Internet.
Talal Humaid Belhoul, chairman of the board of directors of the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), said that holding the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in the UAE is a testament to the UAE's achievements in the field of rational use of telecommunications technology for the benefit of humanity, state building, as well as the economy and civilisation.
"We face a crucial challenge: harnessing the benefits of new technologies for all, while safeguarding against the risks from their misuse. Digital technologies have a crucial role to play in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals," said António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, in a video message to the audience.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA director-general and chairman of the board of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, also addressed the conference via video message from Japan, where the UAE has successfully launched KhalifaSat, a remote sensing Earth-observation satellite, into orbit.
Speaking on the successful launch, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, described the launch as a pioneering national achievement since it is the first satellite fully-developed by Emiratis in the UAE. "Our nation has begun a new stage of global competition in the space industry and a milestone in its knowledge-based economy," he said.
"This underpins the vision of our wise leadership to not only anticipate the future, but also shape it. Our leadership invests in Emirati men and women by providing a positive environment for their creativity and capabilities to achieve leadership and excellence." - rohma@khaleejtimes.com

by

Rohma Sadaqat

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