DOC heads to ITU World Telecom

Communications minister, Roy Padayachie, will lead a South African ICT delegation to the ITU World Telecom taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

Set to be held from the 24 – 27 October 2011, the ITU Telecom was born in 1971, following the decision taken by the executive council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) with its objective to hold and exhibition of telecommunication equipment in promoting the benefits of telecommunications and demonstrating recent technological advances, as a service to the ITU’s membership.

The delegation will be attending various plenary sessions, business meetings, position white papers at the various meetings. As part of the departmental mandates, ICT policies and legislation have to be developed to create conditions for an accelerated and shared growth of the South African economy, also to fulfil SA’s continental and international responsibilities in the ICT field.

In 2010, at the 18^th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference held in Guadalajara, Mexico; the DOC acquired a seat in the administrative council of the union. SA was positioned in ensuring alignment between continental programmes and that of the ITU as well as ensuring infrastructure development in the continent.

The department will also be hosting an exhibition stand showcasing the South African ICT companies such as Dark Fibre, Plessey, SITA, USAASA, ICASA and Grintek Ewation.