Communications minister Roy Padayachie will lead a South African ICT delegation to the ITU World Telecom 2011 event, taking place in Switzerland next week.
Established in 1971, ITU Telecom stemmed from the decision by the executive council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to hold an exhibition of telecommunication equipment. This was tabled in a bid to promote the benefits of telecommunications and demonstrate recent technological advances, as a service to the ITU's membership.
ITU Telecom World is a gathering of leading industry players, heads of government, digital innovators and technological talents, focused on applying the power of connected technology to real-world issues.
Last year, at the 18th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, held in Mexico, the Department of communications (DOC) acquired a seat in the administrative council of the union. SA was positioned in facilitating alignment between continental programmes and that of the ITU, as well as ensuring infrastructure development in the continent.
“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.”
The DOC will also host an exhibition stand showcasing South African ICT companies, such as Dark Fibre, Plessey, SITA, USAASA, ICASA and Grintek Ewation.
This year's event is a milestone for ITU, being its 40th anniversary, and will take place from 24 to 27 October, in Geneva.
Visit the ITU for more information.
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