Special measures for landlocked developing countries and small island developing states for access to international optical fibre networks
The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012),
considering
a) Resolution 65/172 of 20 December 2010 of the United Nations General Assembly, on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs);
b) Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, on special measures for the least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS), LLDCs and countries with economies in transition;
c) the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome;
d) the outcome of the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);
Special measures for landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing states (SIDSs) for access to international optical fibre networks
The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012),
considering
a) Resolution 65/172 of 20 December 2010 of the United Nations General Assembly on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries;
b) Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference on special measures for the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition;
c) the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome;
d) the outcome of the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);
This is the first revision of this document. Changes include:
* A new article 3.9
* A new article 6.X
* Some minor editorial changes
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS
PREAMBLE
While the sovereign right of each State to regulate its telecommunications is fully recognized, the provisions of the present International Telecommunication Regulations (hereafter referred to as “Regulations”) complement the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union, with a view to attaining the purposes of the International Telecommunication Union in promoting the development of telecommunication services and their most efficient operation while harmonizing the development of facilities for world-wide telecommunications.
[While implementing these Regulations Member States shall take into account their international obligations in relation to universal human rights].
Article 1
Purpose and Scope of the Regulations
1.1 a) These Regulations establish general principles which relate to the provision and operation of international telecommunication services offered to the public as well as to the underlying international telecommunication transport means used to provide such services.
1 While the sovereign right of each State to regulate its telecommunications is fully recognized, the provisions of the present International Telecommunication Regulations (hereafter referred to as “Regulations”) complement the Constitutiona and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union, with a view to attaining the purposes of the International Telecommunication Union in promoting the development of telecommunication services and their most efficient operation while harmonizing the development of facilities for world-wide telecommunications. [While implementing these Regulations Member States shall take into account their international obligations in relation to universal human rights].
Article 1
Purpose and Scope of the Regulations
1.1 a) These Regulations establish general principles which relate to the provision and operation of international telecommunication services offered to the public as well as to the underlying international telecommunication transport means used to provide such services.
Special measures for landlocked developing countries and small island developing states for access to international optical fibre networks
The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012),
considering
a) Resolution 65/172 of 20 December 2010 of the United Nations General Assembly, on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs);
b) Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, on special measures for the least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS), LLDCs and countries with economies in transition;
c) the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome;
d) the outcome of the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);
This is the original version of what has become the most controversial contribution made to WCIT. It stems from Russia, seemingly from the President's office, and asks from the introduction of a new article to the ITRs encompassing the Internet.
A revised version, produced just a few days later and coming from Russia's ministry of telecoms, toned down the language significantly but the proposals still concern many.
Implications:
The content of the proposed new article would put the United Nations in direct opposition to the existing conglomeration of Internet organizations by enshrining rules regarding the Internet into an international telecoms treaty.
This involvement in Internet governance is exactly what campaigners against the WCIT conference had been voicing concerns over, and the ITU's Secretary-General had, prior to the late arrival of this contribution, tried to assure everyone that there was no suggestion that WCIT would directly involve itself in Internet governance.
A key trend in the development of today’s information society is the steady growth in the role of the Internet.
The Internet’s developmental impact on society affects people’s way of life, their education and work, as well as the interaction of government and civil society. The Internet is rapidly becoming a vitally important driver of global economic development. It also allows individuals, companies and business communities to find more effective and creative solutions to economic and social problems.
The Internet has an impact on every aspect of human activity within society – political, economic, social and spiritual.
In politics, the Internet is a powerful tool for implementing a State’s domestic policy, and is behind concepts such as e-government, digital media and virtual political parties. It also helps to increase the political participation of citizens in national governance.
The Internet is an important factor in the development of a modern economy, and is actively used in business through such means as e-commerce, e-banking, electronic payments and Internet advertising, among others.
The ITRs should encompass the Internet, and countries should be compensated in a different way to the current economics. No countries should get in the way of another's Internet access.
Implications:
As is typical, Cuba's contribution represents more an anti-United States statement than a serious policy approach.
Summary
This contribution puts forward, for consideration by WCIT-12, two drafts of provisions, on the subjects indicated below, for possible inclusion in the articles of the ITRs, and presents the corresponding reasons.
I Background
considering
that one of the purposes of ITU laid down in Article 1 of the ITU Constitution is “to maintain and extend international cooperation among all its Member States for the improvement and rational use of telecommunications of all kinds”,
considering further
the output documents of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Geneva 2003 and Tunis 2005, including its Declaration of Principles, particularly §§ 11, 19, 20, 21 and 49 thereof,
Addendum 1: The proposed changes in full and the required format (and incorporating subsequent changes to ACP/3A1/11, 13, 14, & 15)
Addendum 2: More proposed changes, added at the same time as the revised version of the main document (5 October 2012).
This contribution presents the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Common Proposals (ACPs) for the work of 2012 World Conference on International Telecommunications. These proposals have been developed by the APT Preparatory Group for WCIT-12 which held four meetings through 2011-2012, and have been approved by the Member administrations according to the approval procedure for APT Common Proposals to the WCIT-12.
The Plenipotentiary Conference (Guadalajara, 2010) approved Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010), defining special measures for the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
Moreover, the Almaty Programme of Action approved by the United Nations recognizes the special needs of landlocked developing countries and establishes a new global framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries.
Nevertheless, these instruments need to be complemented in order to enable landlocked developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as those of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), taking account of the difficulties and additional costs involved in order to access the international optical fibre network.
Proposal
The forthcoming world conference on international telecommunications (WCIT-12) is requested to adopt special measures for landlocked developing countries allowing them greater and easier access to the international optical fibre network.
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