Jordan hosts 12th Session of Arab Council of ICT Ministers and 24th Session of Council's Executive Bureau

This will be preceded by the 24th Session of the Council's Executive Bureau to be held at the Sheraton Amman Hotel on the 3rd of June 2008.

During his talk with representatives from the press core and the media, HE the Minister of ICT, Eng. Basem Rousan, explained that a number of renowned regional and international establishments and organizations will be taking part in the event as observers, most notably the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union, in addition to an expected 15 ICT ministers who will be taking part in the event as well as 100-150 participants from the different Arab countries.

Rousan expressed his pride with Jordan's hosting of this year's session and indicated that the Kingdom has become a hub for Arab and international meetings due to its forward-looking vision and its exceptional human resources, fueled by a wise Hashemite leadership.

It is noteworthy that the decision to hold the present session in Jordan was based on the Arab Council of ICT Ministers' resolution in its 11th session held in Damascus from 2-3 July 2007, which included approving Jordan's motion to host the Council's 12th and the 24th session of the Council's Executive Bureau.

The Jordanian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is always keen to be an active participant in the Arab Council of ICT Ministers' committees and working groups.

Jordanian delegations have always shown themselves to be active by presenting working papers and positive interventions that help arrive at constructive resolutions aimed at improving telecommunications in the Arab World, enhancing and maximizing strategic projects and collaboration between Arab countries, and ensuring the rights of Arab countries in international fora.

Discussions during this year's meeting will revolve around several ICT issues pertaining to Arab societies, including promoting the General Arab ICT Strategy, developing information communities with a focus on three strategic aims: creating a competitive market for the Arab information community, ensuring universal access and improving the quality of services through ICT, and developing the ICT industry.

Moreover, the agenda of the meeting of the Council's Executive Bureau will include preparations for the joint meeting between ICT ministers and the Arab Council of Ministers of Information to discuss common issues between the private and public sectors in order to create a framework ensuring integration between the media and telecommunication services; promote cooperation between the media and the telecommunications sectors in community service provision; and develop the resources and applications of modern communications, including the next generation network , broadband services, and internet protocol television (IPTV).

In addition, there will be discussions of the aspired role of the International Telecommunications Union Arab Regional Office.

Arab states deem it necessary to develop the regional office's organizational structure, fill its vacancies as soon as possible and ensure optimum use of its financial resources as an entity that will strive to enhance coordination with the Council and follow up on the strategic Arab and regional projects.

With respect to the postal sector, main focus areas will include resuming working on issuing a unified Arab stamp on the occasion of the Arab Postal Day on 3 August; creating an Arab postal database; postal development and reform in the Arab region; conducting an organizational development of the Arab postal sector by dividing the responsibilities of the public policy, including legislation, regulation and operation; coordinating Arab positions in the UPU Conference to be held in Geneva this year; discussing the issue of terminal dues in preparation for the global round table meeting in this regard; improving the exchange of international speed post and parcel post services between postal administrations worldwide.

HE Rousan addressed workers in this sector saying, "I call on all Arab telecommunication organizations to cooperate, coordinate their work and activate developmental plans and strategies according to a concerted common approach in order for us to achieve Arab aspirations and the vision of HM King Abdullah II, which always guides our work."