Talal Abu-Ghazaleh addresses the UN ICT TF future Strategy and working plan

The UN Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Task Force is holding its third meeting at the United Nations Headquarters on the 30th of September and the first of October. The meeting is dedicated to review the progress made by the Task Force during the first year, and address the future strategy and programme of action based on the UN ICT TF Strategic Plan prepared by Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh
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Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, Co-Chair of the UN ICT TF, bureau member and Chair of the UN ICT Working Group on Human Resources and Capacity Building (HRCB) will be discussing the Strategic Plan of the UN ICT TF, which he prepared following the informal brainstorming session of the TF Bureau members that took place last June. The Strategic plan will help to devise the future strategy and work plan of the Task force for the second year.

The Strategy paper was based on the results of a detailed questionnaire formulated by Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh and circulated to the TF members. Results of the questionnaire sent out to the members indicated a broad consensus among the members who responded about the role of the plenary, the bureau, the working groups and regional networks as well as the governance arrangements, policies, secretariat and administrative support, and communications needs of the TF. The strategy paper covered the background of the Task Force, outlined the present global framework for its operations, and laid out the elements of the strategy proposed for fulfilling the mandate of the Task Force.

However, as most of the TF members recognized the need to make some adjustments in the list of the first year with a view to further clarifying and crystallizing the functions and interrelationship between these various elements, and enhancing the transparency and efficiency of the TF operations, a separate paper addressing these issues was also prepared by Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh.


The meeting will also review the segment on enhancing coordination, networking and partnerships it will also examine cooperation with the Digital Opportunity Task Force, an initiative launched by the Group of 8 industrialized countries at its Okinawa Summit in July 2000; the World Bank?s Development Gateway Foundation, an interactive portal on development and poverty reduction; and other major initiatives, such as the Steering Committees of the World Economic Forum Digital Divide Task Force, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The meeting will conclude with the election of the bureau and co-chairs.