..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 16 June 2006
Note to Editor: N/26/2006

GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR ICT AND DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF STEERING COMMITTEE, STRATEGY COUNCIL

Bangkok (UN Information Services) -- Universal access to phones and internet services are top on the agenda at the first ever International UN technology meeting from 19 – 20 June in Kuala Lumpur.

"The first Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Development will promote effective use of ICT for development for a universal and inclusive information society,” said UN Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Kim Hak-Su.

Dr. Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation, will serve as the first Chairman of the annual event.

“The ICT industry can contribute to economic and social development,” said Dr. Barrett upon accepting the invitation to become the Alliance’s first Chairman. “The Global Alliance for ICT and Development has an exciting challenge to define solutions that will bring technology access, economic growth, and educational opportunity to people around the world.”

The Alliance aims to expand the circle of participants in policy debate and partnership building beyond the traditional set of stakeholders, by engaging groups that currently are not adequately engaged, particularly non-governmental participants from developing countries, media, academia, youth and women’s groups.

“While has brought tremendous benefits to Asia and the Pacific, there is still unequal access within countries and major differences in Internet access, computer penetration and broadband availability among nations,” said Kim Hak-Su.

The Global Alliance will hold its inaugural meeting on 19 and 20 June in Kuala Lumpur, at the invitation of the government of Malaysia. UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown will inaugurate the Alliance on behalf of the United Nations.

For more information, please contact Enrica Murmura at the Global Alliance secretariat, tel: (212) 963 5913, e-mail: murmura@un.org, or Edoardo Bellando, tel. (212) 963 8275, bellando@un.org.

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