Crowdsourcing the Future #ITUstrategy

Crowdsourcing the Future #ITUstrategy

By Mario R. Canazza

ITU becomes the first UN agency to launch a public consultation to source inputs and priorities for its future strategy. Mario R. Canazza Chairs the Working Group that will oversee this process and explains how it will work and what it hopes to achieve.

As Chairman of the ITU Council Working Group for the Elaboration of the draft Strategic Plan and draft Financial Plan of the Union for 2016-2019, it is a great pleasure to invite you to participate in the public consultation on the post-2015 strategic framework of ITU. Our Council Working Group is mandated to develop a coordinated draft of the ITU 2016-2019 strategic plan and, to do this in an optimal way, it is important to consider the views and ideas from all stakeholders.

This public consultation on the proposed post-2015 strategic framework, the structure and the glossary of the strategic plan, demonstrates ITU’s commitment to openness, transparency and inclusiveness in its planning processes. It also builds on the previous public consultation of the Secretary-General on the ITU 2016-2019 strategic priorities. I therefore strongly encourage all stakeholders to contribute towards shaping ITU’s agenda and provide inputs to the online platform, via e-mail to strategic-planning@itu.int or via Twitter using the hashtag #ITUstrategy.

In the rapidly changing world of ICTs, it is an extraordinarily exciting and unpredictable time. ICTs are driving the digital revolution, bringing tremendous opportunities and challenges. Their transformative effects in both developed and developing countries are deeply influencing fields such as education, health, finance, e-government, transport and manufacturing.

ICTs are key enablers for social, economic and environmentally sustainable development. But we should not forget that most of the world’s people are still unconnected, without access to the wonders and transformative possibilities delivered by broadband access.

Furthermore, rapid development of ICTs uncovers important challenges including, to name a few, concerns related to privacy, protection of children when they are online, resilience of critical infrastructures that increasingly rely on ICT networks and services, and the management of e-waste generated by the ICT sector. We need to mitigate any risks and, at the same time, seize the opportunities to ensure the maximum contribution of ICTs to our social and economic development.

ITU’s strategy for 2016 to 2019 must take into consideration all these opportunities and challenges. This public consultation offers a unique opportunity for all of us to provide our views, ideas and proposals and enable ITU to identify areas and opportunities for improvement, set goals and specific targets it should accomplish along with the challenges it will have to overcome to successfully fulfil its mission. Indeed, this public consultation marks the first time any UN agency has launched a public consultation with the objective of drafting its future strategy.

As Chairman of the ITU Council Working Group on the Strategic and Financial Plan, I look forward to all views and ideas from all stakeholders and will ensure that that they are fully represented and considered in the discussions at our Working Group tasked with finalizing this process.

I strongly encourage you once again to share your views via the on-line platform (which will remain open until 31st of January 2014) at www.itu.int/PublicConsultations; submit your written contributions by e-mail to strategic-planning@itu.int or join the conversation on Twitter using the #ITUstrategy hash tag.

By: Mario R. Canazza

Mario R. Canazza is Adviser of International Affairs at the National Telecommunications Agency of Brazil (ANATEL) and also Chairs the ITU Council Working Group for the Elaboration of the draft Strategic Plan and draft Financial Plan of the Union for 2016-2019.

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