The state of the economy around the world promises to be the focus of the ITU Telecom World 2009, held October 5 – 9, at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland.
The vendor-neutral, not-for-profit event is held every few years, and is aimed at the global telecommunication and information communication technology (ICT) sector.
This year’s agenda promises to focus on the impact of the worldwide economic slowdown, and how the ICT industry could be “the catalyst to stimulate growth in the other sectors”.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will be attending the event, called for “governments and industry not to lose sight of the global challenges of our times – meeting the development goals, mitigating climate change, building a green economy – while putting in place national stimulus packages”.
ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré said that the ICT industry and governments must continue to invest in infrastructure and the roll out of cost-effective services as a means to stabilize the sector.
"Business is anything but usual in these turbulent times," said Dr Touré, in a press release. "ITU is deeply concerned by the impact of the financial crisis on its members and the ICT industry. But we have to appreciate the realities and adjust dynamically to achieve the new demands. ITU Telecom World 2009 is an opportunity for all stakeholders to create the plank for investment and growth. I have therefore invited Heads of State and Government to discuss the situation with leading industry CEOs in an open forum. I expect this event to make significant inputs for the ICT industry in 2009 and beyond."
