RAMALLAH – It was officially announced in Amman that Jordan has been designated as the regional headquarters for the Arab Regional Network of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force (UN ICT TF). This came at the conclusion of the network’s meetings that took place over two days, held under the patronage of the Jordanian leader King Abdullah the Second, and which were organized by Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International (TAGI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Post and Communications and the Jordanian Information Technology Association (int@j).
The meeting –chaired by economic expert Talal Abu-Ghazaleh- was attended by a number of ministers, officials and representatives of Arab and international bodies, in addition to representatives of diplomatic missions and experts in business, communications and e-commerce in the Arab region, and representatives of financing agencies.
The meeting emphasized the need to enhance cooperation region-wide in the field of IT and telecommunications for developmental activities, and to guarantee the reflection of the region’s specific needs in international initiatives. In this regard, the meeting participants agreed that the UN ICT TF provides an effective and appropriate platform for the achievement of these objectives.
Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh was elected as chairman of the Arab Regional Network of the UN ICT TF, with Karim Kawar as coordinator and Mustafa Nassereddin as treasurer. Also, members of the transitory executive office were chosen up till next September.
The executive office for the Arab Regional Network convened a meeting to discuss an action plan, where Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh presented a number of suggestions that represent an action plan for planning policies. He emphasized that “the Arab Regional Network that we’re a part of is built on a number of ideas the most significant of which is adherence to usage of modern IT and telecommunications in order to achieve human development and reduction of poverty levels, which was previously agreed upon at the Millennium Summit in the UN.”
He stated that IT and telecommunications should not be viewed as being a different qualitative method for development means, but rather a successful tool for all developmental efforts which focuses on the importance of coordination and collaboration. He added that the UN ICT TF is neither a financing nor a marketing party, and it is not an executive body either.
Among the other activities that took place, a meeting was held that included members of the UN ICT TF and representatives of official and private institutions in Jordan, in order to discuss strategy, initiatives, ventures and the current status of the IT and telecommunications sector in Jordan. Similar meetings will be held in other Arab nations, in accordance with the plans and policies of the Arab network.