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Mr. Chairman,
Pakistan delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his reports
on Agenda item 44 dealing with Information and Communication Technologies for
Development and Agenda item 92 on Training and Research.
Pakistan delegation would also like to associate itself with the statement made
by the Representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
In this globalized world driven by knowledge and technology, a country’s chances
to move on the faster development track and to break out of the spiral of
poverty is dependent on its ability to access and utilize technology. The rapid
advances in the field of information and communication technologies should,
ideally, make such access easier than ever before. But in reality the dramatic
advancement in technology has unfortunately accentuated the digital divide.
A critical challenge for us, therefore, is to make technology work for the poor
by creating an enabling international environment that would permit the
utilization of technology through its transfer to the developing countries for
the purpose of spurring economic growth and development.
An efficient and cost effective way to realize this would be to employ ICT as a
strategic tool to promote and achieve broader development objectives and to
enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the ongoing assistance and
technical cooperation programmes within the UN system and beyond.
Mr. Chairman,
The United Nations is well placed to lead the world in placing science and
technology in the service of development. By building partnerships with all
relevant actors, United Nations can lead the way in promoting the development
objectives of developing countries.
The establishment of United Nations ICT Task Force was a timely step in the
right direction. It has provided a representative and efficient platform for
contributing to the policy debate and for the formulation of strategies for the
development and use of ICT.
Pakistan, as a member of the ICT Task Force, is striving hard to bring the
benefits of the global digital revolution to the developing world and to use it
for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. We will continue with
our efforts to keep development as the central focus of the Task Force
activities.
The first phase of the World Summit on Information Society held in Geneva on
10-12 December 2003 defined a common vision of an inclusive and people centered
Information Society, where every one was able to create, access, utilize and
share information and knowledge. The Summit clearly recognized that information
and communication technologies are a fundamental tool to foster social and
economic development.
Pakistan actively participated in the Geneva Summit at the highest level. We
will continue to lend our full support to the Summit and look forward to
participating in the second phase of the Summit scheduled to take place in Tunis
on 16-18 November 2005. We hope that the Summit in Tunis would build upon the
achievements made in Geneva during the first phase of the summit.
We also welcome the establishment of the Working Group on Internet Governance as
an important implementation of the outcome of the first phase of the Summit. We
are confident that the Working Group would provide useful inputs to the second
phase of the World Summit on Information Society.
Mr. Chairman,
Pakistan has adopted a holistic, progressive, participatory approach to the
promotion of ICT. In this regard a National Commission for Science and
Technology headed by the President of Pakistan has been established. We are also
concentrating on the up gradation of infrastructure in research and development
organizations and institutes, as well as on technology development, creating
linkages between industry and academia and development of an extensive pool of
human resources in key areas of science and technology.
This dynamic national ICT policy has resulted in the creation of an extensive
pool of skilled IT workforce, besides establishing an efficient and
cost-effective infrastructure that provides affordable and wide-spread
connectivity.
We are also actively encouraging foreign investment in the telecommunication and
software sectors. In this regard, a liberal investment regime that offers an
attractive package of incentives to the foreign investors including 100% equity
and unhindered repatriation of profits has been put in place.
Mr. Chairman,
We see the UN Institute for Training and Research as an important forum for a
coordinated United Nations system-wide approach to research and training.
We commend the contributions being made by UNITAR in making the training and
research needs of the UN member states particularly the developing countries and
in helping them build capacity in important areas.
It is, however, disturbing to see that while the UNITAR continues to provide
free training facilities to Member States, the UN is still not ready to provide
the Institute with a rent-free space. We hope that during this session, the
General Assembly would send a clear signal that the Institute be provided with
office space by the United Nations on a rent and maintenance-free basis.
UNU is another important institution, which is making significant intellectual
contributions to the UN system through its research activities.
We greatly appreciate the support being extended by the UNU to the scholars from
the developing countries through its capacity and network development
activities.
Pakistan would urge the UNU to further intensify its efforts in meeting the
training and research needs of the developing countries with a view to building
their capacities in areas of immediate concern to them.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.