Acting Governor of the Communications Commission Opens the Meeting of the Arab Working Group Tasked with Preparing for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference

Engineer Majed bin Mohammed Al-Muzaid, Acting Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, on behalf of His Excellency the Governor of the Commission Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, opened, at the Commission's headquarters in Riyadh today, the final meeting of the Arab Working Group tasked with preparing for the Plenipotentiary Conference, which will be held in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from October 29 to November 16, 2018.

The meeting of the Arab Working Group, which emerged from the Arab Council of Ministers of Communications and Information, aims to build relationships and prospects for cooperation among representatives of the various Arab countries, by working to align viewpoints, unify efforts, present joint decisions, and discuss contributions submitted to the meeting.

During the group's meeting, support will be given to the Kingdom's candidacies and those of Arab countries to retain their seats on the Union's Council, membership of the Radio Regulations Board, and other candidacies aimed at holding leadership positions within the Union.

The importance of the Arab Working Group's meeting held in Riyadh lies in it being the final preparatory meeting preceding the Plenipotentiary Conference, during which decisions are finalized on all matters related to the Plenipotentiary Conference. The group's meeting held in Riyadh recorded a high level of attendance compared to previous preparatory group meetings, reflecting the degree of importance of this meeting, with the number of Arab countries participating in the Arab Working Group's meeting exceeding 15 Arab countries.

Al-Muzaid affirmed in his speech the importance of the Plenipotentiary Conference, as the conference considers international strategies, objectives, projects, and programs related to the communications and information technology sector.

He also noted in his speech that communications and information technology have become an essential part of our daily lives, and that this requires further efforts to ensure the security and safety of networks and the reliability of the services provided through them. Al-Muzaid concluded his speech by thanking the participating delegations and wishing them success in achieving the meeting's objectives.

It is worth noting that the Plenipotentiary Conference is the highest authority within the International Telecommunication Union — the United Nations specialized agency for communications and information technology — and is held every four years. During it, the Union's member states determine the Union's future role and chart its directions and activities, thereby determining the Union's ability to influence and guide the development of information and communications technology globally, given the responsibilities this conference undertakes in setting the Union's general policies, addressing important issues raised at the regional and international levels, adopting strategic and financial plans, electing the Union's senior management team, electing the member states of the Council, and electing members of the Radio Regulations Board. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a candidate at the Plenipotentiary Conference to retain its seat on the ITU Council, as well as to hold a seat on the Radio Regulations Board.