Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission Participates in the Meeting of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, participated in the meeting of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, held in New York City, United States of America, during the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which focuses its work on ensuring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting discussed the important role played by broadband in stimulating development globally, building and developing societies and economies, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed upon by world leaders in September of last year. The meeting also discussed ways to deploy broadband and its applications and services to ensure inclusive global growth, in addition to discussing the investment efforts needed to raise $450 billion in order to reduce the digital divide and deliver communications and information technology services to one and a half billion people worldwide.

The Commission works to launch activities and initiatives concerned with the use of broadband as an enabling tool for building the future of societies and developing them in the areas it addresses, such as the economic, financial, social, education, and science fields.

The Kingdom's participation in the proceedings of the UN Broadband Commission comes in recognition of its efforts in the field of communications and information technology at all levels.

It is worth noting that the Broadband Commission was established in 2010 by the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO, five years after the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and ten years after the launch of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). His Excellency the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union and Her Excellency the Director-General of UNESCO serve as Vice-Chairs of the Commission, while His Excellency the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and businessman Mr. Carlos Slim, Chairman of the Carlos Slim Foundation, have also served as co-chairs of the Commission.