Lauching Information and
Communications Technology
(ICT) Task Force, Secretary-General Appeals for
Support from Private Sector
The new technologies that are changing our world
are not a panacea or a magic bullet. But they
are, without doubt, enormously powerful tools for
development. They create jobs. They are
transforming education, health care, commerce,
politics and more. They can help in the delivery
of humanitarian assistance and even contribute to
peace and security. One of the most pressing
challenges in the new century is to harness this
extraordinary force, spread it throughout the
world, and make its benefits accessible and
meaningful for all humanity, in particular the
poor.
The
principal mission of this Task Force is to tell
us how we might accomplish this ambitious
goal.This task force comprises an inspiring group
of government officials, industry experts,
non-governmental organization leaders and others
from every part of the world.
We look to
you to tell us, realistically, what ICT can and
cannot do. We look to you as a source of new
ideas, advice on policy, and information on
"best practices" that have been shown
to work. We look to you to raise awareness, to
forge new partnerships, and to be catalysts for
change. We look to you to support the World
Summit on the Information Society to be held in
2003, and to recommend ways in which the United
Nations system itself can make more effective use
of ICT in its development activities.
Most of all, we look to you to help build digital
bridges to the billions of people who are now
trapped in extreme poverty, untouched by the
digital revolution and beyond the reach of the
global economy.
Kofi Annan
2002
http://www.unicttaskforce.org/welcome/
|
Kofi
Annan
Secretary-General
of the United Nations
1997 -2007 |
