APT Preparatory Group for WTDC-17

Introduction:

World Telecommunication Development Conferences (WTDCs) are convened in the period between two Plenipotentiary Conferences to consider topics, projects and programmes relevant to telecommunication development. WTDCs set the strategies and objectives for the development of telecommunication/ICT, providing future direction and guidance to the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D).

The forth coming World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-17) will be convened in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 9 to 20 October 2017.

The theme of WTDC-17 is "ICT for Sustainable Development Goals" - ICT④SDGs.

Expected outcomes of WTDC-17 include a Declaration reinforcing the political support for the mission and strategic objectives of ITU-D; an ITU-D Contribution to the ITU Strategic Plan for 2020-2023; and an ITU-D Action Plan comprising regional initiatives, new and revised resolutions and recommendations to support the fulfilment of the Sector’s objectives, and new and revised Questions to be studied by ITU-D study groups.

The 39th Session of the APT Management Committe decided to establish the APT Preparatory Group for WTDC-17 (APT-WTDC17) to assist APT Members to prepare for a World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017 (WTDC-17) in coordinating issues of regional interest and preparing coordinated regional contributions to the Conference.

Objectives:

To assist APT Members to prepare for the World Telecommunication Development Conference in coordinating issues of regional interest and the submission of regional contributions to the Conference;
To develop proposals from APT Members that considers the interest of the Asia-Pacific region as inputs for WTDCs;
To develop inputs from APT Members for ITU Regional Preparatory Meeting (RPM) for Asia and the Pacific;
To assist APT Members during the WTDC.

Terms of Reference:

The Terms of Reference of the APT Preparatory Group for the WTDC are as follows:

To hold meetings during a preparatory cycle of a WTDC;
To establish necessary Working Methods including Documents Approval Procedure and Structures of the Group in line with the APT practices and for the effective delivery of the objectives of the Group. The Working Methods of the Group are to be approved by the Management Committee;
To identify and develop inputs from APT Members for ITU Regional Preparatory Meeting (RPM) for Asia and the Pacific;
To identify and study issues associated with the agenda of the WTDC, taking into account, where appropriate, the developments on the decisions of the previous WTDCs, and any relevant decisions of the PP, ITU Council and the TDAG;
To develop APT Common Proposals and any other appropriate documents in line with APT's Document Framework on the agenda items of the WTDC;
To develop APT Positions as may be required on issues for consideration at the WTDC and on proposals from other regions to the WTDC;
To review the preparatory work of other regions and undertake with those regions if deemed necessary;
To arrange coordination meetings during the WTDC for the APT Members attending the WTDC and provide collaborative support and guidance for the APT Common Proposals presented at the WTDC;
To report the activities and the progress of the work of the Group to the Management Committee on an annual basis as appropriate.

Structure:
Structure of the APT Preparatory Group for WTDC-17 was established at the 1st Preparatory Meeting. The structure of the Working Groups and the name of office bearers are shown below.

Chair

Vice Chair(s)

APT WTDC Preparatory Group

Mr. Charles Punaha

(Papua New Guinea)

Mr. Kishore Babu GSC Yerraballa

(India)

Mr. Akira Kido

(Japan)

Working Group 1 (WG1):

Programme, Study Groups and

Associated Questions