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Pacific ICT Ministerial Meeting 2015 & Pacific ICT Officials' Meeting

The Pacific ICT Ministerial Meeting (the Meeting), organised jointly by the University of the South Pacific (USP) in its capacity as Chair of the Council of Regional Organisation of the Pacific (CROP) ICT Working Group and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), was held on 19 June 2015, in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. The meeting was opened by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala and attended by ministers from Tonga, Niue, Samoa and Solomon Islands, and official delegates from 13 countries, members of the CROP ICT Working Group and observers from 11 organisations.

The meeting was hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga and with supports from the Australian Government Department of Communications, Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), United Nations Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA), Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC), Tonga Cable Limited (TCL), Internet Society (ISOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The Pacific ICT Ministerial Meeting was preceded by the Pacific ICT Officials’ Meeting held at the same venue on 17th and 18th June 2015.

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Registration

Opening Session

Welcome Remarks by Dr. Dilawar Grewal, Chair of CROP ICT Working Group

Welcome Remarks by Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Chief, Project Support and Knowledge Management Department, ITU/BDT

Opening Remarks by Hon. Sosefo Fe'ao Vakata, Minister for Internal Affairs

Vote of Thanks by Mr. Andrew To'imoana, Director of Information

Appointment of Chair and Drafting Committee

Strategies for ICT in the Pacific [ICT for Sustainable Development]
[14:15-15:55]

As countries move towards diverse trade, economic, regulatory reforms that create an enabling environment within which local content can be encouraged, and diverse utilization of various ICT infrastructures, creation of economic opportunities will see Pacific communities thrive. There many aspects of ICT for development such as education, commerce, preservation of culture and languages, e-Government applications that enable access for citizens.

Moderator: Mr. Paula Ma'u, CEO of MEIDECC

1.1    Presentation by World Bank, Ms. Natasha Beschorner
1.1.1 Q&A
1.2    Presentation by APT, Dr. Stephen Sheehan
1.2.1 Q&A
1.3    ICT in Pacific Education, Mr. Ian Thompson, University of the South Pacific
1.3.1 Q&A
1.4    ICTD Capacity Development for SIDS, Mr. Michael Riggs, UN-APCICT/ESCAP
1.4.1 Q&A

16:00-16:10 Afternoon Tea - hosted by
Government of Tonga

Strategies for ICT in the Pacific [Cybersecurity]
[16:10-17:30]

The Pacific has been subjected to diverse forms of threats and attacks including but not limited to increase in spam, malware, viruses, denial of service attacks, botnets, child online pornography, cyber bullying, espionage, intrusion, theft etc.

Moderator: Ms. Tepua Hunter, ICT Director, Cook Islands

1.5    Presentation by APNIC, Mr. Paul Wilson
1.5.1 Q&A
1.6    PacCERT, PacCERT Board
1.6.1 Q&A
1.7    Cybersecurity Initiatives, ISOC
1.7.1 Q&A

17:45-18:15 Launching of PRIF Report

18:30-22:00 Dinner hosted by Government of Tonga, Likualofa Beach Resort

Thursday, 18 June 2015

Strategies for ICT in the Pacific [Disaster risk management]
[09:00-09:25]

ICT is a critical platform and tool for early warning and developing response mechanisms and assessing damages during disasters. In the most recent natural disaster that affected the Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Pam which was a Category 5 cyclone was able to be viewed through video streams from cameras that TelSat Broadband had put in place

Moderator: Mr. Tuaimalo Ahsam, CEO MCIT

1.8 Presentation by ITU, Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Chief, Project Support and Knowledge Management Department, ITU/BDT
1.8.1 Q&A