Statement of the Government Delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan*

Speaker:               Abdulla Aripov – Deputy Prime-minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan

 

For the last decade information and communication technologies have become one of the most important factors affecting social evolution and lifestyle of people.  New technological break-through caused by onrush of information and communication technologies has had profound influence on our life that affected overall development of society. This Summit is a vivid confirmation characterizing the world community entering a new development stage – stage of building of information society.

 

Today in Uzbekistan, as in other countries proclaimed informatization as one of primary directions of their policy, awareness of benefits brought by information and communication technologies development and deployment has been increasing. Development of information and communication technologies has become a major component of economics of Uzbekistan. Long-term strategy is also oriented to building of information society.

 

Basic aspects of the national strategy and actions plan in ICT area are defined in the speech of the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on the session of the Parliament in May 2001 as well as in the Decree “On further development of computerization and introduction of information and communication technologies”.

 

First-priority tasks of information and communication technologies development and deployment are the following:

 

development of information resources and services market, gradual transition towards electronic forms of information exchange;

wide introduction of information technologies into branches of real economy, creation of conditions for wide access of various levels of population to modern computer and information systems;

introduction of progressive teaching systems into education process, based upon acquirement of and active utilization of modern computer and information technologies;

accelerated development of technical infrastructure of ICT throughout the country taking into account convergence of information and communication networks and services;

implementation of high-speed access to national and international information networks, and providing access to them for settlements including the rural ones.

 

The higher interagency authority in charge of coordination of computerization and ICT development isCoordination Council for Development of Computerization and ICT.

 

Uzbekistan supports creation of information society, which would provide observance and protection of national sovereignty, religious, cultural, social, and linguistic interests of all countries and peoples without any discrimination.

 

Uzbekistan declares its aspiration for and readiness to participate in building of information society oriented to people’s interests and where each person with no regard to country of residence is given right to search, receive, and disseminate any information. 

 

We agree that to solve these tasks all interested parties have to work for widening of access to information and communication technologies as well as information and knowledge, to strengthen confidence and security while using ICT, create enabling environment, develop ICT applications, and expand their utilization areas and encourage cultural diversity.

 

In this connection, as representatives of one of the countries with transition economy we would like to call on to further broadening of international cooperation by means of coordination of donor society activities as well as development of specialized aid programs to countries of transition.

 

Uzbekistan integrally supports the Declaration of principles.

 

 

 

Contact person:          Sherzod Shermatov – Senior Specialist of the Cabinet of Ministers,

 e-mail: Sherzod@ICTCouncil.gov.uz

Date and time:                        11^th December 2003 Plenary Session