History
ITU-D was created by the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference, held in Geneva in December 1992. The Plenipotentiary Conference, held in Nice, France, in 1989 decided that ITU's structure and working methods needed to be reviewed to better respond to globalization and the liberalization of telecommunication markets. In the light of this decision, a High-Level Committee was established to examine how ITU could respond more effectively to the challenges of a changing telecommunication environment. The committee in its report entitled “Tomorrow's ITU: The Challenges of Change", recommended that the substantive work of ITU should be organized in three Sectors: Radiocommunication, Standardization and Development.
The Additional Plenipotentiary Conference in 1992 adopted these recommendations, leading to the streamlining of ITU into three Sectors: ITU-R, ITU-T, and ITU-D.
Under this new structure, the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), which was established in 1989 by the Nice Plenipotentiary Conference, became the executing arm of ITU-D, with responsibilities ranging from programme supervision and technical advice to the collection, processing and publication of information relevant to telecommunication development.
Functions
ITU-D works through:
- world and regional telecommunication development conferences;
- the Telecommunication Development Advisory Group;
- the Telecommunication Development Study Groups; and
- the Telecommunication Development Bureau headed by an elected Director.
ITU-D discharges, within its specific sphere of competence, the Union's dual responsibility as a United Nations specialized agency and executing agency for implementing projects under the United Nations development system or other funding arrangements so as to facilitate and enhance telecommunication development by offering, organizing and coordinating technical cooperation and assistance activities.
This role, along with specific functions are spelled out in Article 21 of the ITU Constitution. These functions include, inter alia, working to:
- raise the level of awareness of decision-makers concerning the important role of telecommunications in the national economic and social development programme, and provide information and advice on possible policy and structural options;
- promote, especially by means of partnership, the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication networks and services, particularly in developing countries, taking into account the activities of other relevant bodies, by reinforcing capabilities for human resources development, planning, management, resource mobilization, and research and development;
- enhance the growth of telecommunications through cooperation with regional telecommunication organizations and with global and regional development financing institutions, monitoring the status of projects included in its development programme to ensure that they are properly executed;
- activate the mobilization of resources to provide assistance in the field of telecommunications to developing countries by promoting the establishment of preferential and favourable lines of credit, and cooperating with international and regional financial and development institutions;
- promote and coordinate programmes to accelerate the transfer of appropriate technologies to the developing countries in the light of changes and developments in the networks of the developed countries;
- encourage participation by industry in telecommunication development in developing countries, and offer advice on the choice and transfer of appropriate technology;
- offer advice, carry out or sponsor studies, as necessary, on technical, economic, financial, managerial, regulatory and policy issues, including studies of specific projects in the field of telecommunications.
Membership
ITU-D has four types of members.
Member States
Administrations of all Member States are members of right of ITU-D. A State is considered to be a member of ITU in accordance with Article 2 of the ITU Constitution. Member States can participate at no specific cost other than their annual contributions to ITU. The annual contributory unit for Member States is currently set at CHF 318 000. The number of contributory units paid by each Member State varies.
Sector Members
Sector Members are: Any recognized operating agency, scientific or industrial organization, financial or development institution or other entity dealing with telecommunication matters approved by the Member State concerned.
Regional or other international telecommunication organizations.
Unlike the other Sectors, ITU-D Sector Members can participate in the activities of the ITU-D study groups at a class of contribution lower than a 1/2 unit. ITU-D Sector Members have the possibility of selecting the 1/4 or 1/8 unit classes. The minimum class of 1/16 of the contributory unit is reserved for Sector Members from developing countries.
The minimum annual fee to be paid by a Sector Member from a developing country is currently set at CHF 3'975, and CHF 7'950 for Sector Members from developed countries.
Associates
Associates are only entitled to participate in the work of a single selected study group and its subordinate groups. The minimum annual fee for an Associate from a developed country is currently set at CHF 3'975, and CHF 1'997.50 for an Associate from a developing country.
Academia
Academia includes colleges, institutes, universities and their associated research establishments concerned with the development of telecommunications/ICTs that wish to participate in TDAG meetings, ITU-D study groups, seminars, workshops and working groups. The minimum annual fee is currently set at CHF 3'975 for entities from developed countries, and CHF 1'987.50 for entities from developing countries.
