Welcome to the 2018 Session of ITU Council. It is our last Council before PP-18, the 20th Plenipotentiary Conference of our history. As we gather here today in Geneva and later this year in Dubai, our task is to ensure that ITU's activities, policies and strategies fully respond to today's digital transformation and pave the way for a bright future.
Artificial intelligence, 5G, cloud computing, the internet of things and other emerging technologies are opening new frontiers and also new possibilities. And our Union is at the forefront of this digital revolution. Our work on 5G is a perfect example of what ITU is doing across its Sectors to develop the networks and services that will support innovative solutions to power the digital economy and bring sustainable social and economic benefits to all the world's citizens. We recently agreed on key performance requirements for IMT-2020 (5G), the global cornerstone for activities that will enrich lives in ways that have yet to be imagined. But with possibility comes responsibility. As we speak, more than half of the world's population is unconnected. How we deal with this transformation will be a defining challenge of the twenty-first century and a central question at the upcoming Plenipotentiary Conference.
Council 2018 is invited to review the draft ITU strategic plan for 2020-2023 and refer it to PP-18. I am confident that it will drive the growth of our Union and of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the next decade. Throughout its history, ITU has successfully adapted to changing times and technological change. It has been a force for good, and I am calling on all of you to continue our efforts to leverage the power of ICTs to advance WSIS Action Lines, Connect 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that today's digital revolution leaves no one behind.
Distinguished Councilors,
We have built momentum since our last Plenipotentiary Conference in 2014. The World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) successfully responded to the increasing demands for the use of radio spectrum and orbit resources. The Radio Assembly (RA-15) and the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly 2016 (WTSA-16) set the agenda for the vital regulatory and standards work over the coming years. And the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017 (WTDC-17) strengthened the connection between ICTs and SDGs. All major annual ITU events such as ITU Telecom World, the WSIS Forum, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), the Global Symposium for Regulators and the Kaleidoscope academic conference have helped advance the objectives and strategic goals of our Union: growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, innovation and partnership. Several targets of our Connect 2020 Agenda are on track to be achieved. I am grateful to our membership for your trust and support, to our partners for your confidence and cooperation, and to ITU's staff and management team for your hard work and commitment to the mission of our Union.
What drives us is bringing better technologies and services to those already connected, and connecting the unconnected. That is our goal. We need to redouble our efforts to bring the power of ICTs to all nations, all people and all segments of society. And that is why, as Secretary-General, I have made clear that investment in ICT infrastructure is an absolute priority. We can never take infrastructure investments for granted. We all need to do more to create environments that are conducive to investment in ICTs. As you develop your proposals towards PP-18 at the national and regional levels, I urge you to focus your efforts on infrastructure, investment, innovation and inclusivity. Those "4 I's" that I laid out in my speech to WTDC-17 are critical to bridging the digital divide and harnessing the power of ICTs towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The story of ITU is a story of innovation and transformation. But it is also a story of international collaboration, inside and outside our Union. And so I am pleased to report that ITU has formed a number of new partnerships with private Sector members and many UN sister organizations since we last met.
As Secretary-General, transparency, openness and efficiency are high on my priority list. And that includes ensuring the most effective use of ITU's limited resources. With my elected colleagues, we have worked hard to present a balanced budget for 2018-2019. To achieve this good result, we have implemented, to the greatest possible extent, the efficiency measures laid down in Annex 2 to Decision 5 adopted at PP-14. We are also in the process of finalizing the draft financial plan for the 2020-2023 timeframe. This is the first time that the financial plan has been balanced at the first stage of its preparation. We do hope you will endorse it after your review.
Let me take a moment to recognize all the host countries that have made significant financial contributions to key ITU events, including WTSA-16, WTDC-17 and ITU Telecom World 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. I also want to acknowledge the host countries that have made meetings of Study Groups, Working Parties and many workshops and regional coordination meetings possible, as well as those that will contribute to major upcoming ITU conferences like PP-18 and the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). Finally, we are grateful to all sponsors that support our events and initiatives, from WSIS Forums to Broadband Committee activities to WTISD and many other projects. We hope that you will all consider strengthening your financial support to ITU. Some administrations have already increased their class of contributory units since last Council. Others are considering it. We appreciate your unwavering support.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we are gearing up for PP-18, I would like to take this opportunity to thank in particular the United Arab Emirates for hosting ITU's highest-level meeting and working with us to make it one of the most successful Plenipotentiary Conferences in our history. I am grateful to the administration for its generous support and to the Chairman-Designate, His Excellency Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, for his leadership and dedication. I am also grateful to the Chairman of Council 2018, Mr. Rashid Ismailov, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation, who spared no effort to facilitate the preparation for this year's Council.
This is a pivotal time. As I argued in my speech here last year, the world needs the SDGs and the SDGs need ICTs. I am confident that your contributions will pave the way for successful outcomes at this Council and PP-18, and ensure that the activities of our Union continue to deliver maximum value to our membership. So let us step up to the task. Let us work together to build a stronger, more open and more efficient ITU - a union that will continue to have a profound and positive impact on the lives of people across the world. I wish you a successful Council 2018.
Thank you.
