Excellency Dr. Hamadoun I. TOURÉ, ITU Secretary General,
Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director of Telecommunication Development Bureau
Distinguished Panelists,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
It is my great pleasure to participate in this High-Level Panel discussion of the Connect Asia-Pacific Summit, held in this dynamic and modern city of Bangkok. First of all, on behalf of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, my colleague Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, H.E. PRAK SOKHONN and I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Royal Government and the people of Thailand for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and to my delegation and for the excellent arrangement of this Summit.
I would also like to congratulate the Royal Thai Government and the ITU for co-organizing this very important Forum, against the backdrop of growing opportunities in a very dynamic Asia-Pacific Region supported by enhanced regional integration and cooperation, particularly in the emerging ASEAN Community. Our presence today reaffirms our commitment to transform Asia-Pacific into a Smartly DIGITAL (Digital Inclusive Green Innovative Transformative Affordable Living) where everyone has access and benefits from ICT services and development.
We all agree that ICT plays a very important role in empowering people through information and knowledge, promoting better quality of lives, and transforming international trade and communication. Also, ICT has proven itself as the backbone of inclusive and sustained economic growth and development in many countries and this, I personally believe will also be the case in the future. However, harnessing the full potentials of ICT is not that simple and straightforward. There are many key issues in the areas of policy, technology, applications, resources mobilization, capacity building, etc., that need to be addressed. In this connection, please allow me to share a few thoughts on the challenges and strategies as follows:
First- many Asia Pacific countries have made impressive gains over the past five years in achieving universality and affordability in telecommunications services, particularly in the mobile sector. For instance, I am proud to report that Cambodia has a mobile teledensity of 139%. However, the development of telecommunications and ICT infrastructure is still a major challenge for many countries. There is no doubt that the above challenges can hardly be addressed effectively and efficiently at national level. This requires us to adopt a more comprehensive and cooperative approach, particularly through ITU, ASEAN, APT, APEC and other bilateral or multilateral mechanisms. I am of the view that good and stable regional connectivity is one of the key determinants of regional competitiveness and shared prosperity.
Second - many LDCs have adopted legal and regulatory reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency of telecommunications and bridging the digital divide. Similar to middle and high-income countries, the main reform approaches focus on increased private sector participation, market liberalization and regulatory reforms. An increasing number of LDCs has adopted regulatory policies that support market and competition. Indeed, LDCs face some steep challenges. Small population size and low purchasing power often make it difficult to rely on competition and private sector-driven infrastructure and investment. These unique conditions require putting in place appropriate legal policies and regulatory reforms and initiatives that are customized to the respective national circumstances. Regional cooperation on regulation and innovative institutional approaches might also offer one feasible way to help overcome the disadvantages of small, resource-constrained countries.
Third- financing the development of ICT has been difficult challenge as most ICT projects require a sizeable amount of capital. To date, the private sector has taken the lead in investing in the infrastructure and providing services. Governments likewise should ensure an enabling environment that will address the needs of the users, telecom/ICT service providers and other stakeholders. However, to promote an accelerated growth in ICT sector as well as to serve the less commercially attractive areas of the country, we need to examine all possibilities to mobilize the financial resources from all stakeholders, including development partners and Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
Fourth- the effective use of ICTs in both private and the public sector can significantly contribute to and accelerate progress in private sector development. The quality of infrastructure and services is an increasingly vital determinant of the overall investment climate of a country. We need to ensure that the ICT infrastructure meets the needs of all, from micro and small enterprises to larger, transnational corporations, and most specially the needs of the marginalized members of the society. Leveraging the opportunities created by mobile telephony and its related services and applications is particularly important for small enterprises in low-income countries. Mobile broadband will require more attention in the coming years. In order to speed up the roll-out of mobile broadband, we need to allocate spectrum or IP interconnection to provide the service. We should also facilitate ICT growth and employment creation through policies that aim at improving the availability of skills, providing appropriate ICT infrastructure and promoting clustering entrepreneurship.
Fifth- ICT value chains cover a wide array of activities carried out by both manufacturing and services firms. The ICT research, development and manufacturing sector should also be given priority for an Asia-Pacific 2020: Smartly DIGITAL. Asian countries are now home to some of the World's largest electronic manufacturers, while multinational telecommunications operators can also be found in emerging economies. LDCs and low- and middle-income developing countries are now moving towards this end. ICT services, such as telecommunications and computer services, as vital inputs, generate significantly more value added than ICT manufacturing. In order to successfully develop these sectors, we need to increase interdependence of economies, which requires appropriate trade policies that reach beyond pure market access.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I firmly believe that this Summit will make a significant contribution in extending the benefits of telecommunication/ICTs to the whole society, in promoting enhanced regional connectivity including enhanced people-to-people links and in improving the welfare of all people. Finally, I would like to wish ITU Secretary-General, distinguished panelists and delegates good health and success in all your endeavors and I wish this High-Level Panel a frank and fruitful discussion.
Thank you for your kind attention! 
