The next World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 9 to 20 October 2017. The preparation of key documents for WTDC-17 has already begun, with efforts under way at the Telecommunication Development Advisory Group (TDAG). At its meeting in March 2016, TDAG reviewed preliminary drafts of three key documents prepared by its Correspondence Group on Strategic Plan, Operational Plan and Declaration, namely: (1) ITU-D Contribution to the ITU Strategic Plan for 2020-2023; (2) ITU-D Action Plan; and (3) WTDC-17 Declaration. The draft agenda of WTDC-17 was approved by the ITU Council 2016 (in Document
) and obtained the concurrence of a majority of the Member States. The website for WTDC-17 has been developed and launched to support the dissemination of information (including circulars, documents, reports, contributions) to Member States and Sector Members in order to facilitate the promotion of the event.
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D.1-2 Regional preparatory meetings (RPMs) [87]
In line with WTDC Resolution 31 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010), the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) is organizing one RPM per region.
The RPMs started in November 2016 with the organization of the RPM for CIS countries in the Kyrgyz Republic; in December 2016 in Rwanda for Africa. The meetings made full use of the regional offices to facilitate the preparatory process at the regional level. The respective websites for RPMs were developed in July 2016 to support the exchange of information (including circulars, documents, reports, contributions) with Member States and Sector Members in order to facilitate the promotion of the events.
D.1-3 Telecommunication Development Advisory Group (TDAG) [88]
The Telecommunications Development Advisory Group (TDAG) provided strategic guidance on key issues related to the fulfilment of the mission, objectives, outputs and expected results of the current work of BDT.
The 21st meeting of TDAG took place from 16 to 18 March 2016 at ITU headquarters in Geneva. At this meeting, TDAG launched the preparations for WTDC-17 as outlined above and reviewed the preparations for WTDC-17, the implementation of the ITU-D Strategic Plan and Operational Plan 2015, the ITU-D four-year rolling Operational Plan 2017-2020, and the ITU-D contribution to the implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action, including the United Nations General Assembly Overall Review and the Sustainable Development Goals. It also considered the working methods, the collaboration with the other Sectors, including a progress report on the Inter-Sector Coordination Team on Issues of Mutual Interest, ITU-D Study Group-related matters, and membership, partnership and innovation-related matters. The 22nd meeting of TDAG will take place 9-12 May 2017.
The ITU-D SGs held their second set of Rapporteur Group meetings in April 2016. As a result of the targeted and high quality contributions received for consideration, the eighteen Study Group 1 and 2 Rapporteur Groups progressed well with the drafting of text for their deliverables. The main purpose of these Rapporteur Group meetings was to ensure that good progress is made with the drafting of text for the final deliverables to be presented for approval at the last SG1 and SG2 meetings in from 27 March to 7 April 2017. This 4 January - September 2016 implementation report work included reviewing results from questionnaires and surveys, calls for contributions and assess where additional input is required.
The ITU-D Study Groups held their third and fourth meetings for the 2014-17 study period from 19 to 30 September 2016 and from 27 March to 7 April 2017, respectively.
[86] PP Dec. 5, 13; PP Res. 25, 71, 72, 77, 111, 131, 135, 139, 149, 151, 154, 165, 167, 172; WSIS AL C1, C11; SDG Targets 1, 3(3.d), 5, 10, 16 (16.5, 16.6, 16.8), 17 (17.9, 17.16, 17.17, 17.18, 17.19)[87] PP Dec. 5, 13; PP Res. 25, 71, 111, 135, 140, 165, 167, 172; WSIS AL C1, C11; SDG Targets 1, 3, (3.d), 5, 10, 16 (16.5, 16.6, 16.8), 17 (17.9, 17.16, 17.17, 17.18, 17.19)
[88] PP Dec. 5, 13; PP Res. 25, 71, 111, 135, 140, 151, 154, 165, 166, 167, 172; WSIS AL C1, C11; SDG Targets 1, 3, (3.d), 5, 10, 16 (16.5, 16.6, 16.8), 17 (17.9, 17.16, 17.17, 17.18, 17.19)
[89] PP Dec. 5, 13; PP Res. 25, 71, 135, 140, 154, 165, 166, 167, 172, 201; WSIS AL C1, C11; SDG Targets 1(1.b), 3 (3.d), 5, 10, 16 (16.5, 16.6, 16.10), 17 (17.9, 17.16, 17.17, 17.18)
