Delegates to vote @ WCIT-06

by Remmy Nweke

DELEGATES to the 15^th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) slated to hold in May 2006, in Austin, Texas, United States, would have the opportunity to vote on three selected global impact issues.

These issues are centered on privacy and security, digital access, and healthcare in the 21^st century.

WCIT annual convention holding between May 1 and 5, 2006, is known for gathering over 2,000 global leaders from business, government and academia to discuss IT policy, direct the future of technology and endear drive to social-economic development.

In a joint message in its monthly newsletter made available to Champion Infotel, the chief executive and president of WCIT-06, Messrs Ben Bentzin and Glyn Meek, respectively, disclosed that with the exercise, delegates would for the first time cast votes on policy proposals in these three areas.

They said proposals that receive “a plurality of votes will be published as the official recommendation of WCIT-06 and World Information Technology Services Alliance (WITSA).

Already, Accenture and Unisys are topping the list of sponsors by agreeing to bankroll two of the three key issues believed to be the focus of the next year event.

Accenture, they said, would lead the Digital Access issue, while Unisys would take that of Privacy and Security aspect.

This development came as WCIT-06 has introduced ‘international ambassadors’ to assist in spreading the word for the five-day conference.

This team, organisers said are now active in about 25 countries and are billed to have outreach efforts in 80 countries by May 2006 when the event is scheduled to hold.

Meanwhile, former Rwandan ambassador to the US, Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, has been named to speak at the WCIT-06 board of directors meeting this November.

He would be examining how to harness IT to drive social and economic change at the meeting billed for November 8 in Texas.