The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has named the Federal Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), as the chairman of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) 2022, reports ITREALMS.The WSIS Forum 2022, ITREALMS gathered started from 15 March onwards in a virtual format with the final week being held physically with enhanced remote participation from 30 May to 3 June 2022 at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme of ICTs for Well-Being, Inclusion and Resilience: WSIS Cooperation for Accelerating Progress on the SDGs.
A press statement by the minister’s technical assistant on research and development, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, available to ITREALMS, informed the appointment was conveyed to the minister via a letter from the Secretary-General of the organization, noting that Pantami was appointed “in light of his overall commitment to information and knowledge societies and the active role he has played in the WSIS process” and after consultations with various stakeholders. The forum is to be attended by several high-level stakeholders, including cabinet ministers from ITU countries.
“WSIS Forum 2022 serves as a key forum for discussing the role of ICTs as a means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it’s targets, with due regard to the global mechanism for follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNGA Resolution A/70/1)” he said.
The WSIS Forum is co-organised by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD with the engagement of 24 other agencies of the United Nations, including FAO, ILO, ITC, UNDESA, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNHCR, UNODC, UNEP, UPU, UN Tech Bank, WMO, WIPO, WHO, WFP, UN Women and UN regional commissions. In a follow up to the UN General Assembly outcomes in 2015 on the overall review of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes that called for closer alignment between the WSIS process and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the overall theme for this year is “ICTs for Well-Being, Inclusion and Resilience: WSIS Cooperation for Accelerating Progress on the SDGs”.
The forum, he said, aims to enhance cooperation, partnership, innovation, exchange of experiences and good practices in ICTs for sustainable development.
Also the forum, Adeluyi said, provides a platform to track the achievements of WSIS action lines in collaboration with the UN agencies involved and provides information and analysis of the implementation of WSIS action lines since 2005.
“The appointment of Professor Pantami has given Nigeria and, indeed, the African continent, the unique role of coordinating the activities of the WSIS in its 20th year, following the WSIS Phase I meeting that took place in 2003.
“The appointment of Professor Pantami has given Nigeria and, indeed, the African continent, the unique role of coordinating the activities of the WSIS in its 20th year, following the WSIS Phase I meeting that took place in 2003.
"The world has taken notice of the giant strides of Nigeria’s digital economy under the supervision of the Honourable Minister. Prof. Pantami extends his immense gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the constant support he has given the sector.”
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